Mandrake wins President’s Cup

by Event/Di Pearson on 8 Apr 2005 Five foreign teams joined ten Manila-based boats to compete in the 13th President’s Cup Regatta, held for the first time entirely on Manila Bay.

Nick Burns’ Mandrake, the outstanding winner of the President’s Cup and Drumstick, skippered by Robert Knight, both came from Hong Kong for the event to compete in the Ocean Racing Class.

Of the Philippine based entries, Klass Huisjes lead a Dutch team on Sandoway in the Ocean Racing Class, while Seiji Kawakami skippered Fast Exit with a Japanese team from the Tajiri YC in the PY Cruising Class and Aoki Yoh skippered another Japanese team on The Judge in the Cruiser Racer Class.

A 24 mile point-to-point course was set on the first day. The first leg started in an 8-10 knot nor-westerly sea breeze and Mandrake led the fleet around the first mark, with Jo de Ros the first Cruiser Racer around.

The sea breeze gradually weakened as Mandrake continued her lead. The next two Ocean Racing boats, Karakoa and Drumstick, headed northerly. The three lead Ocean Racing boats struggled to keep moving through the transition zone between the sea breeze and the south-easterly wind.

By the time Karakoa, Drumstick and the lead Cruiser Racers rounded the south-east corner mark and turned to tight nor-easterly reaches, the wind was 15-17 knots.

Mandrake took the gun, however, Challenge benefited from the time accumulated in light winds to win on corrected time.

Jo de Ros was the first to finish in the Cruiser Racer fleet, but subsequently retired. Salina finished first on corrected time, while in the PY Cruising fleet, Fast Exit to the double on a shortened course.

On day two, two-lap windward/leeward courses were the order of the day. In the first, the fleets got away in a 7-10 knot nor-westerly sea breeze, which was sustained for the race.

Mandrake again finished first and managed the handicap double, sailing the 8 mile course in 1 hour 11 minutes, while Jo de Ros took the double on the shortened course in the Cruiser Racer division.

In the afternoon race, the IRC classes started in a fading sea breeze, but the south-east wind filled in before any had completed the first downwind leg.

Inattentiveness in the Cruiser Racer fleet, as instead of racing on the signaled 8 mile course (4 legs), every boat followed the big boats on their 12 mile course.

Nevertheless, all Cruiser Racers ‘sailed the course’, so none were DSQd. Jo de Ros again won the double, while the IRC fleets sailed two windward/leeward courses and the PY Cruising fleet sailed a 14 mile point-to-point course in which Fast Exit won the double.

The regatta organizers scheduled a long point-to-point race for the day three. Eight mile windward/leeward courses were signaled for all three Classes and the various fleets started in a nor-westerly sea breeze which gradually faded to 4-6 knots.

As the breeze weakened, race officials shortened the course to 4 miles for all fleets. Mandrake and Jo de Ros continued to dominate their respective fleets, finishing first on both corrected and elapsed times. Fast Exit was the first PY Cruising boat to finish, but in this race Kiri corrected over her.

Day four arrive and the Race Officer got the Ocean Racing Class away on a 12 mile windward/leeward course in an 8-10 knot north-westerly sea breeze.

However the course was later shortened to 10 miles in the Ocean Racing fleet and 8 miles for the Cruiser Racer fleet. Mandrake and Jo de Ros yet again took the double in their respective classes.

For the afternoon race, both IRC fleets raced on 8 mile windward courses into a 7-9 knot fading north-westerly breeze. As the first were on their last downwind leg, the wind was in bands of about 6-7 knots, alternating with bands of 3-4 knots.

Mandrake maintained her domination with another double result, while Jo de Ros crossed the line first in the Cruiser Racer division, but Vivaldi won on corrected time. Fast Exit continued her winning ways in the PY Cruising Class on an 11 mile point-to-point course.

Whilst Mandrake and Jo de Ros dominated their Classes to finish the regatta first overall in their respective calluses, competition for the next two places was very tight. Second and third placed entries were only separated by two points in the Ocean Racing fleet and only one point in the Cruiser Racer fleet.

Mandrake, as winner of the Ocean Racing Class, was awarded the President’s Cup Trophy by a representative of Her Excellency the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

All enjoyed their time on the water and the leisurely chill out evenings on the verandah of the Manila Yacht Club. Daily free beer courtesy of Integrus Marketing, supplier of Chaser Anti-Hangover Pills, was accompanied by stunning Manila Bay sunsets.

We thank all competitors for their support of the President’s Cup and the sponsors; QBE Insurance, Coats Manila Bay, Boating World, and Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila for making this event a success.

Final Results:

Ocean Racing Class

1. Mandrake 8

2. Karakoa 12

3. Drumstick 14

Cruiser Racer Class

1. Jo de Ros 6

2. Salina 11

3. Vivaldi 12

PY Cruising Class

1. Fast Exit 6

2. Kiri 8

3. Che 12