With its rich bodies of water, mountainous contour, natural wonders, and outdoor recreation, the Department of Tourism has branded Bicol Region as an exciting and consummate destination.
This enticing getaway has become more exciting with the introduction of an adventure sport which has been in the sidelights for quite some time—sailing.
The vast Albay Gulf, which embraces the seaboard of Albay, became a huge watersport playground with the Exciting Bicol Oz Goose National Championships held recently at the Legazpi City Boulevard.
The two-day sailfest is organized by the Philippine Home Boatbuilders Yacht Club (PHBYC) and the Albay Yacht Club (AYC), with the support of DOT Region 5 and the Legazpi City Government.
“Bicol has been gaining in popularity with watersports enthusiasts, wakeboarders, surfers, paddlers, scuba divers, and now, sailors. Its natural beauty is its main appeal, and the people’s warm hospitality in embracing watersports enhances its natural charm,” says DOT regional director Herbie Aguas.
He noted that the sailing event is a part of the DOT’s Exciting Restart program which is a reboot of the region’s tourism industry which was hit by the CoOVID-19 pandemic.
A sports enthusiast, Aguas said that the tournament kindled community interest in the sport and prompted the search for other potential sailing spots in the nearby provinces.
The Oz Goose is a 12-foot long wind-powered sailboat with a 14-foot mast, and crewed by two persons. It is cheap, easy to assemble, and is ideal for women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Introduced in the Philippines in 2015, there are about 100 Oz Goose boats locally, with 12 of them at the AYC.
Oz Goose sailing started in 2021 and has gained popularity among youths in Legazpi’s coastal villages, largely through the efforts of city councilor Fernand Imperial, who is also the commodore of the AYC.
Now on its fourth edition, the National Championships is the first to be held outside its homebase at the Taal Lake Yacht Club, with over 100 sailors taking part and was met by the warm crowd reception.