Hog’s Breath Café Australian Hobie Championships

by David Brookes on 6 Feb 2002 This years Hog’s Breath Café Australian Hobie Championships were held at Vincentia a small town inside Jervis Bay, approximately 2 ½ hours drive
south of Sydney. With a strong team of international sailors attending and a selection for the Air France Hobie 16 Worlds and the ISAF Games in
Marseille this national attracted a strong entry list. It also attracted strong international entrants from Netherlands, South Africa, Singapore, New
Caledonia, New Zealand and the United States.

Unfortunately some of the best plans go astray. On Christmas Day bush fires burnt Hobie Cat Australasia factory nearby and some of the charter boats for the overseas competitors along with the flags, trophies and Sailing Instructions.
Phone calls on Boxing Day
had sailors already on their way to attend the Nationals returning and collecting boats for the overseas competitors. By the day after the fire all but two
charter boats had been found for the 16 overseas competitors.

A great effort by the Australian Hobie sailors the dealers and Hobie Cat Australasia to rally
behind and get the event happening.

There was a new format tried by the committee this year staging a two 5 day series with a lay day for New Years Day. The first series had the Tigers,
Hobie20, Hobie 18, Hobie 17, Hobie 16 Youth, Women and Masters with the Hobie 14 Turbo. The second series the Hobie 16’s racing by themselves. At
the AGM it was agreed this format suited the style of racing the sailors wanted and was unanimously decided to keep this format.

The first series was sailed in moderate breezes with the breeze moving around due to the large bush fires burning in the area. In fact the smoke was so
bad at some stage you could not see the windward mark or the boat at the top end of the course. On the first day with two races being sailed all but the
Hobie 18 fleet the eventual winner of each class won both the races.

All fleets had close racing but the Hobie Tiger had more international sailors with 2 teams from South Africa and another from the Netherlands. With 2nd
place World Hobie Tiger Champion Brad Sumner and current F18 World Champion Mitch Booth the racing was always going to be tight. It was also
great to see two very young skippers sailing the Tiger. Billy Sykes finishing 6th and Dan Corlett (former ISAF Hobie 16 Silver Medallist) finishing 8th.

In the 14 Turbo’s, Chris Wood after a bad start to the series won 7 out of the last 8 races, but he could not catch the consistent Mitch Watson. The
Hobie 16 Masters had the battle between Bob and Marilyn Henderson who seem to have been sailing a Hobie 16 forever and Murray Peterson and his
daughter Kate. With the title coming down to the last race and the experience of the Henderson’s shinning through. Belinda Zanesco and Naomi Angwin
demonstrated they are the top women’s team in the country. While Kathy Kulkoski and MB Villa from the United States gave them a good challenge,
Belinda and Naomi dominated the racing beating the Hobie 16 Maters and Youth to be the first boat home in many of the races. ISAF Bronze Medallist
Robbie Lovig did not have it his own way in the Youth class with Shane Peterson his brother Michael skippering for the first time at a National level
keeping Robbie honest on the race course.

The 17’s had long time campaigner Ron McDonald win with Dan Kulkoski from the US showing he could more than match it with Aussies taking out a
win in Heat 5. The Hobie 18 was one of the bigger fleets of Hobie 18 in recent years. The high quality of racing in this fleet showed there was depth not
just numbers. With Michael Cahill winning the championships with a very constant scorecard. Long time Hobie 20 sailor Mike Dunn won from David
Cogdon after an epic seesaw battles on the water.

The Hobie was a selection series for the Hobie 16 Worlds in Noumea and with 2 weeks notice the AYF announced it was also the selection for the ISAF
Sailing Games. With so much at stake it bought out the very best Hobie 16 sailors in country and from overseas.

The first day started with a mixed day
for pre race favourite Gavin Colby, after a first, then a capsize breaking rigging and not be able to finish the race. Reigning Australian Champion Darren
Smith held the lead at the end of the first day. Positions at the top of the score card continually changed.

With the ever reliable Rod & Kerry Waterhouse
getting ready to challenge 1st place when diaster struck. A collision destroying one hull and a side bar could have meant the end of their regatta. But a
good deed of sportsmanship by young Dan Corlette lending his boat to the Waterhouse’s so they could finish the series.

Dan had previously hurt his
back in the Tiger series then aggravated it again sailing the 16. The other top husband and wife team, of Mal & Trish Gray had great burst of boat speed
followed by a swim. There consistent form gave them a strong finishing position. As did new comer to the Hobie ranks former world ranked Contender
sailor Andrew Keag.

The series in general was great with good tight racing and leaders changing. The Australian must be very happy with the team the
have going to Noumea as it looks like a strong team.

As always a championship can not take place without the hard work of a dedicated few. Hobie Cat Australia's principal and Race Director Steve Fields did an outstanding job. As did the members of the very small Vincentia Sailing Club, showing you don’t have to be a big club to run a first class event. Also with members of the club have fires threatening there homes during the whole event they preformed exceptional well.


No major event can take place without the support of sponsorship.
Again the Hog’s Breath Café came to support Hobie racing even though they don’t have a restaurant within 100’s km of the event. So special thanks
must go the boss of Hog’s Breath Café Mr Brett Dryland and marketing guru Mr.Miles Wood both of whom are Hobie legends.