2009 Standard Insurance - Lexus - Smart Infinity
Manila to Boracay Race
AY Pre-Race Report
 Quality
versus Quantity
Twenty two yachts have signed up for the very tricky 200NM Manila to Boracay
Race this year. They have been divided into three classes Racing, Cruiser/Racer
and PY Class. The nine racing class entrants exude top quality with Frank
Pong's 75ft
Reichel/Pugh Jelik leading the charge
as defending champion and race record holder. Sam Chan's Ffreefire
70, has been chartered by Richard Killip from Singapore and given the
right conditions will be breathing down Jelik's neck in the race
for line honours.
 Close
racing is expected between the fifty footers. Bill Bremner / Andy Cocks
TP52 Foxy Lady IV have made there way from Singapore looking
for some more strong wind racing experience. Down from Hong Kong are Sam
Chan's TP 52 Ffreefire skippered
by Russ Parker and Geoff Hill's TP52 Strewth
with new keel firmly attached are
only to happy to oblige. Not
to be out done are the local Philippine contingent with Ray Ordoveza's
Excel 53 Karakoa expected to be in
the thick of things and defending President's Cup champion Ernesto Echauz's
Sydney 46 Subic Centennial, are on
a roll since taking handicap honours two years ago. Slightly
down in size but big on performance are Chris Meads Corby 43 Full
Metal Jacket,
and Andrew Taylor / Hans Joachim Isler's Mills 41 Ambush pose
a huge problem to the big boats in the race for handicap honours if conditions
suite.
Going by past races
the conditions expected over the 200nm course to Boracay can be divided
in three stages. The seventy miles from Manila to the Verde Passage, winds
can vary in strength and direction, caused by the steep sided coastline
and a series of large bays that need to be crossed. The prevailing South
East winds usually turn the thirty miles leading into and out of the Verde
Passage into a beat with a long tack and a few short tacks to clear the
headlands. The big boats should be able to do it in one long close hauled
leg. After the Verde Passage the course turns into a long hundred mile
reach and run all the way to Boracay, which the sailors enjoy immensely
as the boats can surge along in surfing conditions.
 Most
boats in the Racer/Cruiser
Class fall
within the 35 to 40 foot range and exceptionally close racing is expected
with several past President's Cup and Boracay Race champions amongst the
entries. Defending
champion Jun Avecilla's Beneteau
First 36.7 Selma Star is expected to continue there battle with
George Hackett's J-35 Team Windshear Rudy Project,
Paul
Bankowski's Kerr 11.3 Jaywalker down
from Hong Kong and Martin Tranco's X 452 Challenge are always
amongst the placing's. By popular demand Jonathan Mahony's
Mumm 30 Happy Endings has once again sailed from
Singapore and hopes to improve on there last outing. Last
year the race was described as rough and tumble, wet, wild and cold overnight
race with rain and winds over 27 knots and 6ft swell that caused several
yachts to withdraw from the pounding in the treacherous Verde Passage.
After
dismasting last time Doni
Altura’s J35 Vivaldi
is back for more and Hong Kong's Roland Buser's Sydney 38 Stella
stand a big chance in long distance events. The biggest and fastest are
not necessarily the winners as Harry Taylor's S&S 36 Irresistible
showed the way on handicap a couple of years ago. Dick
Morris Shock 35 Salina and
the Klaas Huisjes chartered Salona
42
Ms
Salona are always waiting in the wings for the others to slip up
and ready to pounce when the opportunity arises.
 Despite
only three entries in the PY class, Micheal Reauber
and Capt Rainer Blum's Celestial 49 China Rose have won this
race before and David Mc Kenna's Sun Odyssey 42 Raparee XXX won
the Presidents Cup last year and are keen to place some more glory on
his young Philippine crew. Goran Rudelius
Contessa 35 Slalom Blade may be traveling in the
shadow of his bigger counterparts but as several patches of light wind
have previously been encountered they may benefit as time ticks away for
his competitors.
The tropical paradise
of Boracay has the mystical charm of attracting sailors from all over
the world. International rock stars and many familiar faces are appearing
by the moment as last minute preparations, testing new sails and crew
work is being conducted on Manila Bay as we speak. The weather forecast
seems to be for a light start down to the Verde Passage where anything
can happen and usually does.
Boracay
Race & Presidents Cup
Photo
Gallery at: http://asianyachting.com/photos/photo.htm?BoracayPC09
Online
Manila
to Boracay - AY
Race Reports with photos can be accessed from:
Race
Report 3 & Results: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/3.htm
Race Report 2: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/2.htm
Race Report 1: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/1.htm
Online
President's
Cup - AY
Race Reports with photos can be accessed from:
Race
Report 4 & Summary, Overall Results: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/8.htm
Race Report 3: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/7.htm
Race Report 2: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/6.htm
Race
Report 1: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/5.htm
Pre-Race Report: http://asianyachting.com/news/BoracayPC09/4.htm
AY
Race Reports are proudly sponsored by the following advertisers.
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