March 2023 LR

2023
The Sailing season for 2023 started with a bang
at Punta Fuego’s 20th annual regatta which seen
9 boats competing for honors. Which seen Jun
Villanueva’s Ice 52 Belatrix win the Racing Class at
this year’s regatta, while Ultra and Tututango outclassed
the Cruising and Ocean Multihull divisions, respectively.
Club Punta Fuego, southwest of Manila, hosts the first
regatta of the sailing season each year, in conjunction with
Philippine Inter-Island Sailing Foundation (Phinsaf).
With spasmodic rain and light, unstable wind conditions,
made it impossible for a windward-leeward race in the
morning, before all competing classes raced in a course
Punta Fuego to Fortune Island. Belatrix finished second
in the Racing class on corrected time from the elapsed race
time of 2 hours and 27 minutes behind Hurricane Hunter,
Albert Altura’s Beneteau First 40.
While in the Cruising class, Ultra finished first on both
elapsed and corrected times, ahead of Rene Ticson’s
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42, Papaya II, and Napoleon
Paterakis’ Beneteau Oceanis 40, Captain Napolean, Hans
Woldering’s Ikapati finished in 2hrs 58mins, in the ocean
multihulls, but finished behind Tututango (4hrs 0mins) on
corrected time, with Monchu Garcia’s Carino in third place.
Jerry Rollins race management team told ABW that it was a
fast and well fought race for the Racing class but a tougher
one for the Multihulls caused by strong tides experienced
while rounding Fortune Island marker and on the way back
to the finish line.
But overall, a great day’s racing was enjoyed by all,
culminating with a celebration at the club’s San Diego
Restaurant.
The second day gave the crews winds ranging between
10-18 knots, which of course this allowed for a windwardleeward
race for the two monohull classes as well as one
long race for all three classes. Belatrix topped the Racing
class after finishing the short race in only 38 mins, they
Words by BARRY DAWSON
Photographs as Credited
6