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PGYC Girls Making Waves in Manila Bay

Last weekend saw our Puerto Galera Yacht Club Small Boat Program (SBP) girls at it again at the Philippine Sailing Association ( PSA) Ranking Trials on Manila Bay. Both Rays Mithi Samson and Khim Ashley Albo finished first in the Ladies Division of the Optimist and Junior Laser 4.7 class respectively, and both finished 6^th Overall in their respective classes.

Well done girls!!

It is very much a family affair as Raya and Ashley are cousins and with Raya’s brother, Zildjan Martin (ZM), make quite the dynamic family sailing trio and have all come up through the PGYC SBP ranks together. ZM also finished 3^rd Overall in the Junior 4.7 Laser class last weekend , not to be outdone by his sisters!

Mother Lore Jean is the Albo family and SBP team chaperone, cook, chief bottlewasher, life coach, cheerleader and photographer, and her support and dedication is reflected in the dedication and competitive spirit of her children and the rest of our young SBP sailors who have been making waves and headlines in local regattas since the end of the pandemic just two years ago.

PGYC’s Team Puerto Galera won the OZ Goose National Championships in 2023 and were Runner’s Up in a very close finish this year. Rumour has that Puerto Galera will soon be able to cheer for their home team when the Oz Goose Nationals 2025 are held in Puerto Galera next year!

Meanwhile, PGYC and PSA are working closely together with PSA Coach Mario

Malazarte heading to Puerto Galera once every six weeks to conduct monthly PSA training weekends, as well as the recent Summer Sailing Camp, to help augment PGYC’s own weekend training schedules. While PGYC send their best to participate in the monthly PSA Ranking Trials held in Manila Bay each month.

Young Raya is currently being considered for selection to join the National Team representing the Philippines at the SEA Games in Thailand next year, while other of our young Galerians via for a chance to compete in National titles and represent their country in upcoming regattas in Hong Kong, Macau, China , Malaysia, Indonesia and Korea over the next 12 months.

For more Information about the PGYC Small Boat Program and sail training classes please call +639175205874 or email clubhouse@pgyc.org

Three of the Puerto Galera Yacht Club’s Small Boat Program rising stars rose higher over the weekend with winning performances at the Philippines Sailing Association’s monthly Ranking Trials held last weekend at the Philippine Sailing Centre at Seafront in Manila.

PGYC’s Optimist champ, Raya Mithi Samson, sailed a convincing series of races to once again lead in the Women’s Optimist Division, although she dropped a couple of places against the boys who had obviously been practicing hard to keep her at bay.

While Zildjan Martin Samson and Khim Ashley Albo outdid themselves to rank 1^st and 3^rd respectively in the ILCA 4 Laser Class provisional results… well done Raya, ZM and Ashley PGYC and Puerto Galera are proud of you all!!

For more information about PGYC Sail Training Courses please contact clubhouse@pgyc.org.

It has been a very wet past week here, with one night of pretty high winds buffeting the moorings, from typhoon ‘Carina’ passing by Luzon (experiencing severe flooding in some parts). Weather calm now in PG.

Muelle moorings occupancy remains appreciable (relative to a usual low-season) Nice to see the new visiting family yacht, SY ‘E PUR SI MOUVE’ – orange hull here, in pic (sailors quiz: is it a Roberts or a Caroff or like design..?). Our great friends on catamaran ‘SNOW’ are also expected here, for an extended stay, soon. Catamaran ‘CHANGING SPOTS’ is well and truly nestled in on her mooring now for the long haul as well.

Entries for the PGYC Royal Cargo ASR2024, which marks the 20^th Anniversary of the PGYC All Souls Regatta, are starting to build up and the latest entry is PGYC stalwart and regatta veteran, David Wheeler’s ‘SY Freewheeler’, is the the latest ASR2024 booking. A rumour abounds that three or more boats maybe coming up from the Cebu branch (Zeke’s Yard) for the ASR – c’mon Colin and co..

