MAY 7th

Masters & Grand Masters - RACE 5

The sun appears over the horizon at 6:13. The morning and many sailors awake to enjoy the panorama. The ocean brings good wind and a great breakfast awaits for us inland. Exercise routines, tunning up riggings, sails and other gadgets. It is time for the teams to put all their knowledge into the “oven”.
55 catamarans sail away from the start line at 10 am sharp. The wind with 14 knots that comes from the NE raises waves of 70 cms. The course designated is a 2G.
The Battle between the teams of Guatemala, Germany and Australia is immense. Today there will be winners. We are just two races away.

Masters & Grand Masters - RACE 6

The wind conditions are exactly the same than the prior race. From its beginning, the competition is verry tight. The first 5 Hobies to arrive the A mark are: AUS (Waterhouse), GUA (Maegli), USA (Kulkowski), AUS (Corlett), AUS (Toms).
In the second mark, there are some changes: AUS (Waterhouse), USA (Kulkowski), GUA, (Maegli) BRA (Sodré), AUS (Corlett).
To the finish line, this is the order of arrival: AUS (Waterhouse), GUA (Maegli), BRA Sodré, AUS Corlett, USA (Kulkowski) running like masters, as they are.
In the Grand Masters, the finish order: USA (Myrter), FRA (Le Calvic) y AUS (Tardew).
One more to run and everything will be set to crown winners.

Masters & Grand Masters - RACE 7

The last Regatta for the Masters and Grand Masters starts and finishes like a wind blow. Now we want to dedicate some lines for those men and women who helm these ships. And since it is only some lines, we will tell you about those that arrived first to the shore.

Jans Goritz has been sailing for 25 years. World Champion Simone Monreal has shared the same boat with him for the past 4 years. They have come from Germany. Their speed is faster than the wind and they keep it from start to finish. This is the attitude of a Champion.

Rod Waterhouse, competitor in 12 World Championships, has made a pause in his journey on a 47 feet sailboat around the world. Bridget (his daughter) and him, working together couldn’t help coming to this event. Their adventure will continue at the end of the Worlds. For them, and the rest of their family, It will be a journey of a year and a half.

Juan E. Maegli and Jose Daniel Hernandez are well known in these waters. Since many years ago, they are consistent competitors of the Cummins Cup in Chicxulub, Yucatan. Their Mayan roots ennobles the sailing tradition of the ancient men of the sea. They are winner “Chapines” (Guatemalan).

Michel LeCalvic and Emmanuelle Vrouses live in the French Polynesia and proudly sail for Tahiti. In a place were the Hobie Cat National Fleet is just 12 boats, everyone sails, share their knowledge and their sails move together… like the palm trees of the South Pacific.

It feeds our spirit to see great masters sailing with the enthusiasm of the first day in which they began this sport. Proof of that is that when we asked Michel how does he feel about sailing, he answers with a smile on his face: “It is fun”.

Ernest Hemingway wrote years ago “The Old Men and The Sea”. In one of its lines says: “I may not be as strong as I think… but I know many tricks and I have will”. We are sure that many Masters and Grand Masters find inspiration in these lines.

The trophies for these categories will be given until 9 pm (-6 GMT). The official lists will be published soon after that in this website, according to the Racing Rules of Sailing.

Women and Youth - RACE 5

The speed of the wind is 17 knots and it creates waves as high as 2 meters. This is the scenery that the categorie now competing have to face.

After seeing them getting into the water dragging their catamarans, we understand why the phrase women and children first is so popular. All of them tried to go first.

Waves, more waves and bigger every time make the course be more difficult. The sails and their numbers pass in front of us: 14, 20, 9, 33, 37, 37, 40 and so on.

After this race there’s only one more to go. Are there favorites? Of course. It is only a matter of time.