2006
President's Cup
AY Race Report 4 & Summary
The
final showdown...
Racing
got away on time for the much awaited race five decider but unfortunately
before one lap could be completed a enormous windless hole appeared in
the middle of the course and race officer Jerry Rollin had no other option
other than to abandon the first attempt of the day. An anticlimax for
some competitors! After a hour and a half wait the sea breeze materialised,
the course relayed and five minute horn sounded. Judes Echauz's Sydney
46 Centennial
and Ray Ordoveza's
Excel 53 Karakoa
kept a tight cover on each other by circling around then hitting the line
with speed. Jamie Wilmot come out with a slight windward advantage on
Centennial and Steve Benjamin had Karakoa a boat length
in front as they powered up the first windward beat. No more than a couple
hundred meters separated the two yachts throughout the race with the bigger
Karakoa leading the way. In the end it was Karakoa crossing
the line one minute and twenty seconds in front which was not enough as
Centennial corrected out one minute and seventeen seconds in
front. One-zip to Centennial.
As
race five took less than an hour to complete the race committee called
for another race to finish the series. Once again Jamie steered Centennial
off the line with a windward advantage and this time in front of Karakoa
up the first beat. A tight cover was held and a separate two boat competition
developed from the rest of the racers. Having taken each other to the
extreme ends of the course they allowed the rest of the fleet to sail
over them and finished 5th and 6th respectively. Nick Burns Mandrake
finally came to the fore in this final race with Frank Pong's two 75 footers
Jelik and Boracay that have put on a spectacular show
all regatta claiming second and third places in race six. After the final
points tally Judes
Echauz's Centennial
has won their fourth President's Cup and his crew has hiked their little
hearts out in the racing class. Ray Ordoveza's Karakoa
ended up second overall and Frank Pong's Reichel/Pugh 75 ft Jelik
climbed up into third place.
In
the Cruiser Racer Class George
Hackett's J 35 Jo de Ros added
a further win to his tally that gave them the overall class victory and
decided not to compete in the final race. Claudio
Altura's J 35
Vivaldi scored 2nd place in race five and Jun Avecilla's
Selma Star recovered to third after a few mistakes in earlier
races dropped them down the order. Race six saw Allan
Burrell's Farr 1104 Rags come to the for and Claudio
Altura's J 35
Vivaldi in second with Jun Avecilla's Selma
Star once again in third place. This allows George
Hackett's Jo de Ros to successfully defend the title
with Claudio
Altura's quickly improving Vivaldi
in second and Allan
Burrell's Rags holding onto third overall.
The
Russians have came, conquered and provided huge amounts of comical relief.
Although possibly being in the wrong class they have won all four races
in spectacular style. Edwin Almeda's Yamaha 36 Manta has consistently
scored second place to end up second overall. Seiji Kawakami's Japanese
crew on the X-99 Fast Exit claimed third spot today which ties
them on points with Peter Sharpe's Selma/SBYC Sags and after
a countback gives them third overall.
Race
officer Jerry Rollin and his team of young helpers plus the organising
committee must be commended for their great work to successfully complete
the regatta program in often difficult and changing weather conditions.
Their patience has kept the sailors happy, some of which have come a long
way to compete here. Their openness to discuss things sensibly with the
sailors, some of who are just starting out has improved their understanding
of the sport and put them on the right path to becoming future champions.
More on the President's Cup can be found at: http://www.manilayachtclub.org/prescup/
Getting
down to the business side of thing...
In
the Cruiser Racer Class Claudio Altura's J
35 Vivaldi broke George
Hackett's J35 Jo
de Ros strangle hold on the class by a mere
three seconds. Five yachts crossed the finish line within a minute of
each other after two and a half hours of racing. After handicaps have
been applied Allan
Burrell's Farr 1104 Rags claimed third spot and sits in
third place overall behind the two J 35's.
The
Russians were at it again G-strings and all. Although the time difference
is coming down and despite prematurely starting Mikhailov Ahexey on his
Farr 43 Carrera scored their third victory in a row. Edwin Almeda's
Yamaha 36 Manta has consistently scored second place to be second
overall. This time Peter Sharpe's Beneteau First 31.7 Selma/SBYC Sags
regained third spot to clamber back into third place overall.
