Hobie Australian Championships 2010
Photos From Picturegraph Photography
Photos From Picturegraph Photography
Photos From Picturegraph Photography 
Photos From Picturegraph Photography
Gavin Colby wins Australian H16 Nationals. More info at www.hobiecatnationals.com.au
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From HobieClass.com Shauna McGee Kinney, Sunday, 3 January 2010
Gavin Colby returns to the top of the Australian National spotlightAfter a five-year hiatus from major Hobie 16 competitions, Gavin Colby returns to the top of the Australian National spotlight. 
For the last three years, Gavin has been competing in only two regattas a year, because his career with Virgin Blue had quite literally taken-off, he’s a pilot for the airline.
The return to the West coast was a good move for Gavin. He’s been racing once a week at his old club, Nedlands Yacht Club, and putting in a consistent extra day of practice each week, between his work obligations. He makes the time for sailing and even held a skipper’s clinic for his fellow sailors in November.
Gavin’s crew, Sasha Marks, is an athlete who’d done many sports other than sailing like water skiing and competitive netball. She’s a flight attendant for Virgin Blue who knew Gavin through mutual friends. Sasha admits she was frightened the first time she went sailing with Gavin. After that one sail, she admitted she was OK with the rest of the racing.
Gavin explained his new sailing strategy as “just trying to have fun”. He added I do sometimes have bad finishes, like today when we were 19th out of a fleet of 47 boats. Finishing in the middle of the fleet hasn’t worried Gavin and he’ll be back on the course tomorrow, having fun with Sasha and Gavin at the front of the field.
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Full Results HERE
| P | Sail No | Skipper/Crew | Total | Nett |
| 1 | 111965 | Gavin Colby/Sasha Marks | 46 | 23 |
| 2 | 111877 | Darren Smith/Josie Mark | 62 | 40 |
| 3 | 111918 | Taylor Booth/Emma Sturgeon | 82 | 52 |
| 4 | 112028 | Peter Bates/Juliet Bates | 104 | 66 |
| 5 | 111911 | Cam Owen/Susan Ferris | 128 | 67 |
| 6 | 112040 | Mick Butler/Kendra Norton | 118 | 86 |
| 7 | 111763 | Adrian Fawcett/Jesse Dobie | 150 | 112 |
| 8 | 111666 | Chris Hancock/James Wierzbowski | 177 | 116 |
| 9 | 111591 | Gordon McGillvray/John McGillvray | 189 | 118 |
Colby is always so impressive. Amazing how he just jumps right back into the top of a good fleet after being away for so long.