THE eighth edition of Philippine Hobie Challenge, Asia’s premiere extreme sailing tournament, unreels in an action–packed week from Zambales to Palawan starting today, Feb. 4 –10.
The 400-kilometer race kicks off at Isla Sta. Rosa in Sta. Cruz, Zambales and ends up at Club Paradise in Busuanga, Palawan.
The race fleet will pass through Capones Island in San Antonio, Zambales; Terrazas de Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas; Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro; and Apo Reef. There will also be in-shore races in Sta. Rosa and Club Paradise.
Local sailors Jun Villanueva and Nestor Soriano of Team Mobile 1, fresh from winning the recent Hobie national championships, will compete with top sailing teams from around the world.
Sixteen teams from the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada, Italy, Germany, Saipan and Fiji will be vying for top honors in this year’s regatta.
Organized by the Philippine Hobie Challenge Foundation, the sailing event was first staged in 2000, and has become an internationally-recognized regatta in the Asia-Pacific region.
A hobie catamaran is a 16-ft. twin-hulled sailboat operated by two sailors. It is the most popular sailboat among water sports aficionados because of its light weight, speed, and maneuverability. It was among the boats used in sailing events in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
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