Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd - For the Obsessed
Product Feature
Allen Deck Bush
Allen Deck Bush

32nd Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships

by Gordon Burgis 14 Jun 2023 18:41 BST 10-11 June 2023

A flat calm sea with virtually no wind greeted the Hobie crews as they started their preparation and rigging at the Gunsite beach ready for the first races in the 32nd Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships, sponsored for a fifth year by Savills Estate Agents and hosted by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club.

The Jersey Met Office prediction of wind filling in by 11:00am proved spot on allowing racing to get started in a light westerly breeze after a one hour delay. The wind picked up throughout the morning providing excellent racing on the long Championship courses set by Race Officer Mike Seguss and his team on board Committee boat, the charity Catamaran Spirit of Variety.

With the promise of a more wind on Sunday morning there was a tangible buzz around the beach as the crews rigged their boats in anticipation of the final days three races to decide the winners in the various Hobie Class categories, Hobie 16s, Wildcats and Dragoons. With a force 3 west to north west wind, clear skies and warm sunshine the racing proved competitive and tactical in the big wind shifts for the crews with positions changing as they played the shifts in the wide curve of the St. Aubin's Bay a wonderful sailing arena for such a Championships.

HOBIE 16 'A' FLEET

This was the largest class with 18 boats entered. The racing was close and highly competitive over the two days, with the lead regularly changing after each race. Multi British Champion Andrew Boyd and crew Kim Troll ended the first day in the lead along with local team Aaron le Cornu and Rachael Smith with both teams on equal points, they were followed by the Youth team of Luke Paxton Garnier crewed by Olliver Boyle, next came Ollie Voak and Tom Hunt neck and neck on equal points with Grant Neale and Karen Larose.

With any one of those teams in with a title chance, Sunday's racing was all out in the superb conditions. Paxton Garnier and Boyle managed to keep Boyd and Troll and Le Cornu and Smith behind them in each of the three races proving triumphant for the Youth team taking their first C.I. Hobie 16 title, Boyd and Troll were just one point behind in second with Le Cornu and Smith placing third. Another Youth team, Will Dengate and Tamsin Ingram performed well on the Sunday to come a credible fourth.

HOBIE 16 'B' FLEET

Youth team Kai Surcouf and Finn Rogers dominated the class, sailing ahead in all races to win the 'B' Fleet trophy. Phil Richardson racing with his son William is steadily improving on the race course, their better results in Saturdays racing gave them second place, Miguel Arraya and Jono Beatty upped their game in Sundays racing, sailing well to take third in the class.

Polish team Bartosz Tkatz sailing with his brother Luke are quite new to H16 sailing but they are another team improving rapidly represented by their 4th place.

HOBIE WILDCAT CLASS

The racing was fast and tight in the Wildcat class with the boats making full use of their big spinnakers on the downwind legs. By the end of Saturdays racing Andy Hart and Michael Kinross were leading Adrian Jesson and Paul Martin by one point with Darren Stower and Graeme Monks in third. The competition was fierce on Sunday with Hart and Kinross staying ahead of the fleet with a first and two seconds giving them the title, however Stower and Monks two firsts and a second elevated them above Jesson and Martin into second place, just one point behind the leaders.

Jesson and Martin were one point behind in third showing how close and competitive the Wildcat racing was over the two days.

HOBIE DRAGOONS

This was Junior sailing at its best with the young teams enjoying fast and exhilarating racing on the 13ft Dragoons. Junior team Olly Hunt and Jamie Washington pulled out all the stops over the two days with a triumphant first place.

Young Lottie Ohlsson crewed by Dad Alex sailed very well considering it was only her second event, they came in second to Hunt and Washington winning the Dragoon Open trophy, second in the Junior crews was Lucas McCallister and Thomas Allo, their first and a second on Sunday making the difference, Third place went to Henry Edwards crewed by Gabriel Riley on Saturday and Ilya McCarthy on Sunday, again a crew with limited experience sailing multihulls but they persevered with a well placed third.

Alf Barrowcliffe crewed by Ilya McCarthy could only compete on the Saturday but did enough to come fifth overall. Apart from the racing a special highlight for the Cadets was His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor paid a visit to the beach on Sunday morning to chat to them and wish them well in the racing.

