Hobie Cat 16 National Championships

The Algoa Bay Yacht Club is proud to once again be hosting the Hobie 16 National Championships which will be run from Hobie Beach and to once again have the opportunity to again showcase Port Elizabeth as “THE” sailing/watersports Capital of our Country.
 
The last time this event was held in Port Elizabeth was April 2005 which was followed in October 2005 by the Hobie 16 World Championships.
 
The event promises to be very competitive with 50-60 boats expected to take part from around the country, making up the fleet there will be no fewer than 6 former Hobie World Champions in the form of Blaine Dodds, Shaun Ferry, Colin Whitehead, Alan Lawrence & Steve Arnold and a former Youth World Champion Mathew Whitehead.
 
Heading up the local challenge will be Blaine & Roxanne Dodds (2nd 2011) and William & Lucinda Edwards  (3rd 2011) from Plettenberg Bay, between them they have won the National Championships for the last 10 years, from Port Elizabeth there will be Andrew & Angela Ward (4th 2011) together with Robert & Paula Archibald.
 
Last year’s event in Mossel Bay saw Alan Lawrence sailing with his Son Daniel from Cape Town win the event for the first time, they are sure to be heading up a strong Cape challenge – others from Cape Town would be Shaun Ferry (6th 2011), Colin Whitehead, Matthew Whitehead (7th 2011), Hylton Hale.
 
From Joburg Belinda & Grant Hayward (5th 2011), Simon Bonarius (8th 2011), Mark Kopel (11th 2011), Mike & Stephanie Goodyear (10th 2011).
 
There has also been an excellent growth amongst the Youth sailors in the Hobie 16 fleet and heading up the Youth challenge would be Matthew Whitehead (7th 2011), Simon Bonarius (8th 2011), Ewald Erasmus (9th 2011) and Brent Hayward (13th 2011).
 
The event will be sailed from Hobie Beach and starts on Friday 27 April 2012 and racing will take place until Monday 30 April 2012.