The Australian National Hobie Cat Championship Regatta was held in Mooloolaba from the 2^nd to the 6^th of January. Hosted jointly by the Sunshine Coast Yacht Club (SCYC), The Yacht Club (TYC), and Mooloolaba Marina, the regatta was a resounding success according to all reports from competitors, organisers and public alike.

Twelve months of planning, meetings and organisation preceded the regatta, cementing relationships between the SCYC and TYC, and Mooloolaba Marina. “We are very pleased with the outcome of the event and the commitment and support from all the groups involved,” said Heinz Seeberg Commodore of the Sunshine Coast Yacht Club. Equally pleased are the Queensland Hobiecat Association. Sarah Turnbull, Secretary of the Queensland Hobiecat Association described the event as “such a success” and reported that the association was very impressed with the co-operation from everyone which enabled the sailors to enjoy great sailing as well as great social time.

Five of the Sunshine Coasts best weather days were the back drop for the 80 Hobies (16s and 18s) competing over five divisions. Visitors and locals were treated to a daily exhibition of colourful sails criss-crossing the ocean just off Mooloolaba and Alexandra Headland. For the competitors, the conditions were varied from challenging all the way down to testing light breezes with the wind and swell putting on a variety of performances as the week progressed.

If you ventured down to The Yacht Club during the regatta you would have been witness to or even joined in the excitement of the day as locals and competitors, including teams from New Zealand, New Caledonia and France, enthusiastically shared stories of their day’s triumphs or tragedies over a cold drink or three.

The final day of the regatta finished with a rousing dinner in The Yacht Club’s function centre, attended by around 200 competitors and a group of organisers from the Sunshine Coast Yacht Club. In between dinner, drinks and stories, awards were presented to all the winners, as well as a few mentions for some embarrassing moments experienced by a select few.  Appreciation and applause was rallied for the Sunshine Coast Yacht Club and their crew of 40 volunteers who supported the Hobies with Race Committee crew, safety and rescue crews, mark crews and numerous on land tasks such as radio room control and boat launching. Additionally, The Yacht Club and Mooloolaba Marina were thanked for their enormous support with the venue and facilities, as well as their donation of a Mega Esky full of beer for the SCYC raffle (won by Julie Halverson).

Sunshine Coast Yacht Club is looking forward to a bright sailing future for the region. Following the outstanding success of the Australian National Hobiecat Championship Regatta, the SCYC is in discussions with an enthusiastic group from The Queensland Hobie Cat Association who are looking to conduct regular short course racing events.  Through the combined efforts of the SCYC and The Yacht Club and Mooloolaba Marina, events such as these and other regattas look set to become regular features of the Sunshine Coast’s sailing calendar at Mooloolaba Marina.