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Hobie 14 Open World Championships
Hobie Tiger Europeans
Hobie Cat Fox Eurocup
Hobie Cat FX-One Eurocup
Hobie
Youth Challenge 2003
Travemunde, Germany
Friday, July 25, 2003
Dutch and German teams battle it out for the World
ChampionshipWith one day to go in the Hobie 14 World
Championships, Dutch sailor Thorin Zeilmaker has moved into the lead
after a day where he scored a consistent 5,1,5 in the three races
held today. However, with a OCS in race 3, he cannot afford any
further inconsistent races. Overnight leader Joachim Wegener of
Germany had an inconsistent day but still managed to stay in second
place, still close enough to Zeilmaker with four races still to
sail. Hot on the heels of Wegner are Frank Suchanek from Germany and
Peter Manvis from Holland. It would seem likely that one of these
four sailors will take out the title after they opened up a 20 point
break on the next group of sailors.
In the first race of the day, the variable conditions played
havoc with the second upwind leg being key with large windspeed
variations over the course. Many top sailors were found at the back
of the pack, struggling to salvage a good result.
The Race Committee has been setting a long line which allows
every sailor a good chance of a clean air start. However, soon after
the start of the second race, the wind shifted to the left,
providing those at the leeward end of the line with a huge tactical
advantage.
The hard luck story of the day must surely go to German sailor
Peter Gentsch, who after having two bad results for the day, finally
managed to get it all together crossing the finish line in first
place, only to find that he was OCS at the start.
The Race Committee have brought forward racing for the final day,
tomorrow, to 10am to try and fit in the final four races of the
event. With a forecast wind strength of 10 - 12 knots, sailors and
organisers are hoping for a consistent breeze to finish off the
event.
14 Year Old Brits continue to shine against Olympic and World
ChampionsTom Phipps and Jonathan Cook from the UK continued to
lead the Hobie 16 Spinnaker Open and Youth Divisions against the
current Hobie 16 Open World Champion, Gavin Colby and two time
Olympic Medallist Mitch Booth. Consistency has been the key to their
success with their worst result being a fourth place in mostly light
and variable conditions.
While they have a weight advantage over their more senior
competitors (rumour on the beach has it that the two young Brits
probably weigh less than Mitch Booth), weight alone is not the only
factor and the training and support that they have received through
their National Team is obviously a factor.
Also sailing well today with a win in the final race are the team
all the way from New Caledonia in the South Pacific. With a second
place finish in last year's Hobie 16 Youth World Championships,
Renaud Christoph and Rossillin Alban certainly have the experience
on the Hobie 16, but the added spinnaker has taken a few races to
master.
With the beach course having the best of the wind today, there
were a few "moments" (see the pics from today) but also a chance to
put the new Hobie 16 spinnaker to the test. With only one day to go
in the event it is unlikely that the team of Phipps and Cook can be
beaten.
Dragoon - breeding ground for the futureSam Newton and Nick
Taylor continue to sail well in the Dragoon on the "beach course"
along with the Hobie 16s. Both sailors have come up through the UK's
Opti programme and got into cats through the Introduction Days and
then through the Dragoon charter programme. This year they have won
regattas at Carnac, Youth Dragoon Euro Cup and British Open
meetings.
Hobie Tiger sailors relieved at the decision of the JuryThe
biggest news for the day was not from the race course, but the Jury
room, where the International Jury reversed the disqualification of
seven Tiger sailors yesterday for sailing through the course of
another class sailing at Travemunde. They found that although they
did sail through the course, they did not interfere with any other
boats racing, and so their original places were reinstated.
On the course, the day was dominated by local sailors Joerg
Gosche and Christoph Bock who lead both races from start to finish.
With two excellent starts, a good finish was assured, but to finish
both races in first place in the variable conditions showed
exceptional sailing. Behind them there were major changes in
position with the course proving difficult to predict.
Sailing for Switzerland, Will Howden and Cori Camenisch produced
two consistent results, made all the more remarkable by their start
in race one. With an individual recall signalled, Howden and
Camenisch returned to the prestart side of the line and started
behind the entire fleet. However, they managed to sail through the
fleet and finish a very respectable fifth place.
Racing concludes tomorrow in the final day of the Hobie Tiger
European Championships
Dutch sailors continue their battle in the FX-one
Positions remain unchanged today in the single handed FX-one
class with the Dutch teams of Dirk Pool, Dirk Zwitser and Herre
Deurloo holding down the first three positions.
However, the first race of the day turning the tables on this
trio with German sailor Mathias Schrader taking out his first race
for the series. |
