Youth sailors will be part of the excitement of the 35th America’s Cup this June, when they will compete aboard Hobie Waves in Bermuda. Mirroring the main event, teams have gathered from around the globe for this sailing extravaganza. Racing for the America’s Cup Endeavour Junior Hobie Wave Regatta will take place from Wednesday June 21 through Friday June 23, with a special AC35 halftime show exhibition Saturday June 24.
Let’s meet the youth sailors who hail from Europe, teams Great Britain, Netherlands and Sweden.
Great Britain
The Jersey Boys: Tom Hunt and Finlay Arenz
Tom (14) and his family live on a small island. They have always owned boats and spent time in and on the sea. Finlay (also 14) came to sailing through the love of other water sports such as surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving and swimming.
Finlay has been sailing Hobie Cats for two years. During that time he’s had many good and unforgettable experiences. “Harnessing the elements to the best of my ability, so that I can use the trapeze is especially exhilarating, as is jumping the occasional wave as well. There have of course, been a number of dramatic capsizes too … but all good fun,” he says.
Tom is an avid Hobie sailor who loves the sea. He’s never traveled outside Europe. Being able to take part in the Junior Hobie Wave regatta is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the young man. “I relish the chance to meet, compete and socialize with fellow sailors from around the world. As well as sharing a fabulous experience, I hope that my participation will raise the profile of Hobie Cat sailing at home and encourage others to join our fleet,” he says.
The Neighbors: Alex Hamel and Annabel Luxton
When it comes to training, it helps to have your sailing partner right next door. That’s the case for neighbors Alex and Annabel, both 14 and both third generation sailors.
With Great Britain competing, the girls have a special rooting interest. It will be amazing for them to be a part of the America’s Cup scene.
“My sailing partner and I have been watching the America’s Cup with each other since we were little. This is the first year we have our own British team sailing. Ben Ainslie is a sailor at my club so I’ve always looked up to him and his America’s Cup campaign has been a huge part of sailing in Britain for the past years,” Annabel says.
“I’ve met some of my closest friends through the sport and my family are all keen sailors so we have a lot of family friends in the sailing community. I also love racing in catamarans because of the speed they go and the thrilling feeling you get after completing a race and after finishing a regatta, you realize that all those hard training sessions have paid off and you have accomplished something truly amazing,” adds Alex.
The Netherlands
The Twin Brothers: Quint and Rex Caminada
Like many of the other America’s Cup Endeavour Junior Hobie Wave Regatta sailors, Rex and Quint (13) started sailing before they learned to walk. They were just six weeks old for their first trip. And no, they don’t remember it.
The duo has sailed the Hobie Dragoon since September 2016, notching an overall second place at that year’s Hobie Dragoon Cup.
“I love the speed of the catamaran and I like to be in the trapeze and standing far above the water. But sometimes I also like to sail in a more relaxed way for example together with my dog. But above all I like to be on the water. I am very excited to meet everybody in Bermuda,” Quint says.
“With every boat I sail I try to go as fast as possible. I like to sail regattas. I am always eager to win. Maybe sometimes a bit too much according to my brother. I love to have fun with my friends and family in and on the water. I look forward to meeting all the other teams and sail together,” Rex adds.
The Veteran and the (Relative) Rookie: Fay van Houwelingen and Mae van Noordennen
From the moment she learned to swim as a 6-year-old, Fay (13) has sailed Hobies. It started aboard her father’s Hobie Cat, then moved on to the Dragoon. Her teammate Mae (14) is a relative newcomer, who didn’t like boats as a youngster. Then she gave sailing a try and was hooked.
Fay loves the freedom that comes with sailing. “You’re free to go wherever you want. Also there is no one to nag that you still need to do your homework or other boring stuff,” she jokes. “It’s only Fae, Mae, the catamaran and the wind.”
For Mae, sailing at the America’s Cup is the realization of a dream. She’d like to hear stories and share experiences with people from all around the world. And there’s the water. “Who doesn’t want to sail in the beautiful blue sea of Bermuda,” she gushes. “I love sailing Hobie Cats, because you’re more active and you can do it with much fun and pleasure. I think sailing is a way of life!”
Sweden
The Lifelong Sailors: Erik and David Wahlberg
Brothers Erik (15) and David (13) have been sailing with their parents since they were infants. It’s a way of life for this duo.
Erick loves sailing because it´s a new challenge every time he races. “I like racing because I learn new tactics and technics from other crews. I also love the freedom when I go out on the water,” he says.
David gets a thrill out of sailing when there’s a lot of wind. It makes him feel powerful. He’s looking forward to tearing it up on the Wave. We love to sail fast and crazy boats, that’s why we want to sail the Hobie Wave,” says David.
“We want to sail the Hobie Wave in Bermuda because it is an amazing opportunity to meet people from other countries and see the best boats in the world as well as getting the opportunity to sail a fast catamaran,” David adds.
Check back soon to meet the other teams that will compete in the America’s Cup Endeavour Junior Hobie Wave Regatta.
