RCIYC Hobie Fleet - Love Wine 'Summer Breeze' Series
by Gordon Burgis 3 Sep 2021 17:05 NZST
RCIYC Hobie Fleet - Love Wine 'Summer Breeze' series © Elaine Burgis
The RCIYC Hobie Fleets Love Wine 'Summer Breeze' 12 race series which started in May came to a close last Sunday in St. Aubin's bay with the last 2 races in the event deciding the overall results in a highly competitive series for the Hobie Classes participating.
The series provided a testing mix of conditions ranging from light to fresh winds during the series. Due to strong winds, 2 events were cancelled leaving the results to be determined over the full remaining 8 races with the 4 throw out races not provided for. There was a good turnout of 26 entries for the event.
HOBIE 16 'A' FLEET
In this the largest class racing, it was the Youth team of Ollie and Hanna Voak who set the pace in the initial races, Gordon Burgis crewed by Phoebe le Marquand for the first 6 races in the event were in the reckoning at the series halfway point, also Aaron le Cornu sailing with Alex Ohlsson, Grant Neale and Karen La Rose, Youth crew Tom Hunt and Megan McDonagh were also all in the mix with good low scoring results. It all came down to the last two races on the last day. Voak sailing with Megan Roworth posted a first, then an inadvertent capsize pushed them to a fifth in the last race, Burgis crewed by Ken Snell in the last 2 races came in with a fifth but then a 1st in the last race gave him the overall Summer series H16 title, Voak placed a credible second with Neale and Larose in third. Tom Hunt's 2 fast second place finishes on the last day elevated him to fourth overall.
HOBIE 16 'B' FLEET
There was also very close racing in the 'B' Fleet over the series which saw Mark Mound and Russell Boschat and Miguel Arraya sailing with various crew swopping places throughout the series, they both enjoyed firsts and seconds over the event. Mounds extra first place won him the H16 'B' Fleet with Arraya placing second. Peter Culnane and Clive Russell enjoyed a good start with low scores in the initial races which gave them third. Youth crew Pete Washington and Kai Surcouf entered the last two races and performed well in their first H16 outing with a first and a second on the final day after progressing from Hobie Dragoon Junior racing.
HOBIE WILDCATS
Racing was close at times in the powerful Hobie 18 spi class, but Darren Stower crewed by Graeme Monks dominated the racing, showing a clean pair of transoms to the rest of the Wildcat Fleet. They raced a shortened series which Stower and Monks won with a first each time they raced.
Adrian Jesson and Paul Martin sailed consistently well throughout to place a close second. Andy Hart mostly sailing with Jack Horton came third, a healthy tussle between Simon Martin and Jimmy Fullerton for fourth place saw the former come out in front.
HOBIE DRAGOONS - JUNIOR SPI CLASS
The racing proved extra competitive amongst the Junior sailors racing Dragoons. Juliette Walton and brother Russell came top with consistently low scores after very close racing against Luke Paxton Garnier and Thomas Allo who had posted 5 first places, but a couple of missed counting races took them out of contention for the series title. Kyla McDonagh crewed by Jamie le Marquand sailed well to up their game in the latter races to come third. The Willett brother Archie and Jamie had some low counting scores to place fourth but were not in the running due to several missed counting races, Eddie Slater and Jacob Riley continue to improve and were on equal points with the Willetts coming fifth on countback.
The Prize Giving was held at the Fleet Summer BBQ in the afternoon after racing where RCIYC Commodore James Wilding presented the prizes. Thanks were extended to the Race team, safety boat crews and the Beach officer. Love Wine were also thanked for their continuing sponsorship and much appreciated support of the event.