Please select your home edition
Edition
Mackay Boats 728x90 TOP

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

by Guy Nowell 7 Feb 2024 23:46 PST 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

McIntyre Mini Globe Race fleet battles Pacific
In historic 4,300-mile test of endurance Solo Sailors Face Doldrums, Equipment Failures and Avian Invaders in Unprecedented Small Boat Challenge - week five of leg 2 Posted today at 7:34 pm
Don't Risk Your Keys on the Water!
Keep them safe and dry in a Vaikobi Car Key Lock Box Don't risk taking your keys on the water... keep them safe and dry in a Vaikobi Car Key Lock Box. Posted today at 6:30 pm
21st Sandberg PalmaVela kicks off tomorrow
With the spectacle of the Maxis in Palma Over one hundred teams representing 19 nationalities will gather in the Bay of Palma for the first major multi-class event of the season: the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela. The impressive Maxis will be the first to take the stage. Posted today at 4:28 pm
52 SUPER SERIES Saint-Tropez Cup Day 1
Light winds prove insufficient to start racing Although the 11 boat fleet went afloat until mid-afternoon, crews filled with hope and anticipation, the wind refused to build enough for racing to take place on the first day of the new 52 SUPER SERIES season at the 52 SUPER SERIES Saint-Tropez Cup. Posted today at 4:22 pm
Transat Paprec Day 11
The Battle of the Leaders Now past the halfway point and sailing through the heart of the Atlantic, the competitors in the Transat Paprec are still locked in an intense battle. A windless zone expected later this week is drawing everyone's attention and forcing tough decisions. Posted today at 3:35 pm
International 5o5 Euro Cup Leg 1 at Saint Raphael
Sailors from seven countries descended on the South of France 505's from seven countries descended on St Raphael in the South of France for event 1 of the 505 2025 Euro Cup circuit. Many boats arrived early to knock off the winter rust and enjoy the warmer weather and good food the area has to offer. Posted today at 10:42 am
Pip Hare joins Canada Ocean Racing
Sailing alongside Canadian skipper Scott Shawyer for The Ocean Race Europe Canada Ocean Racing is excited to announce that British offshore sailor Pip Hare will join their Be Water Positive campaign for the 2025 edition of The Ocean Race Europe. Posted today at 4:01 am
Antigua Race Week Day 3
Superb racing delivered Sailors ranging from newcomers to veterans of multiple America's Cup campaigns enjoyed Caribbean sailing at its best in today's racing at Antigua Sailing Week, with lots of sun and moderate tradewinds of 10-12 knots. Posted today at 2:23 am
Saint-Tropez set 52 SUPER SERIES season opener
Crioula and Vayu won today's short, sharp warm-up practice races In a light breeze which reached 10kts at the most - a foretaste of what is forecast for the coming days on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez - Crioula and Vayu won today's short, sharp warm-up practice races. Posted on 29 Apr
La Larga comes to a close
With the prize-giving ceremony at the RCNP The Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) held the prize-giving ceremony for La Larga this Tuesday, 29 April, at 19h00. Posted on 29 Apr
MySail 2025Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMArmstrong 728x90 - MA Foil Range - BOTTOM