Around 40 paraws or sailboats with outriggers will be competing in the main sailing event that serves as the highlight of the 50th Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival scheduled on March 19.

Joyce Clavecillas, executive director of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. that manages the event, said that as of Monday afternoon, over 30 sailboats have already submitted their complete requirements while those yet to submit their documents have until Tuesday afternoon to do so.

“We are just waiting for the additional requirements of those initial that secured our forms. Hopefully we can reach at least 50 boats for this year’s sailing event,” she said in an interview.

Thereafter, the entries will be sorted into three categories depending on the overall length for Category A, and waterline length for Categories B and C.

Category A is for those with a length of 25 feet overall, Category B for those with a waterline of 16.1 feet to 22 feet and Category C, will cater to paraws over 22 feet in the waterline.

“We will have entries for all three categories,” she added.

The entries will be traversing close to the 30-kilometer route of the Iloilo Strait from the Arevalo district to Guimaras province and back.

Clavecillas added that the grand champion for Categories A, B and C will receive PHP40,000; PHP64, 000; and 96,000, all net of tax, respectively.

The second placers will take home, PHP24,000; PHP40,000; and PHP64,000 for the three categories while third placers will receive PHP16,000, PHP24,000; and PHP 40,000.

So far, the executive director said they are now 80 to 90 percent ready with all the working committees on board and some events have already taken off as the weeklong celebration kicked off on March 12.

The city government has also commissioned 10 artists for the Mural of Paraw Regatta Festival at the blank wall in Lapuz district.

She added that they are just hoping for good weather on Sunday in time for the main event. (PNA)