TODAY marks the fifth day of racing for the 20th Hobie 16 World Championships in Jervis Bay.
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Conditions have been perfect for the sailors with overcast conditions yesterday for day four of the series but great winds which made for a tremendous day of racing.
This year’s series had 388 teams and 506 competitors crammed into the gorgeous surroundings of Jervis Bay and tacking across its pristine waters for the chance to become the worldwide Hobie Cat master.
The final qualifying round yesterday saw the fleet reduced to the top 56 teams for the masters finals with racing continuing until the champion is crowned.
The fleet will now be split and only the top 56 will go on to compete in the masters finals.
Day three of the series started with perfect sailing conditions with the fourth race setting off at 10am.
The race committee set the course to take advantage of the 15 to 20 knot winds.
Former Hobie 16 World Champion, Blain Dodds and daughter Roxanne Dodds were eighth at the first weather mark.
At the second weather mark they moved into third before taking the lead at the final weather mark to carry home the victory.
They were followed closely by West Australia’s Darren Smith and Kerstin Houk with the current class leaders Claudio Teixeira and Bruno Reis from Brazil in third position.
Conditions continued to deliver for the fifth race. Racers headed to the weather mark in a freshening breeze of 18 to 21 knots, which South Africa’s William and Lucinda Edwards took full advantage of. The pair proceeded on starboard and tacked on the port lay line perfectly, taking the lead at the first mark and then sailing a perfect race all the way to victory.
From NSW, Australian Rod and Kerry Waterhouse took second place followed closely by fellow NSW competitors Anthony Duchatel and Evelyn Curtis.
As the boats were exchanged on the beach, winds freshened to 25 to 30 knots closing out racing for the day due to winds being over the safety limit.
Classes will continue throughout the next two weeks with Hobie, Grandmasters, Hobie Womens and Hobie Youth series starting today, followed by the qualifying rounds of the Hobie Open which start on Saturday.
