Sunnucks/Self pipped at the post

Aruba Heineken catamaran regatta decided on wins reports Diana Bogaards

The Dutch Formula 18 team Gunnar Larsen and Xander Pols won the 13th Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. On Friday November 14 they beat the British Tornado duo Sunnucks/Self in the last race by four minutes on rating. After the light conditions in the last couple of days, the wind was back and therefore the smiles on the faces of the competitors.

This morning the promised sea breeze at breakfast was established. The race committee once again laid an Olympic course. In the strong breeze the competitors were looking forward to their final day on the water. Several catamarans capsized under spinnaker but there was little damage to equipment and everybody enjoyed sailing.

While as on the first racing day, it was again the Tornado’s that dominated the race, it was Gunnar Larsen and Xander Pols on their Nacra Formule 18 that proved themselves among the olympic catamarans. They had to finish less than five minutes after Sunnucks/Williams in order to beat them. The gap turned out to be only one minute and in the end victory was theirs.

“It was hard work to beat the Tornados, but fortunately we had more wind during the last race,” commented Larsen afterwards. For Xander Pols it is the second time in a row that he has won the event. Last year, he helmed a Tornado to the first position overall. “In 2002 we had a tough competition as well, but it was different," recounted Pols. "We had lots of trouble with the equipment and that was nerve breaking. This year, we had to deal with very good sailors. William is a fantastic competitor, so we are happy that we finally beat him.”

Richard Allen and Stuart Gummer got a third place. “This was my seventh time racing in Aruba, but I still did not win the event," said Allen. "Last year, we were second and this year third. So, we are going backwards instead of forwards, therefore we need to come back. We have to win it one year.”

It is the first time the first and second placed boats in the Aruba Regatta have levelled on points at the end of the regatta. Larsen and Pols were the winners, because they had won more races. “We sailed as fast as we could," said Sunnucks after racing. "They were just to close to us. Anyway, it was a good race and competition.”

After the finish, all competitors began to pack the Hapag Lloyd containers for the transport to Europe, where they will be unloaded in the middle of the winter with perhaps snow-showers. The organisation looks back on a successful and fair sailing event.

Organiser Edwin Lodder: “Thanks to the support of all sponsors, this year’s edition was again a success. The conditions were lighter than last year, but we could complete all planned races. We had two days with more wind and in a way it makes the competitions more fair. Although it was the first time with such a big group, the atmosphere was great.”

Results:

