Gummer and Power dominate fleet

Dart 18 beats high tech cats at Aruba Heineken Catamaran regatta

On Monday 7 November 2005 in race five of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta, Sybrand Treffers and Tjitske Stoel (NED) beat all high tech catamarans on their Dart 18. They won the so called Golgate Race on handicap, ahead of favourite Tornado and Formula 18 teams. With the traditional offshore wind of 12 to 15 knots, the three scheduled races could be sailed today. Stuart Gummer and Gillian Power (F18, GBR) are still in a comfortable lead with seventeen points. The competition between number two up to four is tied. All competitors are pushing the boats hard, so there is some exciting action on the Caribbean Sea.

In the morning, many competitors sailed extra miles in race three, Patria Race. After the second triangle of the course, they were supposed to go downwind and finish upwind. Those who made a mistake, did a complete lap before they went up to the finish line. Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk (Tornado, NED) learned from their miscalculation yesterday and took the bullet, followed by Stuart Gummer and Gillian Power (F18, GBR) and Jurgen Kerstens and Paul Smissaert (F18, NED). Heemskerk looked confused when he returned to the beach and said: “We might have a discussion again.” At that moment John Moret also arrived. “Ah, that is John and if one person is always right, it is him, so we won.” Moret and Jannink finished second and got a fourth position after calculation (on handicap). Gerard Loos and Ruurd van Wieren (last year’s winner) were second at the last bottom mark. “We sailed port tack and could not see Mischa. We thought that he did not cross the line and we were pretty sure that we had to sail another lap,” commented Van Wieren. His father Gerben van Wieren shakes his head: “Well, I will give him a count frame for Sint Nicolas.” Richard Allen and Simon Farren followed their example and completed an extra round as well. Allen said: “It’s a shame. Never mind, we are not the only idiots.”

Although Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk were far ahead of the runners up, it was not far enough to beat Stuart Gummer and Gillian Power. The Britons pushed their F18 Capricorn hard and finished in second position, close enough for the victory on handicap. That was already their third win. Gerard Loos and Ruurd van Wieren (Tornado, NED) were third.

Richard Allen and Simon Farren (Tornado, GBR) have had some bad luck today. After the miscalculation this morning, Allen fell off the boat after rounding the last gate mark of race five in the afternoon. “My trapeze broke. It is just like four years ago, when the same happened and we lost the whole regatta,” said Allen. This time, he has to deal with an eighth position after calculation, with still many races to go. Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk had a problem with their gennacker halyard. “It broke, so we capsized the boat and fixed it,” explained Heemskerk. Gerard Loos and Ruurd van Wieren took the line honours and ended in third position after calculation. Van Wieren said: “It was close for a long time. We could extend the lead in the second downwind lap, but the real gap increased in the following beat.” Stuart Gummer and Gillian Power worked hard for their second place. “Four laps was one too much,” commented Power. Fortunately, they could recover during the happy hour with lots of beer and snacks.

There are two races scheduled for tomorrow and one VIP-race for sponsors and media. They will crew for experienced skippers, which is the best way to experience the true catamaran sailing spirit.

Results:

1. GBR – F18 – Gummer and Power, 5 points
2. NED – Tornado – Zanen and Heemskerk, 22 points
3. GBR – F18 – Power and Lynch, 22 points
4. GBR – F18 – Moret and Jannink, 22 points
5. GBR – Tornado – Allen and Farren, 8 points

In addition to the head sponsors Heineken and Aruba Tourism Authority, the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Hapag Lloyd, TNG Swiss Watches, KLM, Holiday Inn, Does & Cadushi, Magic Marine, Coca Cola, Gaastra, AWA, Anthony Veder & Co, Aruba Watersports Center, Kodak, Palm Tours, Pelican Watersports, Seaworld Explorer and Aruba Bank.