Carnage in Aruba

Diana Bogaards reports from day two of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta

The second day of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta was turbulent with lots of damage, but also with exciting racing. Team Larsen/Pols is still leading, followed by Hans Bouscholte and Ruurd van Wieren who had a good day. Team Gummer/Power was less fortunate and crashed. Their fellow Spitfire sailors Christopher Sproat and Georgina Burke remain in third position.

In the morning, there was a windward-leeward course in force four to five winds. This was followed in the afternoon, by two triangle races in force three to four winds. The former, the Palm Tours Race, took almost 1.5 hours to complete.

Team Bouscholte/Van Wieren got their revenge today and were first over the finish line in all races. “It was exiting sailing," said Hans Bouscholte. "We were leading in the second downwind lap, but Carolijn Brouwer and Richard Allen were right behind us. They chose the right side of the course and we the left. They beat us, but in the third lap the opposite happened. They started to fight each other and we were able to enlarge our lead.”



Bouscholte and Van Wieren won twice on handicap and had a second place. Team Gummer/Power, in second place after the first day, had a bad crash in the morning race. As they were beating to windward on port tack, Team Stannard/Emptage on a Nacra 6.0 were also going downwind on port and crashed into Gummer’s Spitfire. The bow broke off and Gillian Power was hit by the Nacra’s front beam. She got a medical examination in hospital, but fortunately did not sustain any serious injuries. Gummer commented: “We were doing quiet well. We were just behind Gunnar Larsen, so we would beat him on handicap. Now, I need some beers.” But in the afternoon, Gummer was on the water crewing for Paul Jury.



Team Sproat/Burke (above) is good competition for the bigger catamarans. They remain in third position with their 16ft Spitfire. “We were the first Spitfire in all races”, says Burke enthusiastically. “And in the morning, we were close to the leading boats.” According to Georgina Burke, the six Spitfires have their own competition within the competition.

Richard Allen, third last year with Stuart Gummer, had a much better day. Yesterday, he started the regatta with a DSQ and a DNF. “We had problems with the gennaker that came down all the time," said Allen. "That is why we did not notice that we crossed the finish line while going downwind, so we were disqualified. In the second race, the gennaker halyard broke.” This morning he and his crew Simon Farren finished fourth on handicap. After the triangle courses in the afternoon, they are in 19th position overall.

Two races are scheduled for tomorrow. In the afternoon, the competitors will sail the Diamonds International Race, followed by a special round for the VIPs.

The Aruba Heineken Regatta is sponsored by the Aruban Toerist agency, Heineken, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, KLM, TNG, Magic Marine and Does & Cadushi, Setar, Daimonds International, Palm Tours, Tropical Bottling Company, Antony Veder, Kodac and Coca Cola.

Top five after five races with one discard:
1. Nacra F18 / NED – Larsen / Pols
2. Tornado / NED – Bouscholte / Van Wieren
3. Spitfire / GBR – Sproat / Burke
4. Tornado / NED – Brouwer / Godefroid
5. Hobie Tiger / NED – Breur / Van Geest