Wild weather keeps Hobie 16 sailors concentrating

by Di Pearson/David Brookes on 6 Jan 2005 Wild weather continued its assault on the Hobie 16 sailors in the Australian Asia Pacific Titles at Sail Melbourne yesterday as the Acting Premier of Victoria, John Thwaites and the Minister for Tourism, John Pandazopoulos, looked on from host club, Port Melbourne YC.

Both attended a Sail Melbourne lunch at Port Melbourne YC, along with other sponsors, officials and media, including Sail Melbourne Chairman, Kevin Wood, new Yachting Australia President, Andrew Plympton, Yachting Victoria CEO, Ross Kilborn, Yachting Victoria President John Burgess, Chairman of the Victorian Olympic Council, Jim Barry and other sponsors and supporters from City of Port Phillip, Sport and Recreation and City of Port Phillip.

The Victorian State Government is one of the main sponsors of Sail Melbourne, one of the largest sailing events in Australia that starts in December and finishes late January each year, with over 2000 sailors taking part in a regatta that spans many sailing classes at the many sailing clubs along the long coast line of Victoria, from Port Melbourne all the way to Mornington.

The group enjoyed viewing racing whilst lunching from the club as winds gusted up to 30 knots on choppy seas making for another day of spectacular capsizes and acrobatics as crews flew from the trampolines.

Racing was limited today to just two races because apart from the heavy winds, the water on Port Phillip Bay was choppy on a big swell. The Race Committee felt it unsafe to send the sailors back out on the water after lunch.

Overnight leaders Tim Shuwalow/Cameron Hooper (AUS) did enough to maintain their lead, though they did not sail to their usual top three place, with fifth and eighth places, but remain in first place overall.

However, Rob Branch/Barnaby Houk (AUS) who are now tied for second place overall with Darren Smith/Natalie Hill, revelled in the conditions to skyrocket up the leaderboard.

Newly crowned Hobie 18 World Champions, Brad Sumner/Belinda Walkom (AUS) also moved into closer contention, just two points away from second and third places. Sumner, from the NSW north coast said, ‘it’s not that simple jumping from the 18 to the 16 – they might look similar to people, but it is a different boat to sail – but we had a good day.’

Shane Peterson/Shamus Stevens (AUS) won Race 3 in the strong winds to lift them into fifth place overall. This was Shane’s first win at an Australian Championships in Open international competition. A former Youth champion, his debut in open competition shows he is a future force in the world of Hobie sailing.

Two-time Olympian and World champion multihull sailor, Darren Bundock (AUS) came ashore with his crew Alexandra Goltz and explained, ‘everyone thinks if you are an Olympian that you can sail any of these multi-hull boats.

‘Thing is, they are all a bit different and require different crew weights and even different ways of sailing them. I jump into different multihulls a bit, but can’t always win, or even be top three. People were actually surprised that we capsized on Tuesday, but it happens to everyone. We are doing our best and it’s all you can do.’

The pair is currently in 11th place overall and once Bundock finishes this event, he will sail in the Tornado class in the Olympic & Invited classes Sail Melbourne event at Sandringham YC starting on Monday.

Racing continues today on Port Phillip and the some sailors are hoping for an easing of the strong winds that is causing damage to their boats, with many sailors finding aching muscles they did not know they had.

Provisional top five results:

1st Tim Shuwalow/Cameron Hooper (AUS) 8 pts

2nd Rob Branch/Barnaby Houk (AUS) 10

3rd Darren Smith/Natalie Hill (AUS) 10

4th Brad Sumner/Belinda Walkom (AUS) 12

5th Shane Peterson/Shamus Stevens (AUS) 13

For all the news, images and more: www.sailmelbourne.com.au