|
The President’s Cup,
which is the country’s biggest sailing event, will kick off in
Boracay on March 7.
Local
teams seeing action in the three-day race in the waters around
Boracay Island and Tablas Strait are Centennial skippered by Judes
Echauz, Challenge (Martin Tanco), Selma Star (Jun Avecilla), and
Vivaldi (Doni Altura).
Representing
Hong Kong are Frank Pong’s Jelik, Niel Pryde’s Hi-Fi, Paul
Bankowski’s Jaywalker and Sam Chan-Russ Parker’s Free Fire. Also
competing are Fast Exit (S. Kawakami), Rags (A. Burrel), Sandoway
(S. Burrel) and entries from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and
Australia.
“We
are pleased to support this prestigious event,” said Ernesto
Echauz, president of e-Standard Insurance, which is organizing the
President’s Cup together with the Philippine Sailing Association
and the Manila Yacht Club. “This is our way of promoting the
Philippines and sailing as a sport.”
Before
the President’s Cup, a race from Manila to Boracay will be held on
March 3.
The
Manila to Boracay race, which was first held in 2003, has
established itself as the most scenic sailing event in the country.
The
President’s Cup, which has attracted the best sailors all over the
world, began in 1993 and was then known as the Philippine Easter
Regatta. During the APEC Summit in 1997, President Fidel Ramos
requested the Manila Yacht Club to hold an international regatta and
the event was held annually since then.
 --Emil
Noguerra
|