Lots going on with my new boat in Langkawi and those many upgrades happening (eg teak decks continue, Selden rigid vang gas strut arrived and fitted yesterday and last of the CAT3 Safety items arrived for that certification, as well as the new comprehensive Raymarine system nearly assembled on the shop floor there, for installation etc-etc):

• RNZYC (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) have now confirmed that they will be providing an onboard ‘sailing mentor’ with youth ‘TEAM ALLUSIVE’ for both the (BPI Signature Series 2024) Punta Fuego to Busuanga and Subic to Boracay 200 races, fully sponsored by myself (as part our ongoing youth training program). Capt. Tabo and all the Team are very excited about this initiative (Russel James from RNZYS has been here before, mentoring the lads on ‘TEAM ANTHEA’)
• Now sourcing a delivery skipper to bring ALLUSIVE from Langkawi to PG when ready, along with  Capt. Tabo and a crew contingent from here (that delivery skipper must be fully licensed, for boat insurance purposes)
• In addition to the ASR and 2024 Signature Series, TEAM ALLUSIVE is also thinking ahead to maybe entering the 2025 ROLEX China Sea Race (again, with an RNZYS sailing mentor aboard)

FYI…went to ‘Tides & Dine’ for lunch recently.Located on main road on the left hand side just before Dulangan turn-off…good parking, nice beach and good food (menu is seafood, Italian pasta and Filipino.

The Classic Club chose to celebrate the Fourth of July at the Puerto Galera Yacht Club this month. … and the most popular choice of dish was PGYC’s famous BBQ Spare Ribs – no surprise there.

Appetizers included Cream of Potato Soup and Chef Noriel’s PGYC Liver Pate, with the main course followed by our own PGYC Cheescake a la mode, all washed down a selection fine red wine from the PGYC cellars.

The PGYC is now opening on OW Season hours and a reduced menu, but is always open for special events and private dinner parties. Please contact the office for more details on +63 917 520-5874 or email clubhouse@pgyc.org.

Last chance to book for the PGYC BBQ BASH – the last Saturday Night BBQ of the Summer season, tomorrow, July 06 at 6,30-10pm.

Five of the Puerto Galera Yacht Club (PGYC) young Small Boat Program (SBP) sailors have been selected for advance training in preparation for the SEA games to be held in Thailand next December, at the Philippines Sailing Association’s (PSA) Summer Sailing Camp, from June to June 30.

Raya Mithi Samson will train in Optimist Class, while Khim Ashley Albo and ZM Samson will train in Laser Class from Tuesday, June 11 to 17 in a special advanced sailing techniques course and then join the PSA Summer Sailing Camp form June 20 to 30. Genmark Dhaenniel Maranan and Fritz Gerald Castillo will participate in the Summer Sailing Camp only.

It is wonderful to see Puerto Galera’s young sailors being selected once again to train with the Philippines’ National Sailing Team. Well done Ray, Ashely, ZM, Dhaen and Fritz!

Thank you once again to the PGYC members, SBP families and PGYC SBP sponsors for their support to make this happen. Without the continued support of The PGYC Members, local community, SBP families and our generous sponsors, the PGYC Small Boat Training Program would not be possible and the opportunity for Puerto Galera’s youth to train to National and International level, then represent the Philippines in International Competitions, some eventually going onto enjoy successful careers as professional sailors would not exist.

For more information please contact clubhouse@pgyc.org.

Photo Caption: Optimist advanced training candidates from right: Gianna Mayor (USA), Daniela Mayor (USA), Rain Asejo (PSA), Zafira Gail Ramos (PSA), Raya Mithi (PGYC)

and Reyven Laud (PSA).

The Philippine Sailing Association (PSA) and the Puerto Galera yacht Club (PGYC) have jointly sponsored PSA sail training courses at the PGYC for young PGYC Small Boat Program sailors this May. Our young sailors have now completed two weekend courses with PSA Coach Mario Malazarte and a Sailing Summer Camp is planned for the school holidays in June.

Getting back on the water after an almost three-year absence due to the Pandemic Lockdown, Puerto Galera’s young sailors have been once again making their mark on the National sailing scene. Both PGYC and PSA recognize their potential and are working together to train our best and brightest to represent the Philippines in International competition, with a number of our young sailors slated for regattas in Thailand and Malaysia.

Coach Marion says, “PGYC’s young sailors have the heart and the potential to become some of the best dinghy sailors in the Philippines, but they still have a lot to learn about strategy and tactics, so that is what we are working on in these special training weekends. It is a big help that Puerto Galera’s natural harbor provides such good conditions for sail training!”

PGYC and PSA have worked together to for many years to ensure that the level of training received by our young Puerto Galera sailors who are enrolled in the PGYC Small Boat Program is of the highest level and in line with PSA National and International standards.

In the past PGYC SBP sailors have competed both Nationally and Internationally and won placings in their classes. They were National Oz Goose Champions in 2023 and Runner-Up for the National title in 2024. A number of our PGYC SBP graduates have also been able to follow careers as professional yacht crew both here in the Philippines and overseas.

For more information please contact clubhouse@pgyc.org or go to www.pgyc.org