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Round Texel 2005 Wrapup and Results.
Wind, waves and shallow water... the 28th Zwitserleven Round Texel Race for beachcatamarans was a tough one. The surf became a huge playground for waves with boats as their toys. It was a challenge to get to the starting line, due to the onshore wind. Many participants crashed and were washed ashore. Even top sailors. Others decided to withdraw from the race and did not try to face the elements. Only 247 teams crossed the finishline, but 120 were disqualified. Wouter Samama and Jeroen van Leeuwen, sailing on a Tornado Spi, smashed the race and world record with almost twenty minutes. Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer finished about four minutes later with their Hobie Tiger, which was enough for the victory on handicap.At 8:00 hours on Saturday morning 11 June, race director Jaap Tirion wished all sailors a safe and good race. The north-north-west wind was force 5 to 6 and the waves were high. Participants prepared themselves for a tough challenge. Spectators got ready for an unprecedented spectacle. It was like an exciting show. Xander Pols and Sven de Laaf were the first drop-outs among the favourites. Their M20 with brand new carbon sails capsized in the surf, after which the mast broke immediately. Gerard Loos, Rikkert Graat and Daan Koene followed. Mitch Booth and Herbert Dercksen had bad luck as well. Although they were able to start again, the frames inside their carbon Hobie Concept hulls were cracked, which forced them to give up. Sailors were assisting each other to save masts of capsized catamarans. For others it was too late and they needed help to rescue their equipment. Wouter Samama and Jeroen van Leeuwen were also in troubles. Samama: "I thought it would not be too difficult, but I fell off the boat and we broke the tiller and we damaged the bow. Fortunately, we could repair the damage on the water."
Round Texel 2005 Results, Tornado Sets Record, Hobie Tiger Wins.
On Saturday June 11th 2005, Wouter Samama and Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED) broke all records during the 28th Zwitserleven Rounde Texel Race. They sailed their Tornado within 2 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds around the island. That was about 19 minutes faster than Van Teylingen/Manuel in the 1997 race and Bouscholte/Van Wieren at their attempt in 2003. According to the provisional results, Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer won on handicap with their Hobie Tiger.Many drop-outs
Participants had a tough day, due to the heavy conditions. During the briefing at 8:00 AM hours, the north-northwest-wind wind was already force five. The direction in combination with the high surf claimed many victims. Boats capsized by the handful, which resulted into lots of damage to the equipment. Among them were favorites for the victory, like Xander Pols and Sven de Laaf with their M20. Last year’s winners, Team Zwitserleven Booth/Dercksen, turned over as well and cracked the inside frames of their brand new carbon hulls. The damage was too serieus and therefore they could not start the race. Booth: "Of course we are disappointed, but what happened belongs to these kind of events. It was close to the limit." Half of the 547 subscribed teams withdrew prematurely. Finally, 247 catamarans finished. Paralympic sailor Thierry Schmitter completed the race as well.
"The party broke out"Samama and Van Leeuwen did not go through the surf undamaged, but they were able to repair their broken tiller before the start. They started high on the line. Samama: "We could go over everybody and reached the light house in first position." The team hit the ground before the VC-mark and damaged their rudder. "We tied it. Our leg towards Oudeschild was extremely fast, after which we saw nobody anymore. I looked at my watch at the southern point of the island. We still had 45 minutes left to break the record and we only needed 20. As we entered the beach, the party broke out. Super cool!"
Five minutes later, Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer crossed the finishline as second team. De Boer: "Remco Kenbeek and Paul Brouwer were just behind us, until they capsized close before the VC-mark. At that point, there were two Tornado’s in front of us, but Eduard Zanen took in his spinnaker earlier. We passed them, after which we tried to stay as close as possible to Wouter and Jeroen." The Nissan Hobie Pro Team won on handicap. Eduard Zanen and Willem Houwing from Texel finished third.
Team Kearns/Burns Wins Texel Dutch Open 2005
On Friday June 10th, the British youth team Simon Kearns and Ben Burns won the Texel Dutch Open 2005. Due to a collision before the second start, the Dutch title seemed to be gone, but the boys received redress (compensation in points for prejudice to sailors). The same happened to Repeat Team Willem Geijsen and Rico van Capelle (NED) with their Capricorn. They stormed into the second position, followed by TNG Team Rikkert Graat and Daan Koene. In contrast with the last two days, there was a strong wind from the north. Rain showers crossed over, the current increased and the waves built up. Many competitors of the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race tested their equipment for the big race.
