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HISTORY OF YACHT RACING IN SUBIC BAY

Philippine Sailing has its roots on the China Sea Race, the undisputed Asian blue-water classic biennial event which started back in 1962. Awarded as the best Asian Regatta of the Year for the fourth time in 2017, this 565nm Category 1 Offshore Race is run under the auspices of RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club), and takes competitors from Hong Hong to the Philippines. Back then, the finish was off Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay. Although since 1996, the finish line became Subic Bay Freeport.

About Philippine Sailing: Service
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From the departure of the USS Belleau Wood  in 1992 with the last of the American Navy from Subic Bay, the perfect sailing conditions of the Bay remained its own secret.  A few fishermen pulled a small living from its waters, but part of the beautiful harbor of the former naval base remained all but deserted for years.

Every year or so it was invaded for a week by a fleet of racing boats from Hong Kong, Manila and the region, for the Easter Regatta of the Manila Yacht Club which later became part of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s China Sea Race Series.  

SUBIC BAY

The Birthplace of Philippine Yacht Racing

Subic Bay continues to play a significant role in the development of sailing in the country through the sailing programs of the Subic Sailing Club. 

PHILIPPINE EASTER REGATTA

Subic Bay very much played a significant role in the development of sailing in the Philippines. In 1993, the first ever Philippine Easter Regatta was held in Subic Bay with only five participating boats coming from Caylabne Bay.

PRESIDENT'S CUP REGATTA

And in 1996, the current Philippine President Fidel Ramos requested Manila Yacht Club to organize an international regatta, thus the Philippine Easter Regatta was renamed “The President’s Cup Regatta”.

 

In 1997, the Manila Yacht Club organized the first President's Cup Regatta under the auspices of the Philippine Sailing Association which was supported by other sailing organizations and yacht clubs. Together this group continued to build the competitive yacht racing spirit in the years to come...

AYGP Results: 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009

SATURDAY AFTERNOON GENTLEMEN SAILORS (SAGS)

In Subic Bay, a group of gentlemen who all shared an unbridled passion and commitment for sailing composed of entrepreneurs, expats and sports enthusiasts of Subic Bay formed a group called the Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailing Club (SAGS) which later was then called Subic Sailing Club. It has opened doors for more opportunities in spreading the spark for sailing.  

Several years and a bundle of noteworthy races later, Subic Bay has now become the foremost sailing and yacht racing destination of the Philippines. It was club was founded in 2003 by: Jun Avecilla, Jeremy Simpson, Stan Krug, the late Peter Sharpe and Ricky Sandoval

More About SAGS

ASIAN YACHTING GRAND PRIX

Through the partnership with the Asian Yachting Grand Prix, the Subic Sailing Club became the organizer of the country’s prime international yacht racing events that put the Philippines in the sailing map in the local and overseas sailing community for more than a decade. Unfortunately in December 2019, Captain Martin Rijkuris, the man behind AYGP, passed away. Since then the original Asian Yacht Grand Prix website has ceased to operate. Below are web archives links from the previous website.

Skippers Ranking | Yacht Ranking | Scoring System | Regatta Results

STANDARD INSURANCE
SUBIC BAY TO BORACAY RACE AND
BORACAY CUP REGATTA

The 210 nautical mile race from Subic Bay to Boracay was nominated as one of the Best Yacht Racing events in 2017 and 2018 at the Asia Boating Awards together with China Cup International Regatta, Phuket Kings Cup in Thailand, Round Hainan Regatta in China, and Top of the Gulf Regatta in Thailand.

 

The Subic Bay to Boracay Race Series began in 2009 and ran for 9 years before it was replaced by the Subic bay Around Verde Island Passage. Whether it will run again, remains to be seen.

 

AYGP Results: 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 

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COMMODORE'S CUP REGATTA

After the Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailing (SAGS) was born, yacht racing in the Subic Bay grew and public holidays became the reason for holding a mini-regatta or a slightly more formal race and the nascent sailing club took shape.​

 

In 2008 the Commodore's Cup Regatta was organized in conjunction with the Andres Bonifacio Regatta also as a tribute to then Commodore Ricky Sandoval of the Subic Bay Yacht Club. In late 2009, when Manila Yacht Club announced that it would not hold the anticipated 2010 President's Cup, SAGS scrambled to produce an inshore race series worthy of the participants of the Rolex China Sea Race and brought forward their Commodore’s Cup event to Easter. After running for 11 years, it will return as a club event in June to commemorate the Independence Day Regatta. The Chairman's Cup will replace its slot in the AYGP.

AYGP Results: 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018

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STANDARD INSURANCE
SUBIC BAY AROUND VERDE ISLAND PASSAGE RACE &
SUBIC BAY CUP REGATTA

The Standard Insurance Subic Bay Around Verde Island Race (SBVIP) is a 200-nautical mile race around the center of the center of marine biodiversity. An opportunity for participating sailors and grand prix boats to make an environmental statement towards the protection of our oceans. It was launched in 2018 as a replacement of the Standard Insurance Subic Bay to Boracay Race and Boracay Cup Regatta which has gained international recognition as one of the most awaited annual international racing events in the country.​ The Subic Bay Cup Regatta, which comes after the SBVIP, is composed of a series of races for the IRC 1, IRC 2, Cruising Class, and Far East One Design Class.

AYGP Results: 2018 | 2019

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CHAIRMAN'S CUP REGATTA

The Chairman’s Cup Regatta 2019 will take the place of the Commodores’ Cup Regatta (CCR) scheduled on April 26-30, 2019, after the inaugural 650nm Hong Kong to Puerto Galera Yacht Race 2019. 

 

This regatta is in honor of the leaders or helms of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) who has played a significant role in the development of the Subic Bay Freeport. It will continue what the Commodores” Cup has started and is envisioned to be the paragon of the development of sailing in the country as well as a reminder to every Filipino of our maritime wealth and culture.

Results: 2019

Easter Regatta
PCR
SAGS
AYGP
SBBR BCR
CCR
SBVIP
Chairman's Cup
Subic Sailing Teaser

Subic Sailing Teaser

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