Lots Of Wind And Waves For Hobie Titles At Sail Melbourne

With the first day of racing abandoned yesterday in the various Hobie National and World championships on Port Phillip Bay on the first day of the Sail Melbourne Regatta in Australia, the 91 crews were put to the test today.

Organisers packed four races in back to back on Day 2, not only to catch up the schedule, but because excessive winds were predicted for the afternoon – and they came.

Weatherwise, it was not quite as nasty as yesterday, but winds did gust to 30 knots on a lumpy and choppy sea as the first races got away at 10.30am this morning.

Some competitors had trouble leaving the beach at the Port Melbourne YC hosted event today, as the wind came straight into the beach.

As the day progressed, the weather actually got better. The sun came out and the breeze, although shifty with gusts, chop and swell, eased of to an average 16 knots.

As the wind eased, fewer competitors returned to the beach for repairs, but it was a tough day’s sail. In the Hobie 18, Brad Sumner/Belinda Walkom (Hobiecat Australia, NSW) completely dominated winning four from four races in the 16 race series.

‘We had a couple of close ones and two easy wins. It was excellent sailing today, beautiful weather, just a bit tiring,’ Sumner said on coming ashore.

Geoff Fiske/Sarah Hollands (Wenro, AUS) did enough to grab second place overall with a 3-3-3 scoreboard after the drop, for nine points, just three points ahead of Richard and Michael Quinn (Quinnybean, AUS).

‘it was hard sailing out there today, really gusty in places; 25-30 knots at times and very lumpy,’ Fiske commented.

In the Hobie 17, the competition is fierce and after dropping their worst race, Aaron Worrall (Hobie Cat Australia, Vic) leads on five points by just one point from Dan Kulkowski (NA18, USA), with local entry, Matt Burgess (Vic) third on countback from defending Australian champion, Ron McDonald in fourth place with equal eight points.

Worrall, who is the new Olympic crew for two-time Olympian, Darren Bundock, admitted, ‘I’ve only sailed this boat once before, but I worked it out eventually today and had an ‘alright’ sort of day.’

He nominated Dan Kulkowski and fellow Australians, Ron McDonald and Matt Burgess as the people he expects to keep him on his toes.

Out on the Hobie Tiger course, Mark Laruffa/Dave Silvester (NA28, AUS) scored three wins and a second to lead with three points from Andrew Keag/Sam Reid (Ocean 7, AUS) who finished their day with five points, with the Volvo sponsored Darren Bundock/Alexandra Goltz (Hobie Cat Aust, NSW) currently third overall on nine points.

‘It was pretty hard out their, a lot of chop and swell and four races back to back. The sea state was harder to handle than the wind, but it was good fun’ Bundock said of their day.

Expected to do well, things did not go according to plan for Mal Gray with crew Adrian Fawcett (Qld). ‘We had a mediocre day. Maybe I’m getting too old – it hurt,’ Gray laughed.

Kerli and Ali Corlett (NSW) cleaned up in the Hobie 16 Masters, winning four from four for three points after the drop to lead from Grahame Southwick/Natalie Hill ((Phantom, Fiji), one point ahead of Bruce Tardrew/Sarah Turnbull (Red Terror, Qld) on eight points.

Current Women’s world champion, Pamela Noriega with crew Andrea Mier Y Terean (MEX), showed just why she is the champion, winning four from four to lead the Womens Hobie 16. Third placegetter at the worlds, Belinda Zanesco with new crew Karen Todd (Lovin Life, AUS) are a clear second, just three points behind the leaders.

‘Pamela is the one to beat. She sailed much better than us today. I haven’t sailed much since the worlds and I am here with a new crew. She’s had more practice, but hopefully things will get better for us,’ Zanesco commented.

Naomi Angwin/Fiona Douglas (Party Master) fill out third place with nine points in the Womens event.

Hobie 16 Youth world champion, Jerome Legal with crew Clement Merzeau (FRA) played cat and mouse with their French compatriots Brice Pelen/Elliot Carpin today, each scoring two firsts and two second places to tie for first overall, but disaster struck, Pelen scored a DNF for incorrectly finishing Race 2 and therefore relegated to second place.

Chris Hancock/Haylee Williams (Blow Me, AUS) hold down third place on eight points in the non-spinnaker division.

In the spinnaker division, Evan Walker/Kyle Langford (NSW) won all four races to lead from Taylor Booth/Bridget Waterhouse (Team Hobie Sports, NSW) who scored three 2nd’s and a DNF for second overall going into tomorrow.

Booth, the 17 year-old son of multiple Olympic Tornado sailor Mitch Booth with whom he crewed and won the 2003 Tiger worlds commented after racing, ‘we cart wheeled in the last race and broke gear. It was hard work with four races, really exhausting, but we know we can do better. We led in all four races, but couldn’t stay in front – we have to change that.’

Third overall after today is Jake Lurati/Richard Kirton (Unexplained Absence, AUS), just two points behind Booth.

Racing continues on Port Phillip Bay tomorrow.

For full results go to the official Sail Melbourne website: www.sailmelbourne.com.au

By Di Pearson – Sail Melbourne – phone: 0410 792 131