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Standard Insurance Centennial 5 © Rolex / Daniel Forster

With an elapsed time of 3 days 1h 25m 47s, Ernesto Echauz’s Reichel/Pugh 75 Standard Insurance Centennial 5 became the first Philippine entry to win Line Honours in the 61-year history of the Rolex China Sea Race.

With the Orma 60 trimaran SHK Scallywag Fuku withdrawing ahead of the start due to engine failure, 18 boats – 14 from Hong Kong, three from the Philippines and one from mainland China – started the first edition of the biennial race from Hong Kong to Subic Bay since 2018.

Standard Insurance Centennial 5 in Subic Bay © Rolex / Daniel Forster

Although his Reichel/Pugh 75 was making its Rolex China Sea Race debut, Echauz is a veteran of the 565nm offshore race, having competed in nine previous editions and lifted the China Sea Trophy as overall winner in 1998 and 2008.

“It’s historic, the first time a Philippine boat has won Line Honours at the Rolex China Sea Race. It’s such a prestigious race for us,” said Echauz, who again followed advice given ahead of the 2008 edition to “head south of the rhumb line right away”.

Standard Insurance Centennial 5 at prizegiving © Rolex / Daniel Forster

“As soon as we had the opportunity, we worked on the VMG (velocity made good) and headed south, then went east to take advantage of the northeasterly along the Luzon coast,” he said.

“However, entering Subic you can’t do anything about the lack of wind, so we got stuck and you just do your best but overall, we’re happy with our strategy,” added Echauz, who thanked the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club for organising “the best offshore race in Asia”.

Happy Go finished third in IRC 0 © Rolex / Daniel Forster

In the battle of three TP52s, Happy Go skippered by New Zealander Jono Rankine finished ahead of Noel Chan’s Rampage 88 to take third in IRC 0, while Standard Insurance Centennial 3 skippered by Emerson Villena took second in IRC 0.

Tiger Mok, Happy Go’s navigator, said: “It’s one of the most challenging offshore races you can ever get. I loved it and hopefully we can come back and do another one next time.”

Whiskey Jack © Rolex / Daniel Forster

Nick Southward’s J-109 Whiskey Jack was the IRC Overall winner, lifting the China Sea Trophy for corrected time on IRC handicap after just over four days of racing.

“It feels absolutely amazing. Seriously, I can’t believe it. I mean, we’ve won this race!” Southward said. “We had a wild last 24 hours. We could not have pushed it harder, but we stayed in one piece, everyone’s here and it just feels amazing.”

Whiskey Jack © Rolex / Daniel Forster

Philippe Grelon and son Cosmas finished in 3 days 22h 47m 10s on the Beneteau Figaro 3 Simpson Marine, securing second in IRC Overall and topping the double-handed category. The pair described the journey as exhausting after losing their autopilot.

“It’s very difficult because when you leave the tiller, the boat is like a dinghy, so you can’t do anything,” said Philippe. “You always need a guy on the tiller, so that was very, very hard.”

Simpson Marine © Rolex / Daniel Forster

Andrew Pidden’s J-99 Juice was third in IRC Overall after 103 hours of racing. “This is my first Rolex China Sea Race and it was a wild ride, from no wind at all to loads of wind,” said Pidden, whose crew included sons Matt and Tom. “It was quite crazy but a lot of fun and great to do it with my two sons and my regular crew as well.”

Yung Yao’s Dufour 500 Tong Ran, the sole mainland entry, won IRC Premier, followed by Thomas Wiesinger’s Sun Odyssey 42ds Pacific Sunrise and Shenton Drew’s Swan 53 Athena.

Simpson Marine © Rolex / Daniel Forster

In the HKPN division, Eddy Lee’s Beneteau Sense 46 Generations finished ahead of Johnson Yuen’s Hanse 370 Zoe.  

A prizegiving ceremony was held on Sunday evening. Along with a coveted Rolex watch for IRC Overall winner and Line Honours, two new perpetual trophies (named after the originals) will stay in the Philippines while the original China Sea Trophy and Sunday Telegraph Trophy remain in Hong Kong. 

Juice © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

Before the race start at RHKYC’s Kellett Island Clubhouse, a lion dance wished the competitors a safe journey across the South China Sea. The Honourable Mr Michael Wong, GBS, JP, Deputy Financial Secretary, RHKYC Commodore Lucy Sutro and Rolex China Sea Race 2023 Race Chairman Cameron Ferguson officiated the eye-dotting ceremony.

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