Hottest racing yachts sail in Asia Cup GP

MANILA, Philippines - Ten sailing teams from all over Asia, including two from the Philippines, are all set to join the first Asia Cup Grand Prix Circuit on Jan. 12 in Phuket, Thailand.

Asia Cup’s Philippine representative Edmund Umali said the Filipino sailors will use the Soto 40 One Design boat, which is considered as one of the hottest racing yachts in the 40-foot range.

Competitions will be held at Langkawi in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Subic Bay and Boracay in the Philippines, Kota Kinabalu, Vietnam, Pattaya and Tioman in Thailand.

The International Racing Class (IRC) handicapping system will not be used during races to determine winners, and instead the boats who finish first are the actual winners.

 “This is a competition based on the skill of the racing teams, and not on the technology of the boat. And this makes the race much more interesting and exciting,” said Umali.

Race in the Soto 40 OD Class traces its roots off the coast of Brazil and Argentina, and has now been selected as the one-design class for the MedCup.

The Soto 40 has attracted sailors for its great looks, proven speed, quality construction and reliability.

The yacht has been designed from the tip of the keel to the top of the mast to be easily sailed by a crew of nine to 12.

The Soto 40 was designed by Javier Soto Acebal and the boats which will be used for the Asia Cup Grand Prix Circuit will be constructed under license in China and under the supervision of M Boats, Argentina.