Happy Hobie New Year,
While some of the world has been eating and partying over the Christmas and New Year holidays and watching the snow fall, in Australia they have started their National Hobie Championships. The first series has been decided and the second series is about to start. See the “live” web cam during the racing (unfortunalety the web camera does have some issues with Microsoft Internet Explorer but does work on other web browsers). Luckily nobody has reported any crocodiles !
Also this month is the Australian Youth Challenge. Last year the New Caledonian asked Australia to send a couple of youth teams to New Caledonia so they could train there for a few days with their youth sailors. They said they would look after them while they were there. This year it was Australia’s turn to host the New Caledonians. Though this time the Australians opened up the youth event. As you can see the boat charter is free, entry free, accommodation free, coach boat free and many of the meals free. The organisers now have confirmed entries from New Caledonia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and now for the first time ever a team from the Cook Islands. There has also been contact from countries as far away as South Africa and Singapore. This is a great initiative by some of the Australian Hobie sailors to encourage youth sailing in the region. Ask how you can organise something similar in your Hobie region.
Hobie Class Association of North America has announced their North American Championships.
Hobie 16 youth/women July 17-19, 2009, Kingston, Ont.
Hobie 16 open July 20-24, 2009, Kingston, Ont.
Hobie 14 August 21-23, 2009, Etobicoke YC, Toronto, Ont.
Hobie Wave, 17, 18, 20 and Tiger Havamega November 8-13, 2009, Lake Havasu.
The IHCA Rules Committee have modified the Class rules inline with the new ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing and is available for download now.
The Hobie 40th Anniversary Regatta is now also uploaded to YouTube for your enjoyment.
The Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2009, to be held July 9th through 18th, 2009, at the city of Armação de Búzios, Rio de Janeiro state, Brasil approximately 180km from Rio de Janeiro City. The Hobie 16 with spinnaker is the boat they shall be using. For many countries they can apply to ISAF for Athlete Participation Programme to assist with funds to get youth teams to attend the ISAF youth Worlds. This will be published and sent to National Authorities towards the end of the year from ISAF. It is important to know that only National Authorities can enter the ISAF Youth Worlds. The web site can be found here. It is important that interested sailors contact their Sailing National Authority to register for these World Championships.
The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games are all about being Fit, Fun and Forever Young. For all the latest news on the world's largest multi-sport event click here, and to secure your place at the Games register online now.
The IHCA Executive is working on a Hobie 16 Worlds proposal in 2009, that when completed will be going to the IHCA Council for final approval. The IHCA Executive is also working on a Tiger and Dragoon Worlds for 2010.
When these bids are finalized and approved, the Hobie world will know as it will go immediately on the web site and in the newsletter. So keep watching the web site for all the latest news.
The IHCA web site www.hobieclass.com has all the latest Hobie news around the world.
Please pass this newsletter on to all your Hobie Friends and please remember to get your friends to subscribe so they can get all the Hobie News. If you wish to unsubscribe this can be done at www.hobieclass.com .
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