Aruba cats

Diana Bogaards reports on the Caribbean two-hulling with photos from Pierrick Contin

Despite their unlucky start of the second day, Sunday, Dutchmen Wouter Samama and Sam Frank are still leading the 17th Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. They were forced to tack only a few seconds before the signal, although they were on starboard tack, and got stuck in the anchor line of the starting vessel. The jury gave them redress for the missed race. They took revenge by finishing second in the afternoon. It was again a tough day out on the water, resulting in many capsizes. The island’s sail maker will work overtime tonight. But the 45 competing teams had a challenging day with spectacular catamaran sailing on the Caribbean Sea. The offshore trade wind of about force 5 tired them out, but the Heineken beer made all good.

Sunday's first race was a wild and long one (5 laps for fast cats and 4 for slower cats), which resulted in many capsizes around the course. The action was full on. It already started on the starting line, where team Noordzij/Alards parked their Capricorn right on top of Zanen/Heemskerk and Samama/Frank. Jury Hans Kieft (NED) explained the rest of the story: “It all happened a few seconds before the signal. Ad Noordzij thought he was early and tacked. Mischa had to do the same in order to stay free. Wouter Samama was on starboard tack next to the starting vessel and had no choice, but tacking with the other two. He got stuck in the anchor line and jumped on the starting vessel to free his boat. Their rudders were tied.” Crew Sam Frank sailed away and capsized. Kieft: “Ad got disqualified and Wouter received a redress.”

Meanwhile, the front runners widened the gap with the rest of the fleet. Xander Pols and Tjiddo Veenstra had a big lead, but 2005 winner Stuart Gummer (GBR) came closer and closer. Gummer, sailing a F18 Capricorn: “We had a clean start and settled. On the first downwind, we gibed at the right time and did not over stand the mark. That is where James Power for example capsized and Xander lost some of his lead. At the third gate, we were not sure how many laps we had to do, so we took the left buoy and headed for the finish line. That is where we gained the most. We went the first bit to the right, which was the side to be at that moment. Then we tacked to the left and gained on the boats left from us.” Pols and Veenstra were still leading in the last downwind. Both Pols and Gummer went to the right, whereas Larsen/Tentij tried their luck at the left. Tentij: “Gunnar saw a shift with more pressure on the left side.” Gummer overtook Pols, but Larsen slipped through in the gate and took the bullet. He won despite the 360 penalty he had to take, because of a small collision with Gummer at a mark rounding. Pols finished third: “Gunnar is the smiling third person. He had to do something, but for us it is a bit frustrating.” Father Rob and son Michel van Zandvoort enjoyed the strong wind very much and steered their Topcat 18 K1 to victory in the slower class.

After lunch, the wind had dropped only a little bit, so the gusts could still be challenging. The teams that started at the pin end side of the line, got it right. Larsen and Tentij rounded the upwind mark in first position, but lost ground in the second beat. The wind had shifted and this time it paid to go to the right. Gummer took the lead, after coming back from maybe an eighth position. He went far to the right, got the shift and sneaked to the front. Zanen and Heemskerk were in his wake for another lap. In the next upwind, they went further right than Gummer and took the lead and extended it on the last downwind run. Eduard Zanen: “We had an average start and it was hard work for Mischa. It is difficult to find my shape again. I don’t sail enough, but here I am learning every day. Hopefully I will soon make less mistakes to relieve Mischa.” On the last downwind, Samama and Frank pushed hard and Gummer played the game, but the Dutchmen got him just before the spinnaker drop. Manfred Thomasch and Henk Hankart took their third bullet in the slower class.

Top five fast catamarans after 4 races:
1. NED - Samama/Frank, F18 Hobie Tiger, 9,3 points
2. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Nacra Infusion, 10 points
3. NED – Larsen/Tentij, F18 Nacra Infusion, 13 points
4. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 22 points
5. NED – Pols/Veenstra, F18 Nacra Infusion, 23 points

Top three small cats after 4 races:
1. AUT – Thomasch/Hankart, Dart 18, 5 points
2. NED – Van Zandvoort/Van Zandvoort, Topcat 18 K1, 11 points
3. NED – Grijpma/Grijpma/Ren, Sil & Mark, Prindle 19, 12 points

More pictures on the following pages...

In addition to title sponsors Heineken and the Aruba Tourism Authority, the 17th Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta is also sponsored by Hapag Lloyd, TNG Swiss Watches, KLM, Holiday Inn, Does & Cadushi, Yamaha, Patria, Young Improvement, Magic Marine, Coca Cola, AWA, Anthony Veder & Co, Aruba Watersports Center, Colgate, Palm Tours, Pelican Watersports, Seaworld Explorer, Aruba Real Estate and Aruba Aloe.