Pos	Crew	Nat	Boat	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Tot
1	Larsen, Gunnar	NED	Formula 18	3	3	2	3	1	1	2	1	10
	Pols, Xander
1	Sunnucks, William	GBR	Tornado 2001	2	1	3	5	2	2	1	2	10
	Self, Mark
3	Allen, Richard	GBR	Tornado 2001	1	37	1	7	10	3	4	5	21
	Gummer, Stuart
4	Graat, Rikkert	NED	Formula 18	4	9	4	4	3	6	DNF	DNF	30
	Koene, Daan
5	Deutekom, Maarten	NED	Formula 20	17	4	9	2	7	5	6	12	33
	Vries, Joel de
6	Moret, John	Ned	Tornado 2001	6	5	OCS	11	37	10	3	4	39
	Jannink, Gijs
6	Northrop, Simon	GBR	Tornado 2001	5	14	5	13	18	8	5	3	39
	Speller, Mike
8	Breur, Hans	NED	Formula 20	18	11	OCS	1	5	6	13	16	52
	Buyse, Paul
9	Bokma, Karel	NED	Formula 20	21	15	7	12	6	4	11	DNS	55
	Schoenmeijer, Lennert
10	Barnes, Nick	GBR	Tornado 2001	13	8	8	21	20	9	10	9	57
	Smith, Stuart
11	Scantlebury, Michael	GBR	Spitfire	DNF	7	11	5	4	RDG(16)	RDG(16)	RDG(16)	59
	Harris, David
12	Reynolds, Huw	GBR	Tornado 2001	7	16	OCS	15	13	13	7	6	61
	Borders, Keith
13	Klootwijk, Rob	NED	Tornado 2001	9	19	6	22	11	11	21	7	63
	Smissaert, Paul
14	Nyhan, Jimmy	IRL	Formula 18	11	17	10	14	14	18	8	8	65
	Buwalda, Maritta
15	Heilbron, Rob	NED	Hobie 16	19	10	15	10	15	14	RDG(14)	14	77
	Bogaards, Diana
16	Smith, Mike	GBR	Spitfire	10	32	13	17	24	31	12	10	86
	Lawes, Robert
17	Talfourd, Vincent	GBR	Tornado 2001	14	20	23	33	DNS	12	9	13	91
	Baldry, Neil
18	Depeuter, Wim	BEL	Tornado 2001	22	29	12	8	26	35	17	11	96
	Verelst, Loo
19	Harrison, Paul	GBR	Formula 18	8	DNS	14	29	8	19	20	DNF	98
	Ausin, Michelle
20	Jong, Nico de	NED	Formula 20	16	32	16	9	19	26	15	DNS	101
	Sanders, Frank
21	Furber, Richard	GBR	Hurricane 5.9	20	18	19	18	21	23	16	20	111
	Blaser, Dawn
22	Machin, Ashly	GBR	Hurricane 5.9	12	2	OCS	16	12	22	DNF	DNS	118
	Machin, Julia
23	Smeding, Herman	NED	Formula 20	26	6	30	20	31	16	26	26	120
	Smeding, Leo
24	Dalmeijer, Rob	Aruba	Formula 18	DNF	25	20	OCS	9	27	22	19	122
	Hoog, Jacco
25	Diks, Marcel	NED	Tornado	14	27	25	34	34	21	23	15	125
	Diks, Daniel
26	Brugman, Jos	NED	Formula 20	28	13	29	23	16	20	31	32	129
	Hoop, Roel de
27	Amtman, Leo	NED	Tornado	24	24	21	37	22	24	25	18	133
	Vos,Lauw
28	Thomasch, Manfred	AUT	Dart 18 Spi	23	31	18	25	23	41	RDG(26)	22	137
	Hankart, Henk
29	Lindley, Roger	GBR	Formula 20	33	36	17	26	27	17	24	37	144
	Jones, Simon
30	Rowen, David	GBR	Hobie 16	35	12	35	36	32	15	RDG(28)	34	156
	Baring, Jonathan
31	Davidson, Mick	GBR	Tornado 2001	27	40	32	27	44	37	14	21	158
	Langenhoff, Terence
32	Leigthon,Hamish	GBR	Hurricane 5.9 Sport	32	26	22	39	29	38	27	24	160
	Leighton, Helen
33	Koops, Herald	NED	Formula 20	29	22	34	44	17	DNF	29	36	167
	Vonk, Renso
34	Needham, Chris	GBR	Tornado 2001	DNF	35	27	24	35	33	18	DNS	172
	Stephens, Martin
35	Smit, Peter	NED	Formula 18	DSQ	34	42	30	28	29	38	17	176
	Bangma, Rogier
35	Heijden, Willie van der	NED	Nacra 6.0	31	21	33	38	36	30	30	31	176
	Landa, Henk
37	Soet, Robert	NED	Formula 20	DNF	30	26	41	38	DNF	19	23	177
	Hilbrands, Martin
37	Horsthuis, Dion	NED	Formula 18	25	42	24	28	33	OCS	DNF	25	177
	Meppelink, Ronald
39	Hovenkamp, Egbert	BEL	Tornado 2001	DNF	28	28	40	42	36	32	27	191
	Desmet, Gille
40	Huijboom, Peter	NED	Formula 18	39	39	39	32	40	25	36	30	201
	IJkelenstam, Arnold
41	Twisk, Wim	NED	Formula 18	38	23	DNS	31	39	34	39	DNF	204
	Hart, Manon van der
42	Laan, Barbera van der	NED	Formula 18	DSQ	44	44	19	43	32	32	DNF	214
	Dorp, Corien van
43	Wild, Ian	GBR	Dart 16	37	38	OCS	DNF	30	39	RDG(40)	33	217
	Wild, Jason
44	Wolters, Henk	NED	Nacra Inter 17	36	41	31	43	25	43	DNC	DNC	219
45	Offringa, Adrie	NED	Nacra 6.0	30	DNS	37	41	45	DSQ	37	35	225
	Offringa, Rienk
46	Jong, Rimmert de	NED	Formula 20	DNF	DNF	36	45	46	40	RDG(43)	28	238
	Liefting, Jan
47	Grijpma, Rob	Aruba	Prindle 19	34	DNF	OCS	35	48	28	40	DNF	239
	Galen, Marc van
48	Bemelman, Willem	NED	Prindle 18.2	40	43	38	46	41	44	RDG(41)	38	241
	Nio, Denise
49	Leflot, Philippe	BEL	Tornado 2001	42	45	43	DNF	49	DNF	41	29	249
	Lathouwers, Emiel
50	Beerens, Cees	NED	Hobie Pacific	41	46	41	DNF	47	46	RDG(45)	39	258
	Roovers, Bert
51	Valize, Theo	Aruba	Prindle 16	DNF	DNS	40	DNF	DNF	42	DNF	40	284
	Sjak, Francis
52	Eijsbouts, Quitrijn	NED	Hobie 16	DNF	DNS	45	DNF	DSQ	45	DNF	DNF	306
	Hoedt,
53	Zwart, Peter	NED	Hobie 18 Formula 104	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	324
	Kok, Michiel

More photos on page 2

The Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by the Aruban Toerist agency, Heineken, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, KLM, TNG, Magic Marine, Coca Cola, AWA, Tropical Bottling Company Aruba, Does & Cadushi, Pelican Watersports, Palm Tours, Aruba Watersport Center, Anthony Veder & Co, Astec, Meta Corporation, Seaworld Explorer, Kodak, Meta Corporation, AS Aruba and the Caribbean Mercantile Bank.