Hobie Challenge cancels Qantas leg

BOAC, Marinduque -- Organizers, headed by Sigwada Management Inc., abandoned the Qantas leg to Marinduque of the Philippine Hobie Challenge 2000 Sunday after wind conditions failed to improve for four hours at Tayabas Bay in Lucena.

Calm conditions on a cloudy day, Sunday, around South Waters Marina and Country Club failed to improve for four hours, which had officials worrying about the safety of the race if the situation continued.

Race officer Edmund Umali gave the signal to abandon the race at around 1 p.m. moments after changing the start line from the beach to the mouth of Iyam River, which goes into Tayabas Bay.

Five catamarans, participating in this weeklong event supported by Cali Shandy, were towed by motorized bancas for eight nautical miles before getting released in open water when wind conditions increased to eight knots.

"This is now a safety issue. We can't let them go into the water and race after the dark," said Umali.

Tony Robinson, the two-time President's Cup Regatta titlist, landed after dark with Qantas leg partner Gia Veloso some five hours after leaving Lucena.

They were welcomed onshore by Marinduque provincial administrator Luisito M. Reyes, assisted by website team leader Dindo Asuncion on behalf of Marinduque Governor Carmencita Reyes at the Villa Carlos Resort in Boac.

The 43-year old Robinson, holder of 1998 and 1999 President's Cup championship, said the race to Maestre de Campo Island will be a difficult one without the use of a handheld global positioning system device or a compass, which was required of the participants.

"It will be very difficult to pick an island you are going to without it," said Robinson, who will be using a compass throughout the race and has Jill Novera as partner in the Gatorade leg.

Two isolated islands in the middle of Tablas Strait will make up the Gatorade leg to Maestre De Campo and the Seair leg to Simara Island, of this weeklong event sanctioned by the Philippine Sailing Association and supported by the Philippine Navy.

Maestre de Campo is a kidney-shaped island known for its lush forest. It has no telephone lines and no electricity, and is four hours away by banca from the nearest town of Pinamalayan in Mindoro Occidental.

The Gatorade (Boac-Maestre de Campo) leg is the longest course in the six-leg series and will have sailors traversing 40 nautical miles. Participants will try to avoid strong currents by making portside maneuvers east of Tablas Strait into Baltazar Island and Carlota Island.

They will then pass between Dos Hermanas Island and Isabel Island 15 nautical miles before heading straight to the finish line at Agabtang Bay, which is located at the southern side of Maestre de Campo.

The third leg -- Seair leg -- Tuesday will be a 26-nautical mile dash to Simara Island.

The Philippine Hobie Challenge 2000 will culminate in a series of inshore race from Saturday to Sunday at beachfront Pearl of the Pacific in Boracay. Around 9 catamarans will be organized by Boracay Watersports and Lonely Planet Earthcare Wear to participate in the inshore series. The Manila Regatta secretariat is at tel. no. 433-6178 and 925-1979 c/o Walden Design and (0917)-9322283.