Twenty-two teams lined up for the British Hobie 16 Nationals, sponsored by WildWind, over three days at Poole Yacht Club. With an increasing international flavour present from South Africa, Greece and the Channel Islands the teams eagerly awaited the flat and fast conditions normally offered on the harbour.
Day one saw the fleet depart the beach in a light 7kn westerly with the threat of thunderstorms developing. Two races in light and shifting conditions were completed in amongst the rain and hail bouncing off the boats before further racing was abandoned as the thunder was heard in the distance. Defending holders Andrew Boyd and Kim Troll navigated the weather to be sitting in first with the visiting team of William and Lucinda Edwards from South Africa sitting in second with a bullet in the last race indicating that that they had come to race. Andrew Boyd/Kim Troll (3), William Edwards/Lucinda Edwards (6), Mark Farrow/Pip Edwards (7),
Day two brought a new day with clear skies and a building 10kn breeze. Four races were completed as the breeze built to 20kn with racing tight across the fleet. It was the Jersey crew of Ollie Voak and Megan Rowarth who dominated to take three wins and missing a clean sweep of the day with the last gybe to finish going wrong in the gusting 28kn conditions. Andrew Boyd/Kim Troll (8), Mark Farrow/Pip Edwards (13), Ollie Voak/Megan Rowarth (16).
Day three saw a glassy view of great sailors as they left the beach in a 5knt northerly zephyr from over the city promising difficult and twitchy conditions. With the new wind direction the top mark was set away from the shallows and in the deeper channel with an ebbing current becoming a factor in navigating to the A mark in the dying breeze. It was the visiting team of Edwards doing the best job in the conditions with two firsts and the super consistent teaming of Mark Farrow and Pip Edwards close on their heels with two seconds rearranging the top of the leaderboard as the wind faded again to glass.
A countback and one point covering the podium was the result after eight races in the full spectrum of winds. Well done to the leading ladies’ team of Emma Hutchings and Kate Newman and first-time entrants Johnny and Freya Farrow for winning the Youth and 5th outright.
1st Andrew Boyd / Kim Troll (17)
2nd Mark Farrow / Pip Edwards (17)
3rd William Edwards / Lucinda Edwards (18)
1st Ladies: Emma Hutchings / Kate Newman
1st Youth: Johnny Farrow / Freya Farrow
Thanks to Mike Barton Photography for such great pics.
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