Jelik reigns in Subic-Boracay, Boracay Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Frank Pong steered Reichel/Pugh 76 Jelik across the finish line for another win and a sweep of the combined Subic-to-Boracay Race and Boracay Cup yesterday off Boracay Island.

Despite being recalled at the start, Ray Ordoveza’s Excel 53 Karakoa managed to recover quickly and with a 3, 2 scoreline finished second overall.

After churning up the waves all week, Geoff Hill’s Smith 72Antipodes finally came good in the handicap stakes on the last race to cling onto third overall.

Cranking Troy Yaw’s TP52 Ulumulu up to 18knots on the downwind legs earned them second and third places for fourth overall and win the Malaysia-Philippines battle with Ernesto Echauz’s TP52 Standard Insurance Centennial.

This result also moves Frank Pong’s Reichel/Pugh 76 Jelik from joint eighth place to fourth in the 2013-14 AsianYachting Grand Prix (AYGP), only 6.5 points behind the leader and well on the way to defending the AYGP Skipper and Yacht of the Year title they won last season.

The AYGP standings can be browsed by Skipper - Yacht - Regatta and will be upgraded next week.

Breakage onboard Martin Tanco’s Sydney 46 Centennial II on the first upwind resulted in retirement and handed the Cruiser/Racer Class title over to Jun Avecilla’s Beneteau First 36.7 Selma Star.

This gives Avecilla’s Selma Star a clean sweep by winning every race and for the first time take home the combined Subic-Boracay Race and Boracay Cup trophies. Simon Carpenter’s Elan 310 Giant Cod had a luckless regatta and did not start  but maintained third place in the three-boat class.

Four wins in a row for Chui Shing Kin’s Beneteau Oceanis 45 Liannet gave them a clean score sheet and the PY Class title on their first attempt. Danny Batac’s Beneteau 12.7 Serenity 1 just couldn’t match the pace of Liannet and ended up in second overall. Although Juergen Kirstein’s Caroff 40 Pongolana was completely outclassed by the production boats, they persevered and completed the course each day for third place.