MAY 10th

Open - Semifinals - Race 1

120 Teams are alive now. We go up the next step in the World Championship stair. The rest of the competitors can only look up.

The day started with a perfect morning. The sails went out to cruise the ocean. Suddenly, nature surprised us with its quietness. Windless, rainless and dark... but most of all, quiet. The weather: moist, the people: dismayed. The sails were flat, hungry for wind. However, we had none.

Little time after that, the situation changed dramatically. Right now, all participants are witnessing a discussion. A big argument between sky, clouds, water and lightning. We hear them screaming. Shouting.

The Race Committee has decided that no mortal can be under that riot. It is not safe. We will let you know when mother nature comes to calm her children and race number one of the semifinals can start.

On the picture below, one team of Australia awaits for a better view.

Finally, competitors are allowed to go back for a 2G course. The sky no longer lits.
Gavin Colby and Simone Mattfield from Australia are the defeating champions. They had the Noumea (New Caledonia) title two years ago. The numbers zero-one are stamped on their sail and they flee from the start line as soon as the 2G course begins. The wind strength reaches 16 knots.

When arriving to the first weather mark, Colby and Mattfield have dropped three places, and the group is lead by Hobie Cat #33 of their countrymen Aaron Worral and Sean Seibold.

In the downwind mark, 33 is still leading and the 01 climbs to position 2. Minutes after. In the final weather mark, minutes later, Maegli and Tardew from Guatemala go from 2nd to 3rd place.

And the end is very tight. With the number one… arriving second.

Results

Open - Semifinals - Race 2

Gray sky is the remnant of the morning storm. The wind has maintained the same speed than the last race. 16 knots (29.5 km/h)

The waves are much stronger, compared to other days, but manageable for the experience of those who are now in the World Championship. Now it is the second group of competitors turn a board of 61 ships and it seems that this is one of those days in which the ones who are going to win, do it from the beginning.

France flees away as soon as the air horn sounds. The catamaran with the sail number 24, commanded by Cristophe Renaud and Alban Rossolin as a cre member will not yield one millimeter in this water track.

First, second round and finish. They maintained their supremacy. Like a shadow, boat 45 from Australians Mick Butler and Bridget Waterhouse. Jerome Legal and Vaik Delevaux are also representing the land of Roquefort Cheese and Burdeaux wine, who went going up, arriving in third place.

Let see the competitors of the country hosting the event. They touch a mark by accident and they have to do the 360 degree maneuver. After this unfortunate incident the Mexican pair formed by Ponce and Gasque fall all the way to the second half of the table. We wish they have better luck in the next race.

Results

Open - Semifinals - Race 2

1G is the race’s course. It is the second of the competirors who got first into the water. They are 61 and among them is, again, Gavin Colby from Australia.

As soon as they start and go to the first mark, boat 49 from Chichemanian and Siret from France collisions and it is forced to leave the race with important damage in the left stern. The other boat involved, number 44 from Australia, commanded by Tardew and Turnbull –who were second place in the Grand Masters category in the past Hobie Worlds from Noumea and also in this one- continues the race, flawless. Judges will talk about this issue later.

The attention is now centered on the sails of Gavin Colby and Simone Mattfield. The are 4 minutes ahead of the second place when passing the second weather mark. This is amazing. This superiority has been rarely seen. It seems the number one team of the world is not willing to hand out his crown.

It is 5 in the afternoon when the group comes to shore. It is late because of the long delay due to the morning storm. The sky is still gray and the dusk is rapidly coming. The thermometer marks 29 Celsius. The Regatta Committee decides to postpone for early tomorrow the fourth race of this day.

If you feel today you are a fortune teller, please say that the number 06 arrived first. We are sure you’ll be correct. If your crystal ball will not predict another result, click on the result table… and (shhhhhh!!! Tell no one) there are the other winning numbers.

Results

See the Complete Picture Gallery,
where you can view and buy the pictures you like.

WATCH THE DAILY VIDEO (4:36)

small (56k) 5.6 MB
medium (cable) 16.3 MB
large (broadband) 34.5 MB

Communication Center
Hobieworlds Mexico 2004
media@hobieworlds.com