Aussie-American tandem rules MDI Phil Hobie Challenge

THE tandem of sailors Ray Cox of Australia and Heather Matthews of the United States bested nine other teams to bag the overall championship in the recent MDI Philippine Hobie Challenge, the country’s premier international extreme sailing event, which raced from Donsol, Sorsogon to Sicogon Island in Iloilo.

The duo also topped the first leg from Donsol to Subic Beach, Matnog and clocked 29:30:20 to narrowly edge the Australian couple of Keli and Arli Corlett which had a total time of 4 minutes more, earning them the second honors. Aged 67, the Corletts known as Team Not Dead Yet, have been sailing together for over 35 years and were Hobie Grand Master World Champions.

Rounding up the winning circle is Team Incubus of Australian veteran Bruce Tardrew and Filipino Eric Tomacruz, with a time of 29:49:07.

Organized by the Philippine InterIsland Sailing Federation (Phinsaf), the 19th edition of the award-winning sports tourism event used the Hobie Cat 16, a 16-foot long, twin-hulled wind-powered sailboat capable of negotiating waves and open seas.

The five-day sailing tournament made stops at Subic Beach in Matnog, Sorsogon, Balingingue Island in Pio V. Corpuz in Masbate, Carnasa Island in Daanbantayan, Cebu, Guintarcan Island in Sta. Fe, Cebu, and concluded at the posh Huni Resort in Sicogon Island in Carles, Iloilo, covering more than 200 nautical miles.

“The Philippine Hobie Challenge has been promoting eco-friendly sports tourism for almost two decades across the archipelago through sailing. It is a unique way of gathering sailing enthusiasts to sharpen their skills, make new friends from other countries, create environment awareness, discover hidden islands, and support the communities through outreach programs,” says PHC 19 chairman Ed Gallego.

During island stops, the sailors donated school supplies, sports equipment, water filtration system and a 150-watt solar panel to a public school in Donsol, Sorsogon.

Sports enthusiast, celebrity host, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines’ ambassador Marc Nelson was on hand at the event to talk about WWF’s “Ayoko Ng Plastik” campaign, a key advocacy of MDI’s corporate social responsibility program.

PHC 19 is also supported by GoPro, Rayomarine, Ivo, Huni Resort, Kampfortis, Blood Red, Headware, MSI-ECS, VM Ware, Broadwater Marine, Dell EMC, WRU GPS Tracking, Novellino Wines, Uni Ballpen, Hyde Sails, the Provincial Government of Sorsogon, and the Municipal governments of Donsol and Matnog.