News - And the rain came down ....

Imagine a very large marquee on a man made beach on a piece of reclaimed land and inside three hundred people clad in sailing gear. Imagine a series of torrential tropical downpours.

It is the last day of the qualifying rounds of the 18th Hobie world championships and for some the scheduled two races are their last hope for a place in the Open Championship.

The sailors sit in groups, the measurer sits at his table and there is constant communication between those on the shore and the race committee. The water from the rain has risen through the floor of the marquee and formed deep muddy puddles. To add to the atmosphere vendors of local crafts have set up their stalls down the middle of the marquee. At the food kiosk the queue snakes out the door as people line up for plates of curry and other local foods.

There are a couple on a cruise ship that has called in to Suva – former Hobie sailors it turns out, who have found out by chance that there is a catamaran regatta here. They find it is the Hobie world championship, jump in a taxi and head straight to the venue. They are highly excited to revisit their Hobie days.

The sailors wait. The sun comes out. The rain comes down. The wind goes left. The wind goes right. At just after 1.30, principle race officer David Brookes pulls the plug, the series is over and now the qualifying places can be calculated.

There are 106 teams and at least 30 guaranteed places into the semi-finals, to be announced at the party tonight. The rest of the teams for the 112 team fleet of semi-finalists will be made up of teams from around the world that have already qualified in their respective countries.

It’s not always considered a good omen to win the qualifying round, but somebody has to and it is Jérome LeGal and Enrik Obert from New Caledonia. They are followed by Australians Andrew Keag and Sophie Rogers and fellow country men Jerome Binder and Deborah Muller. They are all expected to figure in the final results of the Championship, as the only reason they are sailing in the qualifying round is because they were unable to sail in the qualifying regattas in their home countries. Andrew Springford and Jack Blaithwayt from New Zealand have qualified in spite of a disqualification in one of the earlier races.

The sailors leave the venue, some knowing they’ve finished their racing, some knowing they will race again tomorrow, and some will wait with baited breath for their names to be announced tonight.