News - Wednesday 2nd November

HOBIE TEAM SPIRIT

“You may now leave the beach”, resounded over Hobie Beach at 11.00am. By the time the race committee put up the I-flag, it started to blow. All of a sudden, the offshore wind picked up to 30-35 knots. “That was scary”, said Deborah Robertson (RSA). “It was wild out there.” The race was cancelled and the H16s had to fight against the extreme elements. Not only from mother nature, but also from a huge fire inland. The sky was filled with ashes and a smokey smell. Veronique Telva (TAH): “It was difficult breathing and looking.”

Many teams capsized, after which the organization decided to bring extra crews out to the battling sailors. Photographer Pierrick Contin was called in by the beachmaster and got seven guests on his RIB. Top sailors like Shaun Ferry, David Kruyt, Mark Laruffa and Thorin Zeilmaker got a ride and helped bringing back the cats. Others were waiting on the beach to give the arriving competitors a hand with rigging down as soon as possible. Everybody showed the true Hobe Cat Team Spirit. Thank you to all of you!

12-Year old Matthew Whitehead was out with his dad Colin as well. They capsized three times and the youngster got stuck underneath the trampoline, but it did not seem to bother him at all. When he saw his grand mother, he said: “We had great fun out there.” His mother and grand mother obviously not. “I was worried”, said his mam.

Delphins

Mark Laruffa (ITA) and Thorin Zeilmaker (NED) swopped on the water and brought cat 47 back to the beach. They arrived with big smiles and bruices from three capsizes. “It was bizar, but great”, reacted Thorin. Laruffa: ‘We saw a gust hitting us and I said: “Hang on”. The whole boat fibrated. It must have been 40 or even more knots.” At one unvoluntary dive, they saw many fishes on the surface. Laruffa: “That can predict a shark or delphins, so I wanted to have my feet out of the water.” And he was right, because a school of playing delphins passed Hobie Beach pretty soon. One was showing off by jumping in the air.

Weather conditions

According to local Blaine Dodds, World Champion Hobie 16 in 1998, this westerly normally shows a pattern. “It does this, when the front comes up from the coast like today. It also brings rain, which will arrive tomorrow, so we will have stuck telltales. The wind will die down and will swing around to the east with maybe 20 knots. It is a normal thing for this time of the year.”