Rikkert Graat and Daan Koene scored today’s first bullet. Koene: "We won because we were the smartest. The whole fleet choose for the sea-side and we went to the coast, where we took advantage of two wind shifts." Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer won the second race.
Trouble for the winners
"We have a big hole", says Kearns in front of the protest room. "We were waiting on the starting line as a Tornado hit us." Jan and Arnoud Schrama (NED) tried to pass the British Hobie Tiger from behind, but they crashed into the hull. The British sailors protested the Dutch Tornado and received redress. Kearns and Burns had to get used to the heavier conditions during the first race, which resulted into an eigth position. Although it is their first appearance on the Texel North Sea, the youth sailors won the Texel Dutch Open surprisingly.
Rikkert Graat and Daan Koene scored today’s first bullet. Koene: "We won because we were the smartest. The whole fleet choose for the sea-side and we went to the coast, where we took advantage of two wind shifts." Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer won the second race.
Trouble for the winners
"We have a big hole", says Kearns in front of the protest room. "We were waiting on the starting line as a Tornado hit us." Jan and Arnoud Schrama (NED) tried to pass the British Hobie Tiger from behind, but they crashed into the hull. The British sailors protested the Dutch Tornado and received redress. Kearns and Burns had to get used to the heavier conditions during the first race, which resulted into an eigth position. Although it is their first appearance on the Texel North Sea, the youth sailors won the Texel Dutch Open surprisingly.
WOW Women on the Water Sailing Clinic
From Heather Morrison, HCA Women's Representative.
Ladies,
The first WOW workshop of the year is coming up! Below you will find some information. Deb and Kathleen ran a very successful workshop last year and they have an even better one planned for this year!
The workshop is proudly sponsored by Division 5 and HCA of North America. Don't miss out! See you on the start line.
Please join Deb Olsen and Kathleen Tracy for this season’s WOW, hands on sailing clinic. It will be held Saturday, June 18th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Union Reservoir just east of Longmont. See www.ci.longmont.co.us/parks/ for map and lake info. There is a $5 entry fee per car at the gate.
We’ll talk safety, sailing gear, sailing terms and why-fors, and then practice sail trim, boat attitude and maybe even racing tactics. Come learn how to be the best pro-active crew your skipper has ever had and find out if the view from the skipper’s seat is for you.
This is a day of Stress Free and Fun Sailing.
Ladies,
The first WOW workshop of the year is coming up! Below you will find some information. Deb and Kathleen ran a very successful workshop last year and they have an even better one planned for this year!
The workshop is proudly sponsored by Division 5 and HCA of North America. Don't miss out! See you on the start line.
Please join Deb Olsen and Kathleen Tracy for this season’s WOW, hands on sailing clinic. It will be held Saturday, June 18th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Union Reservoir just east of Longmont. See www.ci.longmont.co.us/parks/ for map and lake info. There is a $5 entry fee per car at the gate.
We’ll talk safety, sailing gear, sailing terms and why-fors, and then practice sail trim, boat attitude and maybe even racing tactics. Come learn how to be the best pro-active crew your skipper has ever had and find out if the view from the skipper’s seat is for you.
This is a day of Stress Free and Fun Sailing.
Team Pols/De Laaf Dominates the Second Day of Texel Dutch Open 2005
M20-team Pols/De Laaf dominated the second day of the Texel Dutch Open with two victories. The British youth sailors Kearns/Burns finished third twice and maintained their overall lead. Jorgen Kerstens and Paul Smissaert (NED) are still in second position with their M20, followed by Repeat Team Willem Geijssen and Rico van Capelle on a new Capricorn (F18). The north-west wind increased during the morning until force three with a blue sky. The strong current caused many black flags. Xander Pols: "This weather is amazing and Peter made us a very special sail." The M20 of Xander Pols and Sven de Laaf is equipped with a Maxx Multi Axial Fabric sailcloth of Contender. Sail-maker Peter Vink of Performance Sails: "It is composed of sixty percent carbon and forty percent kevlar and the surface is seamless. As a result, the forces can be better focussed on the fibres, which causes a more stable sail." According to De Laaf, the tension on the mainsheet and the position of the boot require the greatest care: "But then we go like crazy." Jean-Louis and Jacqueline Flier could follow them closely in the first race. Jean-Louis Flier of Repeat Sales Promotions, sponsor of the Round Texel: "We had a good start at the pin-end. We were off in first position. Xander caught up on us, but we could stay close to the other M20." A second place was the result. "And first F18", adds Flier.
