NASUGBU, Batangas – A major gambit anchored on years of sailing experience enabled the team of Peter Capotosto and Carla Kramer from Taal Lake Yacht Club to make waves in the 2013 Hamilo Coast Regatta held at the Batangas coast.
Leading the A Fleet division through a consistency borne of years’ experience in sailing Hobie 16 catamarans, skipper Capotosto and longtime crew Kramer accumulated four first place finishes in eight races that earned them 11 points during the two-day event.
“It’s flat water and it’s nice sailing. The challenge is the wind is coming from different places so it was a very strategic race in the sense that you’re really not only going against your competitors but if you’re good at sighting where the wind is going to come from, you can see it far away going towards you then you can leave everybody,” Capotosto told Spin.ph.
Under these racing conditions, Caposto decided to sail away from the fleet to catch the wind and the gamble paid off.
Coming in at second place were Mike Ngu and Lindo Pahayahay with 14 points while third spot went to the pair of Joe and Maria Hagedorn who garnered 18.
Leading the B Fleet were the father-and-son tandem of Brent and Jason Chamberlain while the trio of Martin Marty, Geronimo Begre and Will Treichler topped the newly introduced Get-Away category.
Racing conditions were different from past editions of the race which used to be held during the habagat season that is characterized by the southwest monsoon.
“The conditions were very challenging in a very different way from the past. The wind in this regatta is the complete opposite of how we had it before. Right now we’re in the amihan season (northeast monsoon) already,” Capotosto said.
"It’s very nice here because the water is very flat. Even though you have wind, you have no waves," he added.
The regatta is the third of its kind in a partnership between Hamilo Coast and the Philippine Inter-island Sailing Foundation (PHINSAF).
“Since 2011, this regatta has been the start of the Travelers Series, which is PHINSAF’s endeavor to introduce the sport of sailing to various parts of the country,” said Rona Torres-Tan, senior vice president for Costa del Hamilo, Inc.
Last weekend's regatta kickstarted the sailing season of the AboitizPower: Cleanergy Travelers Series which has six events lined up from October April 2014.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph