Fierce competition at the Meanline Fins Slalom Challenge
by Laurence Carey on 8 Jul 2014
Dan Ellis leading 19-39 Laurence Carey
The Meanline Fin Slalom challenge started in light, but steady, north winds in Maui, Hawaii off the Kanaha Beach Park.
The course set, with one long reaching leg, by request of the sponsor (Meanline Fins). Twenty five heats were sailed, in windy 7.0m sails making for a day of exciting racing conditions. This completed the 'age group' section of the racing.
Each division was full of fierce competitors with Dan Ellis (North Sails and Meanline fins tester), Phil McGain (past PBA world champion and owner of Maui Sails) and Peter Slate (Head tester for North Sails) to just mention a few of the stars at the event.
Dan Ellis managed to take four bullets in the 19-39 division followed closely by Mark Boersma. In the 40-49 division Peter Slate managed to take three first's with Kai Hopf managing to take the final bullet for the division. Wave sailing great Francisco Goya made it down for the racing also where he came in third. It will be interesting to see if Goya can threaten Peter Slates crown at the next event on July 19th, the Quicksilver cup.
The women division was also a tight battle. Argentina managed to win the day taking the first two bullets. Tamara won the third heat meaning the battle for first would depend on the results of the final race. Unfortunately Tamara broke a mast and New Zealand national champion Annie Crombie wn the final heat.
This meant that the womens division would go to Argentina Bonilla. Finally the most fierce age division (50-59) made for some great racing. Phil McGain took four bullets with Mike Yasak following in second.
During the break the wind shifted and the course needed to be adjusted. As the afternoon racing was about to start, the start boat, a rubber dinghy, left the start area and went back to beach. Racers thought it might be to adjust the course one more time, but, unfortunately, the start boat had a leak and was taking on water. Hence, the afternoon racing, and the rest of the Meanline Fin event, had to be cancelled. Speaking to the event organizers, they and the racers, hope to make up the cancelled heats at the next race day.
A big thanks to Jimmie Hepp and Harry Wiewell for taking all the photos and Maui Zoom for taking the Website
Maui Race Series, Meanline Slalom July 5. 2014 from Maui Zoom on Vimeo.
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