A prizegiving took place at the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club on Sunday evening where thanks and appreciation were extended to the race team, safety boats and mark-laying crews, the beach team and to Savills for their valued sponsorship and support of a highly successful Championships. Trophies were presented by Geri O'Brien Managing Director of Savills Jersey.

HOBIE 16 'A' FLEET (top 6):

1st Luke Paxton Garnier & Olliver Boyle
2nd Andrew Boyd & Kim Troll
3rd Aaron le Cornu & Rachael Smith
4th Will Dengate & Tamsin Ingram
5th Ollie Voak & Tom Hunt
6th Rob & Ronnie McAllister

HOBIE 16 'B' FLEET (top 3):

1st Kai Surcouf & Finn Rogers
2nd Phillip Richardson & William Richardson
3rd Miguel Arraya & Jono Beaty

HOBIE WILDCATS (top 3):

1st Andy Hart & Michael Kinross
2nd Darren Stower & Graeme Monks
3rd Adrian Jesson & Paul Martin

HOBIE DRAGOONS Junior (top 3):

1st Olly Hunt & Jamie Washington
2nd Lucas McAllister & Thomas Allo
3rd Henry Edwards & Gabriel Riley/Ilya McCarthy

HOBIE 16 MASTERS:

Andrew Boyd & Kim Troll

HOBIE 16 GRAND MASTERS:

Grant Neale & Karen Larose

HOBIE 16 YOUTH:

Luke Paxton Garnier & Olliver Boyle

HOBIE 16 WOMENS HELM:

Juliette Walton (crew Russell Walton)

Related Articles

Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships
The 33rd year in its history with the Royal Channel Islands YC hosting the event A flat glassy sea with little wind greeted the Hobie crews as they rigged their boats on the Gunsite beach in anticipation of the first of six Championship races on the Saturday morning. Posted on 3 Jul
Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships preview
Entries open for event in the beautiful sailing arena of St. Aubin's Bay Entries are open for the 33rd Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships being held in the beautiful sailing arena of St. Aubin's bay at the end of the month. Posted on 11 Jun
51st Australian Hobie Cat National Championships
The true meaning of "having a bloody good time" couldn't have been more evident Across the 10 day extravaganza, the true meaning of "having a bloody good time" couldn't have been more evident; and it's without a wind-shadow of a doubt that the Hobie Class is looking stronger than ever. Posted on 22 Jan
Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships preview
Around 25 to 30 boats are expected at St Aubin's Bay, Jersey A full programme of Hobie Cat racing awaits crews in the 32nd Channel Islands Championships - sponsored by estate agent Savills for a fifth year. Posted on 27 May 2023
Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships
Almost perfect for the 30 Hobie Cats and 60 crew participating Racing conditions on the first day of the Championships were almost perfect for the 30 Hobie Cats and 60 crew participating as they rigged their boats at the Gunsite beach in preparation for the 3 races scheduled for the Saturday and 3 the following day. Posted on 23 Aug 2022
Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships Preview
St Aubin's Bay is expected to be awash with colour on 20th & 21st August St Aubin's Bay is expected to be awash with colour when the 31st Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships return on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August. Posted on 12 Aug 2022
RCIYC Hobie Love Wine 'Summer Breeze' Series
Highly competitive cat series concludes in St. Aubin's bay, Jersey 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. Posted on 3 Sep 2021
Estimating Services Minquiers Cat Dash
Hobie cats sail from Jersey to the group of tiny islands 10 miles south The Estimating Services Minquiers Cat Dash was held last Sunday 22nd August. Ten Hobie Cats launched from the Gunsite beach in bright sunshine on Sunday morning for the distance race to the Minquiers reef and back. Posted on 25 Aug 2021
Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships
Virtually perfect wind and sea conditions and a record turnout Virtually perfect wind and sea conditions gave the record turnout of 35 teams excellent and competitive racing over the weekend in the Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships on the event's 30th Anniversary year. Posted on 4 Aug 2021
Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Champs preview
Celebrating the 30th anniversary event in St Aubin's bay, Jersey The Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships are being staged in St Aubin's bay, Jersey on the weekend of the 31st July and 1st August. Posted on 16 Jul 2021