Cats in the Caribbean

Boats from Europe to descend upon Aruba in November

The thirteenth Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta looks set to be the biggest ever.

On 4 October in Rotterdam and Felixstowe competitors loaded 49 catamarans onto ships for Hapag Lloyd to take them to Aruba. 53 teams will compete in this annual two hulled classic from 9-14 November.

With 49 European catamarans (27 from the Netherlands, 19 from England, 2 from Belgium and 1 from Austria) and four from Aruba, the fleet numbers twelve more than last year.

After a succesful Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta 2002, with lots of positive promotion and a good television, entries have poured in and a waiting list was set up. Organiser Edwin Lodder explains: “Of course, I hoped for a small increase, but I did not expect such a big interest in the event. I want to maintain the high level of quality, therefore I had to disappoint ten teams. Unfortunately for them, they are on the waiting list.”

Most competitors will arrive in Aruba on Friday 7 November. On Sunday 9 November, the races will start and the competition will end a week later.

Aruba is well known for its glorious sailing conditions: wind strength of force 4-6 in 30 degC temperatures. Eight races will be sailed on either short ('gate' courses) or semi-longdistance courses. The fleet is again strong with names such as Gunnar Larsen, Xander Pols (last year’s winner), John Moret, Richard Allen and Will Sunnucks.

Helm	Crew	Type	Nat
Huyboom, Peter	Ijkelenstam, Arnold	in20	NL
Deutekom, Maarten	Vries, Joel de	in20	NL
Koops, Herald	Vonk, Renso	in20	NL
Twisk, Wim	Hosrt, Marion v.d.		NL
Smit, Peter	Bangma, Rogier	tiger	NL
Wolters, henk		in17	NL
Brugman, Jos	Hoop, Roel de	n 60	NL
Jond, Rimmert de	Liefting, Jan	d18	NL
Soet, Robert		in20	NL
Beerens, Cees	Roovers, bert	h pacific	NL
Zwart, peter	Kok, Michiel		NL
Offringa, Adrie	Offringa, Rienk	n60	NL
Bemelman, Willem	Nio, Denise	p18.2	NL
Eijsbouts, Quitrijn	Tutein Nolthenius	h16	NL
Moret, John	Jannink, Gijs	torn	NL
Smeding, Herman	Smeding, Leo	in20	NL
Diks, Marcel	Diks, Daniel	f18	NL
Horsthuis, Dion	Meppelink, Ronald	in18	NL
Heijden, Willie v.d.	Landa, Henk	n60	NL
Laan, Barbara	Dorp, Corien van	in18	NL
Smissaert, Paul	Klootwijk, Ron	torn	NL
Jong, Nico de	Sanders, Frank	in20	NL
Buijse, Paul	Breur, Hans	in20	NL
Larsen, Gunnar	Pols, Xander	f18	NL
Heilbron, Ron	Bogaards, Diana	h16	NL
Peuter, Willem de	Verelst, Luc	torn	B
Hovenkamp, Jan Egbert	Desmedt, Gille	torn	B
Ambtman, Leo	Vos, Lauw	torn	NL
Graat, Rikkert	Koene, daan	tiger	NL
Thomasch, Manfred		dart	AUT
Bokma, Karel	Schoenmeijer, Lennert	in20	NL
Valize, Theo		p 16	Aruba
Galen, Marc van		?	Aruba
Allen, Richard	May, Iain	torn	GB
Machin, Ashley	Machin, Julia	hurr5.9	GB
Reynolds, Huw	Reynolds, Jamie	torn	GB
Sparrow, Simon	Sparro, Carolyn	dart 16	GB
Nyhan, Jimmy	Buwalda, Maritta	Tiger	GB
Leighton, Hamish	Leighton, Helen	hurr5.9	GB
Talfourd, Vince	Talfourd, Jacqueline	torn	GB
Barnes, Nick	Smith, Stuart	torn	GB
Harrison, Paul	Austin, Michelle	hawk	GB
Sunnucks, William	Selkf, Mark	torn	GB
Neeham, Chris	Stevens, Martin	torn	GB
Northrop, Simon	Spellor, Mike	torn	GB
Scantleburry, Michael	Harris, David	spitfire	GB
Rowen, David	Baring, Jonathan	Hobie 16	GB
Furber, Richard	Blaser, Dawn	hurr5.9	GB
Davidson, Mick	Langenhoff, Terence	torn	GB
Lindley, Roger	Lindley, Hilary	in 20	GB
Smith, Mike	Lawes, Robert	spitfire	GB
Wild, Ian	Wild, Jason	dart 16	GB