Chaotic second start
The start of the second race passed off chaotically. After two general recalls, the black flag flied on the starting vessel. Daan Koene: "Many teams were again too early over the line, which caused another general recall. Not everybody managed to be back on time, due to a strong current. We had a port start, which came out well." Rikkert Graat en Daan Koene finished with their Capricorn behind Pols/De Laaf.
Calrm Start for the Beginning of the Texel Dutch Open
On Wednesday June 8th 2005, the Texel Dutch Open started calmly. The north-north-west wind was weak, while the sun was shining. This afternoon, 53 teams started in the official Dutch Championship Catamaran Sailing 2005. The British F18 youth team of Simon Kearns and Ben Burns leads the fleet after two races. Jorgen Kerstens and Paul Smissaert are in second position with their M20, followed by Jan and Stuart Visser on a iF20. At the end of the afternoon, the cats were surfing the rolling waves in the light conditions on their way back to the beach.Youth team Kearn/Burns in the lead
Kearns (20) and Burns (19) called today’s conditions ‘tricky and unpredictable’. Luck was one part of it, but you also had to keep your eyes open, says Kearns. The boys started with a bullet and are leading the fleet after day one. It is their first year on a Hobie Tiger in the Formula 18 class. They participate at the British catamaran training program for youth and started on the Hobie 16. They won silver at the 2004 Youth Europeans Hobie 16 with spinnaker in Belgium. Last weekend, the young sailors finished second in the Island of Wight Race. Kearns: We were leading for five hours and they got us in the last 1,5 mile. They have no specific goal for their first Zwitserleven Round Texel Race on Saturday June 11th, but they do have an ambition: It would be great to finish among the big names. And we are looking forward to the start, since we have heard a few stories about that.
WOW! 557 Pre-Registered for the 2005 Zwitserleven Round Texel Race
A week and a half before the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race 2005, the organization received 557 pre-entries. Sailors representing nine countries will try their luck on June 11th in world’s biggest catrace. Among them also last year’s overall winner, Team Zwitserleven Booth/Dercksen (NED), and Bouscholte/Van Wieren (NED) who won the line honours. Visitors do not have to miss anything, due to live images on a big screen on the beach. TNG Official Timekeeper will inform them on the interim scores.
Favorites: Most olympic teams will not be present on Texel, since the Tornado Worlds 2005 start on Monday June 13th in France. However, Mitch Booth and Herbert Dercksen will participate and they go for the line honours on a Hobie Fox Extreme Concept Boat. Booth about their special project: "We are using high-tech technology from the olympic sport for a beach cat. With this boat, we should be able to stay ahead of a Tornado." They have to race against Hans Bouscholte and Ruurd van Wieren on an eagle 20 carbon, but also against Wouter Samama and Jeroen van Leeuwen, a new Dutch Tornado team. Richard Allen and Simon Farren from Great-Britain are feared competitors on a Tornado as well.
There are several other favourites, sailing on different F18 catamarans, for the victory on handicap. The German Sach brothers and Kenbeek/Brouwer (NED) on a new Capricorn and the French Boulogne brothers, second overall in 2004 and F18 World Champions 2003, on a Cirrus. The Nissan Hobie Pro Team participates with two Hobie Tiger crews: Mourniac/Citeau (FRA) and Heemskerk/De Boer (NED). Paralympic sailor Thierry Schmitter (NED) will start in the Dart 18 class. He won a bronze medal in the 2.4mR at the Paralymic Games in Athens. Schmitter received a spinal cord lesion during a climbing accident in 1998 and sails the Dart 18 since the beginning of this season. Round Texel Co-ordinator Edwin Lodder: "Despite the lack of many olympic sailors, the fleet is of a high level again. It promises to be a strong competition and hopefully with an exciting final."
