Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

Estimating Services Minquiers Cat Dash at Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club

by Gordon Burgis 26 Aug 2021 01:21 AEST 22 August 2021

The Estimating Services Minquiers Cat Dash was held last Sunday 22nd August. Ten Hobie Cats launched from the Gunsite beach in bright sunshine on Sunday morning for the distance race to the Minquiers reef and back.

The fleet comprising of three Wildcats and six Hobie 16s started the race in St.Aubin's bay in a north westerly wind, 15 gusting to 18kts which was the top of their limit for this open sea race.

With six guard boats in attendance the Hobie 16s with several youth teams among them started first and blasted all the way to the Minquiers on a broad reach, the fastest point of sail for a Hobie 16, the boats virtually reached for the full 10 miles.

The first Hobie 16 to finish on the first leg was crewed by sisters Elsa and Chloe Swetenham in a fast time of 1 hour 3 minutes, just 4 minutes outside the record set last year by Leo Marshall and Chloe Swetenham in almost identical exhilarating conditions, the rest of the H16s came in within minutes of each other.

The Hobie 18ft Wildcats started 10 minutes after the first group, they finished in a similar time, unable to hoist their powerful spinnakers due to wind direction. Adrian Jesson crewed by Paul Martin were first to the reef just 1 minute ahead of Andy Hart and Rob McAllister with Steve Longstaffe and Leo Marshall following in third.

After a welcome break on the spectacular southerly reef and replenished energy from the food and beverage provided, the crews started the race back at 3:30pm, off a start line transit between the Committee boat and Jetee des Foantains de Bas pole.

The race back couldn't have been more different from the first speedy reaching leg, this time the boats were sailing back to Jersey upwind and against a strong tide, This is where the Wildcats came into their own with powerful sail area and long dagger boards enabling them to sail high and fast with the crews double trapezing all the way back into St. Aubin's bay and the finish off St. Aubin's Fort.

Even though Hart and McAllister crossed the finish line 1 minute ahead of Jesson and Martin in 2hours and 45mins it was the latter who won overall by just 19 seconds!

The Hobie 16 Fleet was a fair way behind, it was Ollie Voak crewed by Megan Roworth who set the pace upwind on the return leg establishing a commanding lead along with good tactics sailed into first position overall. The Swetenham team, Elsa and Chloe sailed a great race to place second with 8 minutes difference separating them from the winners.

Another female youth team, sisters Phoebe and Georgia le Marquand sailed well considering its their first season racing Hobie Cats and their first distance race, they placed a credible third.

At the late afternoon beach prize-giving, thanks and appreciation were extended to the safety boat crews, the race team and Estimating Services for sponsoring this special event for the second year running.

Hobie 16 Results:

1st Ollie Voak & Megan Roworth
2nd Elsa Swetenham & Chloe Swetenham
3rd Phoebe Le Marquand & Georgia Le Marquand
4th Tom Hunt & Megan McDonagh
5th Rachael Smith & Mike Dudek
RTD Miguel Arraya & Chloe Mattock

Hobie Wildcat Results:

1st Adrian Jesson & Paul Martin
2nd Andy Hart & Rob McAllister
3rd Steve Longstaffe & Leo Marshall

Related Articles

Australian Hobie Cat Nationals entries rolling in
With at least three World Champions already entered, the racing is sure to be exciting too! There is excitement in the air for the Pitts Design and Construction 53rd Australian Hobie Cat National Championships. Posted on 1 Jul
Australian Hobie Cat Nationals Entries Open
To be hosted by the HCAWA, with Geographe Bay Yacht Club Entries are open and the Notice of Race is live for the Pitts Design and Construction 53rd Australian Hobie Cat Nationals to be hosted by the HCAWA, with Geographe Bay Yacht Club, in Undalup Country, Busselton, Western Australia. Posted on 29 Apr
2025 Hobie Victorian State Championships
Light winds and balmy leisurely evenings at Rosebud Well, here it is before it all fades into the past. A few diehards rolled into the Rosebud Yacht Club gates on Friday night, greeted by hot and dry weather. We set up the Hobies and then spent the rest of the balmy evening at the Rosebud Hotel. Posted on 17 Mar
NSW Hobie Cat State Championships on Wallis Lake
Spicing things up at Great Lakes Sailing Club, Forster When we first tossed around the idea of sailing a state title at Forster, we thought, "No way, that would be way too good to be true. I guess we'll just tie it in with Wildcat?" Posted on 4 Mar
Q&A with David Brookes
And the Hobie Cat Association of Western Australia The Olympics is a unique experience that many sailors and officials aspire to be part of. We often hear from the sailors and coaches about their preparation to qualify to compete in the Olympics and what it's like during the games. Posted on 1 Dec 2024
52nd Australian Hobie Cat Nationals entry open
Taking place at McCrae Yacht Club in late December and early January Entries are now open and the Notice of Race is live for the 52nd Australian Hobie Cat National Championships, hosted by McCrae Yacht Club this 24/25 New Year period. Posted on 9 Sep 2024
Victorian Hobie Cat State Championships
“Does a penalty turn count if the wind does a 360 around our boat?” In what can only be described as some of the most profoundly erratic, fluky and taxing wind conditions the Australian Hobie Family has ever seen on the Championship Tour, the 2024 Victorian State Championships was one of the best we've seen yet! Posted on 27 Mar 2024
NSW Hobie Cat State Championships at Toukley SC
Waterhouse wins in masterclass performance With Jervis Bay's very own John Eastment stepping into the Principal Race Officer role for his very first time, 10 races were on the cards and it was all to play for as the wind's games ensured smart sailing was the way to go. Posted on 26 Mar 2024
51st Australian Hobie Cat National Championships
The true meaning of "having a bloody good time" couldn't have been more evident Across the 10 day extravaganza, the true meaning of "having a bloody good time" couldn't have been more evident; and it's without a wind-shadow of a doubt that the Hobie Class is looking stronger than ever. Posted on 22 Jan 2024
NSW Hobie Cat State Championships
Revvin' up your engine, listen to her howlin' roar… Joining the contingent of cargo ships, jellyfish, and planes overhead on the flat waters of Botany Bay in Dharawal country, a strong fleet of catamarans hit the water over the weekend of the 4th and 5th of November. Posted on 9 Nov 2023
Pantaenius Sail 2025 AUS FootersMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZSelden 2020 - FOOTER