Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 M600 LEADERBOARD

BPI Busuanga Cup 2024 - a part of the BPI Signature Yacht Race Series

by Guy Nowell 8 Feb 2024 07:46 UTC 27-28 January 2024
Poco Loco. BPI Busuanga Cup 2024. Doni Altura Memorial Inshore Races © Guy Nowell / BPI

After the trip down from Puerto Fuego, now it's the inshore racing.

Busuanga Bay is a lovely place. Coming from the north and west, it's a twisty route through a scatter of islands protecting the anchorage, and you'd probably rather do it with an electronic chart than on paper, so to speak. Marina del Sol is perched on a small headland, and has a distinctly rustic feel to it. There are swing moorings, a pier accessible at all states of the tide, a waterside (almost) pool and a restaurant under a thatched roof that serves an excellent chicken curry and properly cold beer. Welcome to the backways and byways of the Philippine archipelago.

The passage race was followed by two days of racing among the islands, the Doni Altura Memorial Inshore Races, where the RO's headache is to find a space sufficiently large for a course, and unencumbered by the endless rows of buoys that are the pearls farms - seemingly everywhere. The answer is the patch between Sangat, Chindonan and Busuanga itself, which provided glamour sailing conditions in the midst of some beautiful limestone scenery very reminiscent of Langkawi and elsewhere much like Port Shelter in Hong Kong, but on a very much bigger scale.

"The Philippine Inter-Island Sailing Foundation (PHINSAF) launched the Punta Fuego to Busuanga Race in 2017, with only three participating boats on the start line, and a finish line at South Cay in Busuanga, Palawan", recalls Tere Marcial, President and CEO of BPI Wealth. “We are happy to be supporting the BPI Busuanga Cup, by incorporating it into the four-event BPI Private Wealth Signature Yacht Race Series, with the aim of reigniting the sailing spirit in the Philippines. I think the Philippine sailing community is on to something big, with the vision of positioning our nation as a major Asian sailing destination,” she noted. This year the BPI Busuanga Cup attracted 14 entries.

Ray Ordoveza and a well-practiced crew on Karakoa dominated the competition, taking Line Honours for the long race, and scoring a clean sheet of bullets for the inshore races. “What BPI has done is something that sailors only dreamed about a long time ago. I am sure that this Series will grow to be equal to the international events in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand. I am sure that this will be very well known around the region. Thank you for adding prestige to our sport, and elevating sailing in the Philippines,” said Ordoveza after accepting the trophy.

The BPI Busuanga Cup 2024 was voted a huge success all round. “This is what Philippine sailing needs – a shot in the arm from a company that shares PHINSAF's vision of creating a great sailing culture in the Philippines - a country of more than 7,100 islands and with a rich sailing history - with the help of the race organizers through PHINSAF, Ocean Racing Club Philippines, and Subic Sailing,” noted Monchu Garcia, President of PHINSAF.

Winners, Punta Fuego to Busuanga Race

IRC Racing, Hurricane Hunter (Albert Altura) Cruising, Isabelle (Allen Yokoto) Ocean Multihull, Cariño (Monchu Garcia)

Winners Overall, inc Doni Altura Memorial Inshores

IRC Racing 1. Karakoa (Ray Ordoveza) 2. Belatrix (Jun Villanueva) 3. Hurricane Hunter (Albert Altura)

Cruising 1. Papaya (Renie Ticzon) 2. Isabelle (Allen Yokoto) 3. Despacito (Pablo Lobregat)

Ocean Multihull 1. Cariño (Monchu Garcia) 2. Poco Loco (David Sutton) 3. Tutu Tango (Roman Azana)

The BPI Private Wealth Signature Yacht Race Series is now gearing up for the next two events: the Boracay 200 (22-27 February) and Subic Bay Regatta (2-5 April), hot on the heels of the famous Rolex China Sea Race.

For more information and future updates on the BPI Private Wealth Signature Yacht Race Series, stay tuned to the official BPI Social Media pages.

Facebook Community: Signature Yacht Race Series Instagram: @signatureyachtrace_series and @officialbpi Website: signatureyachtraceseries.com

Related Articles

Marine Auctions: June online auctions
Bidding to open on Friday 20th June The Bidding for the June Online Auction will commence on Thursday 20th June and will end on Thursday 26th June at 2pm AEST. Posted on 7 Jun
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Five
Episode Five - Shane Subichin, The Boat Works - is now up and running Watch along as we speak with Shane Subichin, GM at The Boat Works about his life from tinnies on Sydney Harbour to leading the team at the premier refit and maintenance yard on the Gold Coast. Posted on 6 Jun
New Formula 360 Crossover Bowrider
An exciting new generation of Formula dayboats has arrived An exciting new generation of Formula dayboats has arrived with the upcoming debut of the all-new Formula 360 Crossover Bowrider. Posted on 5 Jun
Michael Rybovich & Sons construction updates
Progress on hulls from 84', 62' down to 42' New construction updates of 70' S/F Hull # 9, 42' S/F hull #10, 75' S/F hull #11, 84' S/F - Hull # 12. Posted on 5 Jun
A very clear video for overhead casting
Stop fly casting 10-2 and start using this method for longer casts Lyall and Nathan have spoken to me often of how to advance beyond the clock face 10-2 using the terms translation before rotation. Posted on 4 Jun
Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht - Ready to ride
Making her highly anticipated debut in Atlantic City The Valhalla 55 Sport Yacht makes her highly anticipated debut in Atlantic City, New Jersey – and it's more than a new model. Posted on 4 Jun
NOAA reduces Atlantic bluefin tuna retention limit
The adjusted limits will take effect June 3, 2025 and extend through December 31, 2025 On May 29, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced adjustments to the Atlantic bluefin tuna daily retention limits for recreational anglers. Posted on 3 Jun
Delegation urges state control of red snapper
Expressing "strong support for a state-led framework to ensure science-based stewardship" South Carolina's congressional delegation, led by Congressman Russell Fry and joined by U.S. Senators, formally urged U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to transfer management of the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery to the states. Posted on 2 Jun
Bayliss Boatworks new construction updates
Big Deal's final touches are coming together beautifully Gearing up for her christening later this month, Big Deal's final touches are coming together beautifully. Posted on 2 Jun
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Four
Episode Four - Mark Elkington, The Yacht Sales Co. - is now up and running Watch along as we speak with Mark Elkington from The Yacht Sales Co. about his transition from a West Australian crayfisherman to a global sales and support organisation par excellence. Posted on 30 May
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERPalm Beach Motor Yachts