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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 Championship
With 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 Champions
Tom 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 future
Sam 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 Jury
The 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.
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