Hobie FX1 National Championships Datchet Water Sailing Club. 5^th/6^th October

This year saw the first ever Hobie FX1 nationals which was held at Datchet Water Sailing Club. There was a 13 boat turn out for the event mostly made up of single- handers, using mainsail and spinnaker. The racing fleet enjoyed an assortment of wind strengths and directions, made more interesting by the fact that the level of the reservoir was unusually low and there were big wind shadows all around the edges.

In the first race the wind strength was force 2-3 blowing from the west south west, the 13 boats crossed the line for the 1st beat with most of the helmsmen out on the wire ready for the chase upwind. Once they rounded the windward mark the boats hoisted and set the asymmetric quickly thanks to the new Hobie retrieval chutes and were straight back out on the wire to play the kite downwind. First to cross the line was Mike Phipps, a Datchet local followed by Lee Morgan.

Close racing was to be had in the next five races, with two 2^nd places from Nigel Leeming and a steady performance from ex- Datchet commodore Mike Rothery but nobody could catch Lee Morgan from Stone sailing club who crossed the line first in races 2,3,4 and 5.

In the final race the wind had died almost completely and the boats crept over the start line led by Mike Phipps. Phipps continued to creep away from the fleet using the little wind available. A few of the sailors in the middle of the fleet launched their spinnakers upwind to make the most of the little wind available, this gave them some momentum to reach the wind band on the other side of the water. The wind built steadily to a force 2 – which on the FX1 was enough for some hull flying and trapezing action. Phipps was first to round the windward mark followed Lee Morgan and Jeremy Williams. Whilst Phipps stayed out ahead for the whole race, there were separate tussles going on behind for 2/3 and 4/5 place. It was the speed at which they could raise and lower their spinnakers which decided the race. Phipps crossed the line first to secure his second place overall, Morgan crossed the line second to be first overall -having overtaken Williams at the windward mark. Third across the line meant a third place for Williams the senior instructor at the Hobie Centre in Poole.

The sparkling performance of the FX1 even in light and variable conditions ensured this was an exciting event for sailors and spectators alike .It has been agreed the next FX1 nationals is going to be at Datchet next year and winter series FX1 racing is taking place every weekend, contact Mike Rothery for details

[email protected]

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