Gerard Loos from the Netherlands raced the first Hobie Tiger in this country. Team Nokia in the 1998 Worrell 1000. They did quite well until a massive storm on the Outer Banks. They lost the boat in the huge shore break (10-14 foot) at Kill Devil Hills.

If I remember correctly (I was ground crew that year) there were many restrictions on them bringing the Tiger to the USA. Since they did not have a Comtip, the boat could not be re-sold in the US, and they had to deliver the boat to a Hobie dealer in upstate NY after the race.