Breezy North Sea

Dutch Volvo 60 sets new record in part one of the ABN AMRO North Sea Race between Harwich and Scheveningen

On Wednesday morning 30 April 30, the Pleomax Volvo 60 of skipper Harm Prins (NED) broke the 15 year old Vuurschepenrace record. He and his crew took 10 hours and 29 minutes to cover the 110 nautical miles across the North Sea. That was 18 minutes faster than the previous record set in 1993 by Jan van Gelderen on his Lutra 40 Bierkaai. The Dutch talent of the vanUden-TUDelft-VanOord Sailing Team surprisingly won the IRC 1 class. These students are preparing for the Tour de France à la Voile in July. Several teams blew up their spinnakers in wild conditions of gusts up to 35 knots - a rough start to the 2008 ABN AMRO North Sea Regatta.

After a calm beginning in 15 knots of breeze, conditions picked up considerably in the evening. Pleomax helmsman Fred van Fijckevossel commented: “The wind was strong, but came in from the right angle for us. We are very fast on reaching courses, since we sail with water ballast.” The former Whitbread boat widened the gap with the rest of the fleet quickly. “We constantly sailed full power, which forced us to change sails on a regular basis. All of us stayed on deck.”

But their decision to push to the limit, caused some damage to the equipment. They lost their spinnaker and reacher. on 10 hours and 47 minutes. Earlier this year, Pleamax also set the fastest time between Lowestoft and IJmuiden.



Team vanUden TUDelft VanOord won the IRC 1 class on their Mumm 30. The Delft University students finished eighth, but beat the favourite Roark on handicap. Last year’s winner ended up in second position overall. Peter de Ridder [not the Mean Machine one] was third steering aboard his Swan 45 Checkmate and were fifth on handicap. De Ridder: “We were with only nine crew members. The start was good and the wind not too bad.” But in the evening and during the night, the big breeze was a bit too much for his light crew. “11 or 12 people would have been ideal in this heavy weather.”

Since it was a direct course to England, all yachts chased each other. De Ridder contined: “Therefore, it was important to change sails at the right time and not to lose too much speed. That is pretty tough in the darkness with windy circumstances, while the sails get blown away.After a while, we hoisted the jib top, a genoa with high clew, and gained a lot on our competitors. Unfortunately not enough.”

FRD-Xperience, skippered by John van der Starre, and title defender Rosetta from the Rocks of skipper Radboud Crul, battled for victory in the IRC 2 class. Crul explained: “We raced next to Van der Starre throughout the night, but we had to let him go just before the finish. Also because we had to give water to a ship close to the shipping lane.”

But despite these issues, he was satisfied with their Vuurschepenrace: “It was a very special offshore. The close racing was spectacular and exciting. It was a good experience.” But he still wants to win: “That is our aim for the way back to Scheveningen.”

After the demanding Vuurschepenrace, the sailors will catch up some sleep tonight. Tomorrow they will have a lay day and the prize giving ceremony in the evening. On Friday May 2nd at 10:30 AM, the competitors will line up for the 185 nautical miles North Sea Race back to Scheveningen, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. For this a few more Dutch and English teams will join the fleet. The first finishers are expected on Saturday morning off the coast of Scheveningen. The prize giving will be on Sunday in the afternoon. Both, the winners of the North Sea Race and of the two offshores combined will receive their prizes. The Hans Horrevoets Memorial Trophy for the youngest crew (average age) with the best results in both offshores, will be awarded on May 10. Hans’ eldest daughter Bobby make the presentation.

Provisional top 3 in each class

IRC1
1. vanUden TUDelft VanOord, S. Leinders
2. Roark/Claus & Kaan Architecten, Geert de Krom
3. Eclectic, Manne Sijsma

ORC 1
1. Otium, B. van der Hoeven
2. Xanadu, A. van Lookeren Champagne
3. IJsvogel, Marcel Schuttelaar

IRC 2
1. FRD-Xperience, John van der Starre
2. Rosetta from the Rocks, R.M. Crul
3. Winsome, Harry J. Heijst

ORC 2
1. Against all Odds, Martin Molenkamp
2. Antares, F. Winterswijk
3. Windveer, R. F. Blankevoort

ORC 3
1. Lancer of Hamble, H. Visser
2. Pinta-M, Atse Blei
3. Blue June, Henk Zomer

ORC 4/5
1. Haddock, Jorg Raven
2. Gouden Ruiter, Willem N.R. Kats
3. Celestine, A. van der Hout