Puerto Rican, Guatamalan, and Mexican Hobie 16 teams took the four of the top five spots at the North American Hobie Open 16 Championship sailed September 8 – 12 out of Clear Lake Yacht Club in Clear Lake, Iowa. Team Heineken, Francisco Figueroa (aka: Faccio) and Jolliam Berrios from Puerto Rico, won the event by more than 20 points. Francisco and Jolliam are one of many top teams to come out of Puerto Rico. No doubt the stiff local competition has helped them to win their first North American Championship. In second were Pedro Fernandez and Cristy Guirola from Guatemala. Cristy was the winning helm at the Women’s championship held over the weekend and won last year’s Pan American games as a crew with Pedro as the team coach. Pedro Fernandez is a Cuban expatriate who has been coaching the Guatemalan Hobie 16 team for many years. Rounding out the top three was the American team of Bob Merrick and Eliza Cleveland.

The following are excerpts from the daily log posted by Bob Merrick:

Day One: The 2008 Hobie 16 North American Championship started on Monday in Clear Lake, Iowa. Two races were completed today with a third being abandoned in a dying breeze. Conditions were mostly light and shifty with cold temperatures and a bit of rain.

Mark Modderman and Gladice Romero from New Jersey mastered the day with a 1, 3 putting them four points ahead of nearest competitors Armado and Marta Noriega, a mother and son team from Mexico. Armando Noriega is a former North American Champion. In third are former Hobie Alter Cup Champions Mike Montague and Kathy Ward from California. Fifty five boats are competing in the Open Championship.

Day Two: Day two of the Hobie 16 North Americans brought more sun but no wind. Sailors sat postponed on the beach until about 2:00 when the RC took down the AP. After sitting on the water for another few hours racing was canceled for the day. The forecast is better for tomorrow.

Day Three: perfect winds averaging about 15 knots with gusts in the 20's. Seven races were run on the day making for some exhausted sailors when everything was over. Conditions were shifty and puffy making for lots of gear changes up wind as well as lots of jibing down wind as sailors tried to stay in the narrow wind bands moving down the course.

Day Four: winds in the 20's and warmer weather. After a short on shore postponement due to potential thunderstorms things got under way and five races were held over the day. Conditions were very difficult with strong gusts leading to lots of attrition as the day went on. Francisco Figueroa and Julliam Berrios from Puerto Rico (aka team Heineken) retained their lead with 57 points after 14 races. Their nearest competitors, Bob Merrick and Eliza Cleveland from Connecticut are 21 points behind. Former North American Champion Armondo Noriega sailing with his mother Marta are in third.

Day Five: Friday was the final day of the Hobie 16 North American Championships in Clear Lake Iowa and the wind was light. Normally this would have been unwelcome news, but after sailing twelve hard fought and windy races over the previous two days, light air was almost welcome news. One race was started in just over five knots and the sailors barely drifted over the finish line to end the week-long championship.

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