Hobie 16 South American

Photo: www.vds.com.br

Photo: www.vds.com.br

Photo: www.vds.com.br

Photo: www.vds.com.br

At the 2007 PanAmerican Games, Bernardo Arndt was flying easy to the Hobie 16 Gold medal, but the last day he was protested for a modification made on his mast. In short he switch mast head from the Comtip mast to the all Alu Brasilian made by Hobie too. Both mast class legal, but his competitors argue that no modification can be made and that an additional mod was made to elevate the head sail top limit…
Arndt denied all accusations but was finally disqualified.

Being one of the best catsailors in Brasil (home of one of the biggest H16 fleets worlwide) and racing a huge event like the PanAms , this mess was a embarrasment for many as the games were held in Rio.
Not making any judgement here as I wasn´t there, but it was too rare a protest on the final day , and he shouldn´t have touch any mast head either.
Now Bernardo take some late relief winning this South American, but he is not as motivated as before as he pointed.

Excellent championship for Argentine brothers Lucas and Moira Gonzalez Smith, with not much experience on the class, only F18 in cats and less than a year sailing the H16, in their preparatory to the next 2011 PanAms at Mexico.
Photos , results and report from Porto Alegre taken from Veleiros do Sul site www.vds.com.br