Cangas / Spain, July 26th 2006
The third day of the Hobie Tiger and Dragoon Worlds 2006 began with an easy breeze, but during the second race, the wind increased to 20 knots. Some Hobie Tigers lost control rounding the top mark and pitchpoled. The rudder of the ladies’ team was split, a South African team ended the second race with the off-set buoy between their hulls, and the mainsail of the Puerto Rican team was torn just before they reached the beach. But the real carnage took place in the Hobie Dragoon field. During their third and last race, four out of eight capsized, and one crew was hit by the boom.
Hobie Tiger: Renaud de Malet/Rossollin
Mourniac/Citeau
still rules the fleet. The only team that managed to beat them today, was fellow
French team Renaud de Malet/Rossollin. During the first race, when the
conditions were light, they had a good start. When both Nissan teams approached
the top mark, they were very close to each other, but Mourniac had to tack one
more time. Alban Rossollin: “We managed to stay ahead, but we had to fight for
it. Mourniac and Citeau are a bit heavier and the wind increased.” Rossollin’s
challenge for this event, is to beat Vaireaux/Romain, who are second: “We know
them very well, because they’ve also been sailing in New Caledonia. Vaireaux and
my skipper have even been a team for a while.” Right now, Rossollin is worn out:
“Hopefully there will be a little less wind tomorrow. Twelve to fifteen knots
would be perfect.”
Although many teams may agree with Rossollin, some are profiting from the strong wind. Mourniac and Citeau took two first places when the breeze picked up, and Mitch and Taylor Booth (AUS) where right behind them both times. Also Eric Proust, who has a hobie-shop in La Rochelle (FRA), enjoyed the breezy, choppy conditions: “Twenty knots is good, I’d like this for the rest of the week.”
Rodriguez/Villa (ESP)
Even the Spanish student team
Rodriguez/Villa, which pitchpoled in the third race and did not finish, wants to
keep this wind. Rodriguez: “Our boat speed isn’t good in light conditions.
Besides, we can’t get our mainsail closed enough in the top. We need this kind
of wind.” So far, they have been sailing in the rear, which they explain by lack
of practice: “One month ago, the principal of our university decided he wanted a
university team at the Hobie Tiger Worlds 2006. Since we’re the best cat sailors
of our university, that would be us. He sponsored our sails, and here we are. We
usually don’t sail together.”
Dragoon: Sutcliffe/Sutcliffe
Some of the Dragoon teams
were raving about the weather. Oscar and Alfred Sutcliffe (GBR) hadn’t been
sailing well the first two days of the event, due to “lack of concentration”.
But today they lead the fleet and obtained a top position during the last race.
“I love this wind! I’m hoping for it to be like this tomorrow”, Oscar says with
a smile all over his face. This former topper sailor and his crew, began the
event well-prepared: “We’ve been sailing Dragoon together for a year now. Next
year though, my crew might go to Hobie 16.”
But there’s a downside to all the fun. Velon/Figueiras, yesterday’s overall winner, didn’t manage to keep the mast upright, because they are too light. Especially the wind shifts were hard to handle. Vrijburg/Vrijburg decided not to hoist the spi, to prevent a pitchpole, and it paid off; they earned a third position. During the last race Hanna Gabrielsson was hit by the boom. Her brother Gustav: “The rescue boat came to get her, and I got the coach on board instead. Now my sister is in the hotel with a headache. Hopefully she is feeling better tomorrow, and not afraid to sail again. This wind is just too much.”
Tiger sailors against Dragoon sailors
On Friday, the
first race of the day will be quite exceptional. The five best Dragoon teams
will compete against the five best Tiger teams.
Top 5 Hobie Dragoon after 12 races:
1 Jason Waterhouse and Chase Lurati
(AUS), 4 points
1 Perico Velon and Bernal Figueiras (ESP), 4 points
3 Adam
Butler and Gilly Sutcliffe (GBR), 5 points
4 Sebastien Greber and Nikki
Boniface (GBR), 6 points
5 Vincent Domand and Eric Chaussat (FRA), 7
points
Top 5 Hobie Tiger after 10 races
1. Mourniac/Citeau (FRA), 19 points
2.
Vaireaux/Romain (FRA), 38 points
3. Renaud de Malet/Rossollin, 45
points
4. Thomas/Bernier, 62 points
5. Booth/Booth, 73 points
/// End
For more information about the Hobie Tiger & Dragoon Worlds, or high resolution photographs, please contact:
Jacqueline Laumans, press contact
Mobile: +33 687 031 396
E-mail: jackielaumans@gmail.com
Images: Pierrick Contin