BORACAY—Defending champion Centennial III, skippered by sail master Judes Echauz, immediately recovered by winning two consecutive races in the IRC 1 during the 7th Standard Insurance Boracay Cup Regatta 2016 in this island paradise.
Centennial III, a TP 52 Davidson, which only came second in the Subic Bay to Boracay Race to Hong Kong’s elite yachtsman Frank Pong’s Jelik, a Reichel/Pugh 75, grabbed the upper hand in Races 2 and 3 morning.
Centennial won in ace 2 with a corrected time of 1: 18: 40, and coming second is Freefire, helmed by Hong Kong’s Sam Chan and Russ Parker (1:20:04). Third was Karakoa, skippered by veteran Filipino sailor Ray Ordoveza, in 1:21.19.
Pong’s 75-foot Jelik did not finish the race after the running back of their boat was broken, dimming their chances of becoming champion this year, according to American race officer Jerry Rollin.
Echauz and Centennial III’s 15-crew also grabbed the IRC’s Race 3, 1:19: 11 beating Ordoveza’s Karoako (1:19:37), while Great Britain’s Antipode’s skipped by Geoff Hill is third (1:20:09)
Jelik also did not participate in Race 3 and is not expected to race for the remainder of the four-day regatta organized by Philippine Sailing Association, Subic Yatch Club and backed by Cebu Pacific, Tanduay Rum, Seawind Hotel, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, PLDT SME, and Philippine Coast Guard.
The four-day regatta, a combination of point-to-point and windward/leeward courses, is part of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix season. Captain Marty Rijkuris is the main judge.
The Boracay Regatta Cup also offers precious points for the coveted Asian Yachting Skipper and Yacht of the Year awards.
