2009 Suzuki Marine Fiji Hobie Challenge in perfect conditions

12:15 AM Wed 1 Jul 2009 GMT

'Challenge leaders - Aaron Worral and Bradley Wilson - 2009 Suzuki Marine Hobie Challenge' Anthony Duchatel

The 2009 Suzuki Marine Fiji Hobie Challenge has started in perfect 20 knot conditions.

Australian duo Aaron Worral and Bradley Wilson, fresh from winning the Air Pacific South Pacific Titles, lead after two legs. The Challenge is a five-day ocean sailing marathon covering nearly 400 nautical miles that visits some of the most beautiful parts of the Fiji coast and inshore waters.

The second day of racing saw some big changes in the leader board with lighter winds and the local Fijian team emerging from the pack.

Matt Shepherd and Altira Manell from Fji are in second place with Nicole Corlette and dad Kerli from Sydney's Palm Beach Sailing Club in third posiiton. Nicole and Kerli switched crewing roles after the Air Pacific South Pacific championships with Nicole now helming and showing some of the more experineced skippers the way.

Other Fiji crews are doing well with Kaveni and Mika 4th and Challenge organizer Grahame Southwick and Cyrill Miller hot on their heels in fifth position. Two more Aussie teams of David Lovell and Nick King and Bob Engwirda and Slater are close behind.

Marathon events invariable bring out the ingenuity and toughness in competitors.

In the first leg disaster struck for Aussies John and Michael McCormick, from Sydney's Palm Beach Sailing Club. They were one of the three boats who had taken the eastern side of the beat, when some six miles after the checkpoint a loose shroud adjuster pin fell out resulting in their dismasting. After being washed through the breakers and out into the deep ocean waters they managed to step their Hobie 16 mast on the water with no external assistance at all in order to complete the course fifteen minutes within the time limit! They have improved their position to tenth.

With three more days of the five-day endurance ocean race left there is plenty of time left in this Challenge to further test the fitness and sailing skills of all sailors.