HONG Kong’s defending champion Jelik recovered, striping out Judes Echauz’s Centennial III by less than two minutes in the four-day Boracay Cup backed by Standard Insurance and Cebu Pacific.
The race started with Syd Fischer’s heavily reefed Dubois 90 Ragamuffin 90, skippered by David Witt, pulling off a daring port-tack start in front of the assembled IRC 1 fleet and scampered off into the distance.
Cebu Pacific traverse the waters of Carabao Island in Romblon.
In hot pursuit, Frank Pong’s Custom Dibley 75 Jelik did not to let them get away and clung on to their skirt’s tails.
By the time they reached the North West shore of Boracay, the fleet was stretched out in order of speed and a close tussle ensued between Echauz’s Centennial III and Geoff Hill’s Smith 72-custom Antipodes.
American Race Officer Jerry Rollin chose to open proceedings with International Racing Class 1, doing a 28nm course to neighboring Tablas Island in Romblon, and then with the IRC 2 on a 19nm course to Carabao Island also off Romblon and back.
When they returned to Boracay, Ragamuffin 90 still held the lead with Jelik, 10 minutes behind them.
As the IRC ratings were applied, Pong’s Jelik jumped into first place, Rollin said.
The new Dibley-designed keel on Echauz’s Centennial III is making a huge difference in performance. And after winning the Subic to Boracay race, Centennial III slotted into second place.
Only one second on corrected time, separated Geoff Hill’s Antipodes and Ray Ordoveza’s Excel 53 Karakoa, as the two finished third and fourth respectively, according to Rollin.
Rollin said Ragamuffin 90 paid the price with its huge IRC rating (1.747) and ended up in fifth place.
Mast track failure prevented Troy Yaw’s all-Malaysian team on Ulumulu, skippered by Jeremy Koo, from starting today, but is making repairs and will be back tomorrow.
