Anilao Windsurf Regatta returns after five-year hiatus

Competitors in the course of the return of the Anilao Windsurf Regatta in Mabini, Batangas on March 22-23. –ARNEL TACSON/INQUIRER.web

MABINI, Batangas — The Anilao Windsurf Regatta made a long-awaited return to Mabini, Batangas on March 22-23, ending a five-year hiatus as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

The occasion, held at Saltitude Dive and Seaside Resort, drew 51 members who competed in 20 races over the weekend.

This 12 months’s lineup featured members of the nationwide windsurfing staff, budding athletes from Mabini’s grassroots coaching program, and leisure windsurfers starting from 11 to 72 years previous. Unfold throughout 11 classes, the various mixture of sailors was a testomony to the game’s enchantment throughout numerous age teams.

READ; Anilao Windsurf Regatta 2019: Historic windfoiling and enjoyable freedom

“The great thing about windsurfing is that it’s a sport you may take pleasure in at any age,” mentioned Anna Marco, head of the 2025 Regatta organizing committee. “I personally am in my fifties. We’ve children who begin as younger as 5 or 6 years previous, and lots of windsurfers who’re nonetheless lively properly into their senior years.”

The Anilao Windsurf Regatta started in 1999 as a option to convey the native windsurfing group collectively, foster pleasant competitors, and supply expertise in precise racing situations.

“Many windsurfers—even some on the nationwide staff—don’t get the prospect to race internationally,” Marco famous. “So it’s actually our aim to offer the expertise of racing to everybody in an area, simply accessible atmosphere.”

Day One of many Regatta started with three heats for the Children and Novice classes. When the wind picked up, two heats adopted for the A, B, C, Open, and Senior Class sailors. Whereas awards are gained per class, the follow is for a number of lessons to move out onto the water concurrently to profit from the prevailing winds.

“Racing is completely completely different from windsurfing for enjoyable,” defined former Philippine staff member Richard Harrow. “It’s extra crowded than common. You may stumble upon one another. For those who lose steadiness, your sail may fall on another person… So you may’t simply consider your self; you even have to consider the sailors round you.”

Competitors in the course of the return of the Anilao Windsurf Regatta in Mabini, Batangas on March 22-23. –ARNEL TACSON/INQUIRER.web

Whereas reasonable winds on Saturday allowed some races to proceed, the much-anticipated Wing Foil races of the Philippine staff needed to be postponed as they wanted extra wind to attain environment friendly takeoff and elevate.

Wing foiling is a comparatively new water sport that advanced from kitesurfing, windsurfing, and browsing. The sailor, standing on a board, holds onto an inflatable wing, which generates each upward and horizontal power to propel the board throughout the water. A foil board, which lifts off the water, encounters much less friction and, when paired with the wind-driven wing, permits racers to hurry throughout the water at awe-inspiring velocities.

READ: Windsurfing competitors makes waves in Batangas

With the wind dying down by mid-afternoon Saturday, the races have been discontinued in favor of fellowship and sundown socials. “It’s simply the character of the game,” defined race commentator Etienne Verzola. “We rely on the wind, and the wind doesn’t all the time cooperate. However there’s all the time tomorrow.”

To everybody’s reduction, Sunday introduced race-worthy winds regardless of forecasts predicting in any other case. Races started as common with the Novice, Children, and Class C Males classes, finishing six heats in whole. With the wind strengthening mid-morning, even the Wing Foil sailors have been in a position to full one other 4 races alongside the A, B, C, Open, and Senior lessons. One other two heats for A, B, C, Open, and Wing Foil capped the afternoon races.

Class C Males, all grassroots staff members, participated in essentially the most races—11 in whole—as added coaching underneath the route of race director German Paz, who additionally serves as head coach of Mabini’s grassroots program.

The municipality of Mabini, the place Anilao is situated, has lengthy been acknowledged as a hub for windsurfing within the Philippines. It’s the house base of the nationwide windsurfing staff, whose members are chosen from among the many most promising athletes within the grassroots program.

Raul Lazo, head coach of the Philippine Windsurfing Affiliation, spoke proudly of the nationwide staff’s achievements in regional competitions, together with a commendation from the Senate for his or her efficiency on the thirtieth Southeast Asian (SEA) Video games. Simply this February, the staff delivered a powerful efficiency on the forty fourth Singapore Open Windsurfing, Wing & Wing Foiling Championship 2025, bringing house 11 medals throughout numerous classes.

Whereas Lazo acknowledged that qualifying for Olympic Windsurfing has develop into more and more tough over time, he didn’t rule out the opportunity of an Olympic dream.

The awarding ceremony on Sunday afternoon was stuffed with excessive hopes for future windsurfing victories. As sails and boards have been put away, scores tabulated, blistered palms tended to, and awards introduced to smiling, sun-bronzed winners, organizers expressed gratitude to the many individuals and organizations who made the Regatta’s long-awaited comeback doable.

Sponsors and occasion companions included Metro Pacific Investments, Tullay, Arthaland, Ocean Flavors, Frabelle Meals, Tropical Contemporary, Cafe O, Max Worldwide, Inquirer.web, Saltitude Dive and Seaside Resort, Mabini Tourism, J Silverio Watersports, Janao Windsurfing, and the Philippine Windsurfing Affiliation.

The 2025 Anilao Windsurf Regatta represented extra than simply the return of a pleasant competitors. It marked a collective refocus on a beloved sport, reaffirming the group’s dedication to windsurfing and its continued development. With extra younger athletes becoming a member of veteran sailors on the waters of Anilao, the way forward for windsurfing within the Philippines seems to be brilliant.