Phl Hobie Challenge sets sail

MANILA, Philippines - The Cleanergy Philippine Hobie Challenge, featuring 12 top local and international sailing teams, will be held Feb. 14-19 from Sariaya, Quezon to the resort island of Boracay.

The 250-nautical mile race kicks off Monday with the Para’ Kito Leg 1 from Blue Bay Waters Resort in Sariaya to Maniwaya Island in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque. This will be followed the next day by the fast-paced Blood Red Leg 2 to the world-class Bellaroca Island Resort and Spa in Buenavista.

Racers sail across to Romblon island on Feb. 16 for the 50-nautical mile Hobie Australasia Leg 3, the longest leg of the tournament, followed by the Shell in-shore series at Romblon Bay the next day.

Adventure racing reaches the penultimate Mobile One Leg 4 to Cajidiocan in Sibuyan island on Feb. 18. The last leg culminates at the posh Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa on Feb. 19 which will be concluded by a welcome and victory party.

The event, one of Asia-Pacific’s most extreme Hobie Cat regattas, is organized by the Philippine Inter-island Sailing Foundation (Phinsaf) and Aboitiz Power.

The event is backed by Rayomarine, Lifestyle Asia Travel magazine, Taal Lake Yacht Club, Lifeline Arrows, Spot Tracker and Cebu Pacific For details, visit www.philhobie.org. and follow the daily updates through Twitter.com/philhobie.

In between races, the sailors will do community outreach work by donating useful materials to remote schools in coastal villages.

According to Phinsaf chair Monchu Garcia, the Hobie Challenge aims to promote awareness of sailing as an environmentally sound way of discovering the country’s rich seas, beautiful islands and pristine beaches.

He added that by interacting with coastal communities, the group hopes to increase interest in sailing among local fishermen as a clean alternative to engines. He said that in pursuit of this goal, Phinsaf has partnered with Aboitiz Power whose “Cleanergy” brand promotes alternative energy and lifestyle choices.

A Hobie Cat is a 16-foot, lightweight, twin-hulled sailboat ideal for recreational inter-island or lake sailing.