4th Annual Hobie 101, Sail Sandpoint Facility, Seattle, Washington
The 4th (annual) running of Hobie 101 occurred Saturday, May 14th at the Sail Sandpoint facility in Seattle. Despite the best efforts of the event organizers to limit attendance to maintain some semblance of order, a surge of late and on-site registration resulted in a class that exceeded last year’s class of 35 people. This year’s class included 38 people in 19 boats, including 12 Hobie 16s, one Hobie 18, 4 Hobie Waves, and two Sol Cats.
We specifically told people they had to pre-register because we wanted to limit the class to a manageable size. But people showed up with friends, relatives, the family dog! It was amazing! We can’t seem to keep them away! exclaimed Peter Nelson, one of the event organizers and teachers of the class. Each year it keeps getting bigger and bigger! We figured two years ago the numbers would peak and start falling. Instead, they just keep growing and growing. People can’t seem to get enough of this class! he added.
This year was the first year event sponsors were formally recognized and introduced to the participants. They included: Hobie Fleet 95; Sail Sandpoint; Hobie Cat Co. and the local dealer, Hobie Cats Northwest; and Harken. Each participant received the Hobie University booklet, a Hobie calendar and waterproof credit card holder from the Hobie Cat. Co. and Hobie Cats NW, and several Harken promotional items. The items were devoured by the attendees, and nothing was left at the end of the day!
The class started out in a jam-packed, standing-room-only classroom at Sail Sandpoint’s sailing facility. After a couple of hours to chalk talk, it moved out to the floating dock. There, Nelson and his regular 16 crew, Laura Sullivan, discussed clothing, safety, and rigging, and demonstrated many boat handling skills. After a delicious box lunch in the parking lot where attendees had the opportunity to informally ask questions and meet and make new friends, those who brought boats set about to rig them. Fleet members from the local Hobie fleet walked around the parking lot and assisted participants with the rigging of their boats.
F18 North Americans to include live webcast all week on www.F18NAOnline.com
Rockledge Engineering Inc Multimedia Services and the organizers of the 2005 Formula 18 North Americans are pleased to announce the addition of live webcasting to the event’s growing list of exciting news. The F18 North Americans will take place at Buckroe Beach, Hampton, Virginia from August 8th through the 12th, 2005.
Real-time updates including video, audio,, photos, results, text updates, and interviews will be hosted on the multimedia website www.F18NAOnline.com. Don’t miss the exiting Formula 18 sailing preview already posted to the site.
The Formula 18 North American Championships will be the qualifying event to select the US Multihull representative to the 2006 ISAF World Games taking place on Lake Neusiedl, Austria.
“We are truly excited to have live coverage of the event”, said Tracie Van Houten, event chairman for the F18NA.’s. “This is exciting news for those who are interested in following the F18 North Americans and the ISAF Qualifiers. We hope that the exposure generated from the high-tech coverage will provide considerable exposure to Formula 18 Catamaran Racing in North America.”
Real-time updates including video, audio,, photos, results, text updates, and interviews will be hosted on the multimedia website www.F18NAOnline.com. Don’t miss the exiting Formula 18 sailing preview already posted to the site.
The Formula 18 North American Championships will be the qualifying event to select the US Multihull representative to the 2006 ISAF World Games taking place on Lake Neusiedl, Austria.
“We are truly excited to have live coverage of the event”, said Tracie Van Houten, event chairman for the F18NA.’s. “This is exciting news for those who are interested in following the F18 North Americans and the ISAF Qualifiers. We hope that the exposure generated from the high-tech coverage will provide considerable exposure to Formula 18 Catamaran Racing in North America.”
60 Foot Twin Mast Catamaran Capsizes at Sea
It is at 4 am (GMT), on Monday, April 25th that the CROSS Gris Nez informed us of the capsizing of Médiatis Région Aquitaine. A Chilean cargo boat diverted its road to take in Yves Parlier who is now outside danger. He suffers from contusions and from a broken rib. The cargo boat made at present routes towards Spain. It should arrive on Thursday, April 28th at Tarragone.The capsizing took place during the second attempt of record of 24-hour distance run.
Joined on the cargo boat, Yves Parlier returned on the circumstances of the capsizing: «the boat began accelerating by lifting the hull. I had difficulties to
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