Standard Insurance Centennial III won line honors in the 500 nautical mile in the recent 2017 Hong Kong to San Fernando Race in La Union.
Skippered by Standard Insurance group chairman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz, Centennial III took the 500 nautical mile with an elapse time of two days and seven hours winning line honors against a top fleet of racing yachts starting from Hong Kong and finishing in San Fernando.
The all-Filipino team with national team members Allan Balladares, gold medalist in keelboat match racing, and Emerson Villena, 470 class silver medalist, in the last SeaGames, as helmsmen, also won the IRC 0 class.
Echauz got plenty of help from Standard Insurance computer engineer Stephen Tan as tactician and team manager.
Meanwhile, Standard Insurance, with the assistance from the Chinese Sailing Association, donated to the Philippine Sailing Association six Far East 28Rs, rated as the world’s best racing yacht for its class, to develop competitive keelboat sailing in the Philippines.