Sailor of the Year – Blaine Dodds

jan 2015 cover - blog

This is the moment you have all been waiting for as it when we announce our Sailor of the Year.

Blaine Dodds needs little introduction as he is an incredibly accomplished sailor who holds 31 South African National sailing titles, and countless others on the international scene.

In recent months he has been in the spotlight at the Hobie 16 Worlds in Australia, and closer to home he has just won a hard-fought battle to take the South African Hobie 16 nationals title.

So let’s make 32 national titles shall we!

After an eventful four days of racing off Port Elizabeth for the 2014 Boardwalk Hobie 16 National Championships, Blaine won his 17th Hobie 16 National Title – a title which has eluded him for the last three years. And once again the magnificent Hobie 16 floating trophy is back at ‘home’ in his Plettenberg Bay home.

And besides this recent Hobie 16 National title, Dodds also won the Hobie 14 Nationals held off East London in February – that being his 9th Hobie 14 national title.

At the recent Hobie 16 World Championships Blaine was also awarded what was probably the most prestigious title of them all – an award recognising that he has the most podium positions of anyone in the world at World Championship events. What more can one say as this simply underlines his talent and pedigree.?

More importantly he is also a great sportsman and gentleman both on and off the water as he is always more than willing to share the knowledge he has acquired over many years. As his mates say, “he’s like a good red wine – he just keeps getting better with age!

There’s more life in this old sea dog yet, so he will be gracing Hobie podiums around the world for many years to come, and maybe even this page again soon.

The JANUARY issue of SAILING Magazine carries an interview with Blaine – so get your copy. If you are a subscriber you should already have received it, and if you buy it in the shop it will be on the shelves on Monday 29 December. ENJOY.

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