Season 11 – Commodore’s Cup Regatta, Subic Bay

Season 11 – Commodore’s Cup Regatta, Subic Bay Freeport

I got invited to see and experience the 11th Commodore’s Cup in Subic Bay Freeport, and I must say for a first timer, I had a great time!

It is one of the most anticipated races in Subic Bay. The event ran from April 3 to April 7, 2018, at the Lighthouse Marina Resort. It comes after Hong Kong’s famous Rolex China Sea Race which finishes in Subic every even year and the San Fernando Race that finishes in San Fernando, La Union every odd year. The CCR is part of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix Circuit which starts at Phuket, Thailand and ends at Koh Samui, Thailand. It is composed of 13 events, with over 300 skippers and yachts, with a total of 85 Inshore and 3 Offshore Races, across 7 Countries (Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia).

On its 11th year, the Commodore’s Cup Regatta (CCR) celebrates the development of sailing in the Philippines by honoring our Rich Maritime Heritage.

A maritime forum with several speakers was invited to share their knowledge and expertise in preserving our maritime heritage culture.“Sailing is in our DNA, we are a maritime Nation!” said Art Valdes, Expedition leader of the Balangay, an 800-year-old wooden boat that was excavated in the Southern part of the Philippines.

“Our grassroots programs ensure that sailing here in the Philippines will continue to grow and be more competitive. With the experience of sailing on a dinghy and a larger keelboat behind them, they will be better equipped to deal with the demands of a career at sea – whether as a crew on a sailboat or other pleasure boats – their start in sailing will be a big advantage”

– Jeremy Simpson, Co-Founder of Subic Sailing School

This proves that early Filipinos were people of the sea, living in coastal villages or near rivers. Boats were linked to many aspects of Filipino life such as fishing, trade, warfare, travel, communication, and dwelling.

The Balangay was docked in Subic Bay on April 4-7 and provided a rare opportunity for visitors to experience history and heritage onboard the three majestic Balangay replicas. We were lucky to have seen and even enjoyed a stroll in the waters of Subic Bay on board the Balagay which came all the way from Zamboanga.

To add to the awesome experience of being on board the National Boat of the Philippines, we also met the FIRST Filipino Men and Women who traversed Mount Everest! Above you see me with Ms. Noelle Wenceslao – among the first THREE Filipinas to summit Mount Everest.

The CCR aims to raise the standards of sailing in the country by providing a platform for great competitive yacht racing. “We believe that Filipinos can be the best in the world when it comes to sailing. This event will show just that. We have several divisions in this regatta, from the small dinghy boats for kids to large cruising boats to hi-performance racing boats.” said Zed Avecilla, Executive Director of the Subic Sailing Club.

On April 2-3, several young sailors will be competing in the Commodore’s Cup Dinghy Regatta to show their skills on the water. A total of fifteen (15) participants for the Optimists and six (6) participants for the Filipino-made streakers. These boats will be available for visitors to try throughout the event at the Sail Village provided by the Subic Sailing Club. Most of the top Filipino sailors started their training on these dinghy boats and we hope that the CCR will continue to inspire more people to try out boating.

An intense racing action from the six (6) new FAREAST 28R boats also took place in the One-Design division for this regatta. Different teams around the world participated to measure up against each other and see who is the best in this class. The one-design class is the ultimate test of sailing skills.

The Commodore’s Cup Regatta hopes to spread the love of boating to the Filipinos and breed a new generation of Filipino sailors that will give pride to our country and give honor to the countless Filipino seafarers around the world as we continue our legacy as a maritime nation!

The Commodore’s Cup Regatta (CCR) is organized by the Subic Sailing Club headed by Mr. Jun Avecilla, Chairman of the organizing committee.

The official home of this year’s Commodore’s Cup Regatta is The Lighthouse Marina Resort. I’d like to give big thanks to everyone from the Lighthouse Marina who assisted us, the media, be able to enjoy not only the opportunity to meet the visionaries and passionate partners behind CCR, but also for the amazing Lunch and Dinner haha! We’ll definitely be back!

photo from booking(dot)com

Book your next staycation at The Lighthouse Marina Resort with PAY-AT-HOTEL, NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED! To secure this amazing deal, CLICK HERE. Again, you don’t need a credit card to book your room, and you’ll pay upon arrival at The Lighthouse Marina Resort. Just click the link above.

I’m privileged and delighted to be part of such skilled and wondrous group of Influencers, PR & Marketing, and Bloggers from all over the metro!

Ms. Angela Denilla – PR and Marketing;
Mr. Adz Pempena of adsthegreat.com;
Ms. Elal Lasola of elaljanelasola.com & facebook.com/elallasola;
Mr. Luigi and Ms. Jaey Silva of heyjaey.com & facebook.com/heyjaey;
Ms. Patricia Villegas of pattyvillegas.com & facebook.com/thelifestylewanderer;
and yours truly.

* image used in the header is from subicsailing website, while images used in the lighthouse marina resort collage are from booking(dot)com

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