The Travemuende Week 2013 will host the Formula16 Worlds next year. ISAF has confirmed the event at one of the biggest sailing regattas worldwide. The European Hobie Class Association agreed on the Europeans for the Hobie16 at the same event and all the sailors were happy with racing on a huge catamaran festival in 2013. Now Hobiecat U.S.A. has told the EHCA, that the company will not support a European Hobie16 competition within the Travemuende Week, because the F16 will be racing there as well. Is this the spirit of sailing? Is this accepting the sailor's needs? Is this fair competition? No, it is blackmailing the hosting club as well as the class organisation in Europe. I do not know what is going on at Hobiecat since the European company was sold back to the U.S. But I know, that fair competition looks different. If the sailing community accepts this violating of the sailing spirit, the manufacturers will gain power over sailors and sailing clubs, telling them what to do and what not to do. We cannot accept beeing downgraded to showrooms with no other brands allowed in. We cannot accept manufacturers dominating sailing events in this way. Please contact Hobiecat over their website and start commenting on this issue and ask them to support the Hobie16 Europeans in Travemuende next year. Please get engaged for the sailing community.
Thank's from Germany
Thomas Koenig, President of the German Formula16 Class Association.