18th Hobie 16 World Championships - Fiji

2:30 and OFF THE BEACH! is called.

Wind is 7-8 kts.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

3:00 PM

Race One of the Hobie 16 (Open Division) World Championship is ON!!!

ALL CLEAR!!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Some great pictures. Make me wish I could have gone to watch while drinking a cold tropical drink.

Race one in the books.

Protest last night by Enrique Figueroa over an encounter with the lee end boat on the start line. He drifted with current into the boat. Apparently did not properly clear himself with a 360 turn. He had a 13th, but has had to retire from race one to avoid a DSQ by the judges.

Race number 2 is scheduled this morning. It is Tuesday the 16th here and 10:00 am. Boats are ready. We are waiting for the breeze to fill in. Looks like a clearing wind that should push the low pressure off by this afternoon or tomorrow. Our fingers are crossed and we are whistling for wind!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Off the beach for race two of the semi finals.

They were called out at about 10:30 AM with just over 6 kts on the course.

Todays wind... according to locals... is to swing from the west to south then east and increase. The predicted breeze is 15 to 20 kts.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Pictures from this morning...

http://static.hobiecat.com/linked_images/wo ... index.html

Race 4 is starting soon.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Boats are off the beach for race 4. They are now sailing out to the course.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Results for races are posted before the boats even hit the beach!

Check the scores here. Now through #3 in the semi http://www.hobieworlds.com/h16-2007/results/

See event photos and videos here: http://www.hobieworlds.com/h16-2007/Imagegallery.html

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

We finishd race 5 this evening. Boats were back on the beach by a bit after 6 PM.

We had rain again this afternoon. Not heavy, but wet. I think I am growing webbed feet! I hope it gets drier soon.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Day three of the open semi / Wednesday the 17th here (9:40 AM)

Boats are ready... waiting for the wind.

Photos: http://static.hobiecat.com/linked_images/wo ... index.html

Race 5 was completd last night. Today is the last day of the semi. Tonight we cut the fleet from 112 teams to 56 for the final. Using the round robin format, we have to finish even numbers of races. We are looking for 3 or 5 races today to even up the scoring. The beach team will be going over the (60) boats tonight to tension up tramps, so three would be good! Last nights finish was a bit late with the last start at about 5 PM. That made for a darker than desired check in. We hope to be done, shower and get back for tonights party!

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

10:10 AM and OFF THE BEACH! is called for race 6.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Race 7 is on the water.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Race 8 is on... they are on the first windward leg. Local time is 1:50 PM. The race committee is pushing to get through two more after this. We need even races for the round robin format, so we are trying to go to race 10.

Last turn around was a record for the event at 19 minutes from the last boat in to the last boat back off the beach. That is inspecting 56 boats... signing off 56 and then signing back on the next 56. They tune and then get back on the water. That is a busy time here on the beach, but things are going VERY smoothly. We should be able to pull this off. The winds are up. It is now 12 kts at the start and 14 kts at the weather mark.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Race 9 ... has been called Off the beach! 2:50 PM

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

3:10 PM

Race 9 has started.

Course 1 G O

12 kts at the start line. 2 OCS called, one cleared.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)