KOROR, Palau — Roaring engines and cheering crowds filled both sides of the Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge on Sunday as Palau staged its annual Independence Day boat race, drawing competitors and spectators in one of the country’s most popular holiday traditions.
The event, part of the 31st Independence Day celebrations, featured 11 categories of competition, with operators showcasing speed and skill across a range of horsepower classes.
Rengiil Bausoch opened the day with a win in the utility 3 category (75-90 horsepower), followed by Ulu Sbal and Lawrence Yalap. In the utility 54 (115-140 HP), Temedik Ngirblekuu captured first, edging out Ivan Blesam and Alson Ngiraiwet.
Thyron Rdiall claimed the utility 6 (150-200 HP) race, with Ashley Omelau in second. Blesam, racing for PIDC, topped the 35 HP category, followed by Ngirutelchii Emiwo Mad and Bausoch.
Ngirblekuu also secured victories in the 71-165 HP and 150-200 HP categories, adding a third-place finish in the 86-140 HP class. That race was won by Rayson King, with Boy Rekemel in second.
One of the day’s closest contests came in the 300 HP category, where Tann Rull Franz edged Senator Mason Whipps in a head-to-head matchup aboard the boat Bullet. Franz also swept the 225-250 HP and open V6 divisions, with Patrick Akiwo finishing second in both.
The finale, the open-for-all category, provided another crowd-pleaser as Whipps battled Akiwo in a race marked by multiple lead changes before Whipps took the win.
Organizers said 15 categories had been scheduled, though only 11 were contested due to limited entries. Despite challenges leading up to the event — including reduced prize funding after a last-minute change in coordinators — the boat race once again proved its status as a highlight of the Independence Day calendar.
The broader celebration continues this week with the launch of Palau’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy yesterday, the Mechesil Belau Conference today, Sept. 30, and the official Independence Day ceremony on Oct. 1 in Ngerulmud.