Subic-to-Boracay sailing competition set

FIFTEEN local and international teams have expressed intention to join the much-anticipated first Subic-to-Boracay sailing competition that will set sail on Feb. 19, preceding the Boracay Cup on Feb. 22 to 26.

The Boracay competition will be a prelude to a much bigger event, the 200-mile international race in 2012 and succeeding years to further bolster tourism in Subic and Boracay and eventually make these places a sailing destination in Southeast Asia.

Organized by the Subic Bay Yacht Club, Lighthouse Marina Resort and Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailors, under the auspices of the Philippine Sailing Association, the four-day Boracay Cup consists of two days each of windward/leeward courses and two days each with one round the island courses.

The organizing committee is headed by its chairman, former congressman and Commodore Ricky Sandoval of the Subic Bay Yacht Club and President of Watercraft Ventures Inc., co-chairman Jun Avecilla, president of the Lighthouse Marina Resort, and renowned International Race Officer Jerry Rollin as in-charge of race management

The event is fully supported by Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Comm. Feliciano Salonga, Administrator Armand C. Areza, Deputy Administrator for Tourism Raul Marcelo and the Free Port Chamber of Commerce in Subic Bay.

Gov. Carlito Marquez, Vice Gov. Billie Calizo and Rep. Joeben Miraflores of the Province of Aklan have likewise extended full support for the races and have offered to donate the Perpetual Trophy for the first Subic to Boracay race and the inshore races. Envisioned to be a premier sailboat racing event in the country, the race will put Subic and Boracay in the sailing map in the region as part of the Asian Grand Prix Yachting Circuit.

The event has been moved a little later to accommodate the boats traveling from Singapore after the Asian Circuit races and other events there and to avoid the Chinese New Year when hotels in Boracay are fully booked.

To date, 16 international boats have registered for the racing event together with a number of Philippine entries.

The Philippine Inter- Island Sailing Foundation, which also organizes the Hobie Cat events, will be providing the race management team for both events under Jerry Rollin.

Frank Pong will be returning to Philippine waters to set the race record time, which is expected to be under 17 hours. manilastandardtoday