18-20 knots surfing downwind in shorts & T-shirt...
By AsianYachting MultiMedia

21:02:2011 Wonderful adrenalin rush was the main consensus of opinion from most the sailors at the trophy presentation. There was a bit of everything, working upwind, becalmed for a while, back markers catching up with the leaders, light wind reaching and finally a fantastic slide downwind all the way to Boracay. While the option was open to go either side of Mindoro Island, all the skippers choose to go on the Eastern route up the Verde Island passage, around Dumali Point before opening up the throttle all the way to Boracay. A real challenge of crew and machine.

Although the first part was a bit slow, Frank Pong put the pedal to the metal on his 75ft Reichel/Pugh Jelik II to set the inaugural race record for the 200 nautical mile course at 23 hours, 37 minutes, 58 seconds. A little under an hour latter, Sam Chan's TP 52 Ffreefire, crossed the line to snatch the handicap honours from Jelik II. Over an hour further behind Geoff Hill's TP52 Strewth also leapfrogged Jelik II into second place leaving Frank Pong's Jelik II to settle on third place overall. Jelik V skippered by Tiffany Koo finished in fourth and Ernesto Echauz's Sydney 46 Centennial ended up back in fifth place.

The seven local boats in the IRC Cruiser/Racer Class staged a close encounter throughout the race. Although Martin Tanco's X452 Challenge snatched line honours with an elapsed time of 36 hours, 13 minutes, 42 seconds they were not far enough in front to secure the handicap honours. It was left to the veteran racer Claudio Altura's J35 Vivaldi only 36 minutes behind to jump up and triumph in the handicap stakes. Altura vowed before the race that this would be the last time he competes on a long distance race but in view of the victory he has second thoughts and may return with a new boat next year. After being piped for first place Martin Tanco's Challenge ended up in second. Not only instrumental in organising the event but Jesus Avecilla found time to guide his Beneteau First 36.7 Selma Star into third place and missed out on second by eight minutes after 37 hours of racing.

Although David Mc Kenna's Sun Odyssey 42 Raparee XXX took line honours, over one hour in front of Micheal Reauber's Celestial 49 China Rose after handicaps were applied the tables were turned in favour of Reauber's China Rose in the PY Class. The only other competitor in the class Goran Rudelius' Contessa 35 Slalom Blade put up a good fight till the end but had to settle on third place.

A magnificent array of trophies were presented to the podium winners. These varied from different size Lighthouse trophies and everyone received specially engraved bottles of the Philippine favourite Tanduay Rhum. The Perpetual Trophy for the combined Subic to Boracay Race and Boracay Cup instigated by the Governor of the Province of Aklan were on mouth watering display and a sign of great things to come.

No rest for the weary, as tomorrow its head long into the first rounds of the Boracay Cup. International Race Officer Jerry Rollin will send all classes on a long distance race around the islands. As Wind Guru shows the average wind speed throughout the day to be around 15 knots we can expect a wild and wet ride to get the inaugural series off to a good start.

More details on the Subic Sailing Website http://www.subicsailing.com/index.html

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