Brewin Dolphin British Hobie Cat Championships in Jersey
by Gordon Burgis 29 Aug 2012 20:45 BST
24-26 August 2012
The 64 participants competing in the Brewin Dolphin British Hobie Cat Nationals experienced excellent sailing conditions in all races during the event, hosted by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club in its 150th Anniversary year and held in Jersey for the first time. The event had very much an International flavour with crews from as far afield as Australia, the USA, Germany as well as the UK, Guernsey and a strong representation from Jersey's Hobie fleet.
The first race of the day on Friday presented the crews with a steady 16 to 20 kt south westerly wind, with building waves the last of the days 4 scheduled races saw an increase with gusts up to 29kts, resulting in several capsizes and pitch poles in fast and spectacular racing. The Junior Hobie Dragoon crews coped well given the challenging conditions. The more experienced teams were revelling in the bursts of speed obtained from the strengthening wind on the long courses.
The wind continued to increase overnight on Friday and with gusts to over 40 kts on Saturday morning the planned El Tico Coastal Race from St. Aubin's to St. Ouen's and back was cancelled, much to the disappointment of the Fleet and especially the visiting crews.
After the day's rest, the teams launching their boats from the Gunsite beach in St. Aubin's bay were greeted with a steady force 4 westerly wind, a flat-ish sea and blue sky, near perfect conditions for Sundays final 4 races.
Four Hobie classes were competing in the Championships, the Hobie 18's comprising of Tigers and Wildcats, a large entry of Hobie 16's and the Junior Dragoons.
Hobie 16 Class
After the first days racing it was the reigning UK Champion Adam Butler crewed by his brother Luke who were ahead by one point from the local team of Gordon Burgis and Kenny Snell who in turn were leading Grant Neale and Karen Larose by one point. Peter and Kate Scriven would have been in the top three, if it wasn't for a capsize in race 4. However it was all to change in the final races on Sunday, with the Scriven's mounting a late charge, registering two firsts and a second which made the difference and gave them the Hobie 16 Open title. Burgis and Snell's chance of the top spot evaporated with an capsize after a leading position in the first race of the day. Two seconds and a first in the other races cemented their second place and the consolation of a first place in the Masters Hobie 16. The Butler brothers although sailing well couldn't produce the form of their first day and came a credible third.
Laura Jane Carter sailing with Amy Brown sailed consistently well, with good starts, taking both the Women's and Youth Hobie 16 titles. Second place Youth crew Lucy Chapman and Jamie Le Signe deserve a mention, despite being lightweight for the conditions they improved as the event went on.
Hobie Tiger Class
Guernsey's Benn Garnham and Jamie Hamilton led by one point from local team Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman at the end of day one, followed by Andy Hart and Michael Kinross in third. Garnham and Hamilton extended their lead in Sundays racing with two firsts propelling them to the top position and Nationals winners in the Tiger class. Jesson and Steedman had defended their position to come second ahead of Hart and Kinross, who did well to keep their third position after a rigging failure in the first race.
Hobie Tiger & Wildcat
The Hobie Tigers and Wildcats raced together on similar handicaps for a special Prize. Former Australian team member and now Jersey resident Darren Stower crewed by Fabian Syring from Germany on a Wildcat. The pair were on top form throughout the event. Stower, fresh from his top 6 position in the recent Hobie Europeans, accelerated off the start line in every race, sailing fast with good tactics to register an impressive 6 firsts. Benn Garnham and Jamie Hamilton on their Hobie Tiger managed to cross the finish line ahead of them in race 8, but Stower and Syring dominated the Fleet taking the combined prize and with it the Wildcat National Trophy. Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman picked up well in the latter races to give themselves third place.
Junior Hobie Dragoon Class
Jersey's Lilly Carter and Mary Perkins sailed consistently well and were a class act in the sometimes breezy conditions to win all 8 races in the Junior Dragoons. Ben Newstead and Robyn Stuart, crewing together for the first time and relatively new to Dragoons, made the right on-course choices with good boat speed to come second. Brodie Flambard and Emily Doleman, another new team to the class, were only 2 points behind, sailing into third place.
Trophy and Prize Giving was held at the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club where thanks were given to the Sponsors and all who contributed both on and off the water, to make the event such a success. Many of the visiting competitors expressed their desire to return to the Island, if such a popular and major Hobie Championships are staged again in the future.
Thank you to our generous sponsors
Brewin Dolphin, Towergate Insurance, Wildwind Sailing Holidays, Stonehage Group, Gul, Condor Ferries, El Tico Beach Cantina, Hacquoil & Cook, Rosscot Chartered Accountants, Surface Power Solar, Mailmate Print, Granite Le Pelley.
Overall Results: (Jersey crews unless otherwise indicated)
Hobie 16 Class (top six)
1st Peter & Kate Scriven
2nd Gordon Burgis & Kenny Snell
3rd Adam & Luke Butler (UK)
4th Grant Neale & Karen Larose
5th Alex Ohlsson & Rachael Smith
6th Peter Salter & Sam Tomlin (Australia)
Hobie Tiger Class (top six)
1st Benn Garnham & Jamie Hamilton (Guernsey)
2nd Adrian Jesson & Bruce Steedman
3rd Andy Hart & Michael Kinross
4th David carter & Simon Le Huray
5th Matt Wood & Simon Watson (Guernsey)
6th Mick Doleman & Nicky Doleman
Hobie Wildcat Class
1st Darren Stower & Fabian Syring. (Australia/Germany)
Hobie Tiger/Wildcat combined (top six)
1st Darren Stower & Fabian Syring. (Australia/Germany)
2nd Benn Garnham & Jamie Hamilton (Guernsey)
3rd Adrian Jesson & Bruce Steedman
4th Andy Hart & Michael Kinross
5th David Carter & Simon Le Huray
6th Stephen & Peter Longstaffe. (N.Ireland)
Junior Hobie Dragoons (top three)
1st Lilly Carter & Mary Perkins
2nd Ben Newstead & Robyn Stuart
3rd Brodie Flambard & Emily Doleman
Hobie 16 Masters
1st Gordon Burgis & Kenny Snell
Hobie 16 Top Women’s Team
Laura Jane Carter & Amy Brown
Hobie 16 Top Youth Helm
Laura Jane Carter