Things
are hotting up in Subic Bay...
North
Sails Steve Benjamin helming
Ray Ordoveza's
Excel 53
Karakoa
scored two wins to climb up to the top of the leaderboard. Yesterdays
winner Judes
Echauz's Sydney 46 Centennial
helmed by Jamie Wilmot had to settle on two second placing's that keeps
them in the running. Frank Pong's Jelik claimed third spot in
race two and Robert Knight's Drumstick scored third in race three
to share the placing's around.
It
was a similar case in the IRC Cruiser Racer Class with George
Hackett's Jo de
Ros adding two further wins onto his race one victory
to take a commanding overall lead after three races. The remaining placing's
were shared around with Claudio
Altura's J 35
Vivaldi taking second place in race two and Klaas Huijies
Sydney 36 Sandoway filling second place in race three. Allan
Burrell's Farr 1104 stayed in the hunt with a third place in race two
and Claudio
Altura's Vivaldi
had a good day scoring third place in race three.
It
must be said that the Russians are getting a bit cheeky. Skipper Mikhailov
Ahexey on his Farr 43 Carrera chooses to helm the boat wearing
nothing but a tight G-sting. Despite this they have lead the Performance
Handicap Class by the proverbial mile to pick up another win and was noticed
back on the dock with bright red cheeks after a full day in the hot sun.
Although it seems to be two races in one with the Russians out in the
lead and the rest of the fleet battling it out down the order Edwin Almeda's
Yamaha 36 Manta posted second place and Japanese Seiji Kawakami
on the X-99 Fast Exit in third.
They
off rocking and a rolling
Judes Echauz's Sydney
46 Centennial
helmed by Jamie Wilmot got the better of everyone at the start and having
the lowest handicap held onto a significant time advantage throughout
the race. Frank Pong's Jelik was a little out of sync on the
first windward beat up the harbour and lost some ground to Boracay
but recovered on the long beat from Grande Island to pip Peter Morton's
crew for line honours by four minutes. Ray
Ordoveza's
Excel 53
Karakoa
skippered by Steve Benjamin stayed with the pack and claimed second spot
after improving their windward performance.
As
reported earlier Steve Benjamin, Jamie
Wilmot, Pierre
Mas and Peter Morton are not the only world renown top class sailors that
enjoy applying their trade in Asian waters but we also have yacht designer
Alan Andrews onboard his Excel
53 design Karakoa
and International Judge Masayuki Tshii from Japan and America's Cup
fame heading up the jury in an attempt to keep the sailors on the straight
and narrow.
Chairman
of the President's Cup committee Jun
Avecilla sailing Selma Star staged a battle royal with George
Hackett's J 35 Jo de Ros around the entire course. After
holding onto a slight lead most the way Jun's Selma Star finally
succumbed to the pressure exerted from Jo
de Ros to be piped on the finish line by a mere twenty-one
seconds and relegated to second overall. Allan Burrell's Farr 1104 Rags
stayed in close contact and kept them both honest to claim third spot.
In
the Performance Handicap Class the Russian's on the Farr 43 Carrera skippered
by Mikhailov Ahexey outsailed the rest to end up with the daily double
of Line and Handicap honours. Edwin Almeda's Yamaha 36 Manta
finished up second with Peter Sharpe's Selma/SBYC Sags in third
after being severely delayed when the land breeze inevitably changed over
to the sea breeze.
The
2006 President's Cup (April
18th to 22nd) follows on after the CSR in Subic Bay where perhaps the
biggest fleet of top class racing yachts will be racing together in Asia.
Local yachts Ray
Ordoveza's
Excel 53
Karakoa
will be skippered by Steve Benjamin and Judes
Echauz's Sydney
46 Centennial
by Jamie Wilmot to ensure that the Hong Kong racers don't have it all
there own way.
The
Fred Kinmonth/Nick
Burns owned Mandrake are fresh from their 
Chairman
of the President's Cup committee Jun
Avecilla clinched the Cruising Class at the