2017 ‘lucky’ year for Centennial

Victory in the 11th China Cup International Regatta (CCIR) last October was the icing on the cake for the Standard Insurance Centennial sailing team for 2017.

It was a glorious year for the all-Filipino crew of topnotch sailor Ernesto “Judes” Echauz, who steered his TP52 Davidson yacht to victory in the deep waters of Shenzhen, China.

Close to 1,500 sailors from 40 countries saw action in the CCIR. Centennial winning the overall title in the IRC A Class capped its yearlong brilliance.

“We were really lucky in international events last year,” said the 70-year-old Echauz, president of the Philippine Sailing Association.

Powering the Centennial crew are Southeast Asian Games 470 class medalist Emerson Villena, Lester Troy Tayong, Janno Dalanon, Edgar Villapana, Alaiza Mae Belmonte and Jerome Calamansi.

Last May, Centennial captured line honors in the 500-nautical mile Hong Kong to San Fernando Race in La Union race, where the entries faced the toughest challenges.

Centennial, again with Echauz at the helm, reigned supreme with an elapsed time of two days and seven hours. Also on board Centennial, which topped the IRC O Class, as helmsmen were 2015 SEA Games keelboat match champion Allan Balladares and Emerson Villena, and Standard Insurance computer engineer Steve Tan.

In February, Centennial topped the eighth Standard Insurance Subic Bay to Boracay Race at the expense of archrival Jelik of Hong Kong steel magnate Frank Pong.

Centennial, a 52-foot schooner and first generation TP52 built in 2002, scored the breakthrough after placing second to Jelik the last five years.

On top of the victory in the IRC A Class, the Philippine Sailing Association-backed Standard Insurance team also ruled the Far East 28R Class of the 2017 CCIR, just enough for Centennial to edge New Zealand and Singapore after seven counted races.