ILOILO CITY: Paraw Regatta 2019 | Main Sailing | Category A

The 2019 Paraw Regatta's Main Sailing Category A race was a competition featuring traditional Filipino outrigger sailboats (paraws) in the Iloilo Strait.  The Paraw Regatta is an annual Iloilo City festival celebrating the region's maritime heritage.  As the largest sailing event in the Philippines and one of Asia's oldest traditional craft events, it features a 30-kilometer sailboat race, a slalom competition, and other related activities. Held in the Villa de Arevalo district, the festival showcases paraws, native boats constructed from wood and bamboo with a single hull and two outriggers, still used for fishing, trade, and tourism.  The paraws competing are categorized by size, and are known for their colorful sails.  Beyond the main race, the festival includes events like the Sinamba sa Regatta (likely a dance or performance related to the regatta), a Pinta Layag competition (possibly a sail painting contest), and a Miniature Paraw Exhibit.