the 24th Annual Wildwoods Classic Cup Hobie Cat Regatta

HOBIE CAT COMPETITION SAILS TO WILDWOOD
Jennifer Husko - 8/16/08 06:40 pm

WILDWOOD-- Hobie Cat Sailboats have been a part of the Wildwoods history since 1984 and have taken the beach by storm in the annual Hobie Cat Regatta. The stiff competition includes racers of all ages including a former Olympian.

Nearly 120 racers from the Mid-Atlantic Region gathered at the beach near Schellenger Avenue gearing up for the 24th Annual Wildwoods Classic Cup Hobie Cat Regatta.

"It is the only regatta we have on ocean front most event are on the bay so it usually draws more boats than normal," said Ron LaPorta, Beach Captain of the Wildwood Cup Regatta.

Over 60 multihull catamarans take to the water, their colorful sails dancing on the waves.

"This is a great place to sail, plenty of deep water and lots of competition, some of the best in the country are here today," said LaPorta.

"It's one of the biggest Hobie 16 fleets in the country and it's a really nice location to sail out of...really nice beaches," said Sean McQuilken, Hobie racer.

A sailboat regatta is run in a continuing series of heats or races back to back over two days. Each race lasts 45 minutes to an hour and is constantly readjusted for changes in wind direction and speed. The boat that consistently finishes better against its competitors will win.

Racers of all ages and skill levels compete, including Bob Merrick, silver medallist in the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Hobie
• Cat
• regatta
• wildwood
• nj