Pols and Zwart Aruba champions

Photos and report from the Heineken cat racing in the Dutch Caribbean island

Dutch Tornado sailors Xander Pols and Mark Zwart won the 12th Heineken Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta by one point from UK Team Magic Marine of Richard Allen and James Hoad with the Dutch Tornado Team of John Morert and Nico Harrewijn a further point behind.

The final result was not confirmed until the end of the last race. With Allen and Hoad taking their third race win but unable to put another boat between them and Pols it was Pols who took the Championship, the closest in the 12 years the event has been running.

42 teams, mostly from the Netherlands and Great Britain came to Aruba to sail their last races this season in sunny weather and warm waters. Aruba has near perfect conditions to host a catamaran event with F4-6 winds and water of 28 degsC.

"We had excellent competition conditions on the water," commented Eddie Lodder, regatta manager. "And beside the sailing the sailors enjoyed the hospitality of the friendly people of the island."

During the week there were alternative gate courses, triangle courses and long distance courses around the coast of Aruba.

Going into the last race boats in positions 1 ot 5 all had a chance to win. Unfortunately potential winner and helmsman of Arie van de Plas jr, Rob Klootwijk broke his leg and will be in the Arubian hospital until Wednesday.

Klootwijk said disappointedly: 'sadly enough..., we were in second position and going strong'. Arie took the helm and sailed the last race with another crew. The result was fifth place.

Winners Xander Pols and Mark Zwart are very excited and happy with their result. Pols commented: "the last race was a very tactical race. We had to win from John Moret and Nico Harrewijn. It was very close but we've made it!" Zwart added "we enjoyed the sailing very much. The organisation of the event was perfect."

More photos on the following pages...

Final results:

Pos	Class	Helm	Crew	Nat	SCR	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	Tornado 2001	Pols, Xander	Zwart, Mark	NED	0.94	2	DNF	1	2	1	DNF	5	2	13
2	Tornado 2001	Allen, Richard	Hoad, James	GBR	0.94	1	7	DNF	1	10	2	2	1	14
3	Tornado 2001	Moret, John	Harrewijn, Nico	NED	0.94	4	2	2	5	4	1	3	3	15
4	Hurricane 5.9	Machin, Ashley	Machin,Julia	GBR	1.01	5	1	8	4	6	4	1	4	19
5	Tornado 2001	Klootwijk, Rob	Plas, Arie van de	NED	0.94	3	3	4	3	2	DNC	DNC	10	25
6	Dart 18	Smith, Mike	Wild, Ian	GBR	1.18	7	6	7	7	5	3	6	8	34
7	Dart 18 Spi	Thomasch, Manfred	Hankart, Henk	AUS	1.16	DNS	4	3	10	3	6	11	9	35
8	Tornado	Ambtman, Leo	Vos, Lauw	NED	1	12	9	5	6	8	11	4	17	43
9	Tornado 2001	Diks, Marcel	Diks, Daniel	NED	0.94	11	11	9	DNF	7	8	7	7	49
10	Dart 18	Winchester, Toby	Winchester, Wendy	GBR	1.18	6	8	DNF	DNF	17	7	10	5	53
11	Tornado	Hovenkamp, Jan Egbert	Desmedt, Gille	BEL	1	10	5	6	DNC	9	18	DNC	12	60
12	Hurricane 5.9	Harcourt, David	Irvine, Jilian	GBR	1.01	8	23	11	8	16	12	12	DNF	67
13	Hurricane 5.9 Sport	Leighton, Hamish	Leighton, Helen	GBR	1	13	15	10	12	11	DNF	19	13	74
14	Hurricane 5.9	Harrison, Lee	Harrison, Davina	GBR	1.01	9	17	14	24	DNC	10	17	15	82
15	Nacra Inter 20	Deutekom, Maarten	Vries, Jo de	NED	0.94	14	16	15	9	15	13	16	16	82
16	Nacra Inter 18	Dalmeijer, Rob	Hoog, Jacco de	NED	1.01	18	13	18	16	14	20	15	DNF	94
17	Tornado 2001	Peuter, Wim de	Verelst, Luc	BEL	0.94	DNS	DNF	DNC	DNF	13	5	8	6	114
18	Nacra Inter 20	Soet, Robert	Lautier, Emile	NED	0.94	15	DSQ	13	DNC	DNF	17	14	14	114
19	Nacra 6.0 SE	Koops, Herald	Vonk, Renso	NED	0.98	20	21	21	15	19	28	21	22	117
20	Spitfire	Simons, Aart	Schaap, Jan	NED	1.04	23	10	12	13	DNF	21	DNC	DNC	120
21	Nacra Inter 20	Smeding, Herman	Giethoorn, Ronald	NED	0.94	DNC	DNC	20	18	18	15	26	25	122
22	Hurricane 5.9	Stahl, Robert	Chatter, Annette	GBR	1.01	27	24	17	19	DNF	22	22	18	122
23	Tornado 2001	Talfourd, Vincent	Carter, Geoff	GBR	0.94	32	12	16	DNF	DNC	DNF	13	11	125
24	Nacra 6.0	Heijden, Willy van der	Landa, Henk	NED	0.97	17	30	19	20	DNF	25	29	23	133
25	Hobie 16	Rowen, David	Hoad, George	GBR	1.16	25	27	DNF	DNF	12	9	RDG(25)	DNF	139
26	Hurricane 5.9	Hammock, Simon	Mcteer, Ian	GBR	1.01	DNF	26	23	27	22	23	18	DNF	139
27	Nacra Inter 20	Buyse, Paul	Breur, Hans	NED	0.94	30	22	DNF	DNF	21	24	23	20	140
28	Hobie 16	Rix, Tony	Delow, Antnony	GBR	1.16	16	20	DNF	DNF	DNF	16	9	DNF	143
29	Nacra Inter 20	Jong, Nico de	Sanders, Frank	NED	0.94	33	31	26	22	20	33	27	21	147
30	Nacra Inter 17	Wolters, Henk		NED	1.13	24	18	DNF	11	DNF	14	DNF	DNC	149
31	Nacra Inter 18	Huijboom, Peter	Eikelenstam, Arnold	NED	1.01	26	29	25	28	23	31	25	24	151
32	Dart Hawk	Harrison, Paul	Austin, Michelle	GBR	1.01	DNF	14	DNF	21	DNC	19	20	DNF	156
33	Nacra Inter 20	Decker, Tony de	Westdorp, Paul	BEL	0.94	19	DNF	22	17	DNC	26	OCS	DNC	166
34	Nacra 5.7 Race	Bogers, Martin	Krugers, Pieter Jan	NED	1.07	31	DNF	24	25	DNF	34	31	26	171
35	Nacra Inter 18	Meppelink, Ronald	Horsthuis, Dion	NED	1.01	DNF	DNF	DNC	23	DNC	29	30	19	183
36	Nacra Inter 20	Milton, Trevor	Milton, Jeff	GBR	0.94	22	25	DNF	DNC	DNC	27	28	DNF	184
37	Nacra Inter 18	Teurling, Bart	Willems, Filip	NED	1.01	29	28	DNF	26	DNF	30	DSQ	DNF	195
38	Dart 18	Hicks, Gareth	Smith Fiona	GBR	1.18	DNC	19	DNF	14	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	197
39	Nacra Inter 20	Evans, Bob	Offer, Stuart	GBR	0.94	28	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	32	24	DNF	207
40	Stealth	Morse, Andrew		GBR	1	21	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	226