HK-to-Subic CSR, Cup regatta sail off

A big fleet of 30 foreign and local boats are taking part in the 2004 China Sea Race and the SMART Infinity-President’s Cup Regatta, which will start at the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club on April 8 and then finish with a series of inshore races on April 17 off Subic Bay waters.

Ray Ordoveza’s Karakoa, which is vying for big points in the Asian Series, and Judes Echauz’s Standard Insurance Centennial are among the Filipino boats which will make the 565-nautical mile long journey from Hongkong to the scenic coast of Zambales.

They will be joined in their six-day, Holy Week journey to the Philippines by 14 foreign boats, which will be led by the multi-titled crews of Hi-Fidelity and Jelik.

Karakoa, an Excel 53 class boat, won the President’s Cup title last year in the absence of Fred Kinmonth’s Stella Minter Ellison, which is returning this year.

Echauz’s boat, a Sydney 46 class yacht, is also eyed as a big threat to other foreign boats like Windseeker, Time, Polar Star III, Jaywalker, Intrigue of Stornoway, Freefire, Drumstick and Bewitched.

Fourteen local boats will await their foreign counterparts on April 14 for four-day President’s Cup Regatta, which is jointly organized by the Manila Yacht Club and the Subic Bay Yacht Club.

The weeklong regatta is sponsored by Smart Infinity. Standard Insurance and Philippine Airlines are also supporting the event with Absolute Distilled Water, Tanduay Rhum, Volvo, Manila Bulletin, Ralp’s Wine and Spirits and official radio station RJ 100 FM.

George Hackett’s Jo De Ros is seeking its sixth straight Cruiser-Racer A class crown while David McKenna’s Rapparee will vie back-to-back honors in the Cruiser-Racer B side.

Races will also be held in the Ocean Cruising, the PY Ocean multihull class and the PY Cruising event. Shipping magnate Jesus Avecilla Jr. is racing again with a new boat Beneteau First, after last year’s competitions in a chartered Platu 25.