In an article posted on the MauiNews.com 2nd August ….
KAHULUI — It took two hours after the racing was finished, but Phil McGain was declared the winner of the men’s pro division at the Bikinis That Work Hawaii State Championship on Saturday at Kanaha Beach Park.
After the last pro heat in the fifth and final event of the 25th annual Maui Race Series, contested in strong and gusty tradewinds, Pieter Bijl thought he had won his second straight men’s pro state title. He had won two heats, and finished second in another.
What he didn’t know was that the batteries had given out on the start boat’s radio and he and Peter Slate were ”over early” in their third heat. That moved Bijl from fifth place to a penalty score (last in the heat plus one) and Slate from first to a penalty score — and most importantly moved McGain from second to first, enough to tie Bijl. McGain won the tiebreaker because of Bijl’s disqualification.
Normally the start boat comes to the beach at the conclusion of racing, but the start crew had to chase down a racing buoy that broke loose from its anchor line. By the time the boat reached the buoy, it had run out of gas. When the crew was finally picked up near the water-treatment plant at Kanaha, everyone had gone to the awards party in Paia. McGain and Bijl learned of the results at the party.
”I’m over the moon,” McGain said. ”I’m so stoked. For me it’s about consistency on the starts, waiting for other people to make mistakes which they did do.”
Complete story at : http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/521743.html?nav=11
Photos: KENNEDY MAKEKAU / LANAKILAPHOTOS.COM
Phil McGain (far left) leads the pack out of the first turn in a men’s pro heat during Saturday’s Bikinis That Work Hawaii State Championship at Kanaha Beach Park.
