Booth/Nieuwenhuis leading after first day

The top six finishers showed a close battle and changed positions a couple of times. The Olympic duo Booth and Nieuwenhuis, racing a F18 Hobie Tiger, played the game well and took the bullet. This year’s fleet includes 41 beach catamarans, representing six countries.

The British/Dutch duo Gummer/Bogaards, sailing a F18 Capricorn, took a flying pin-end start and leaded the pack for three laps. Gummer: ‘As soon as we cleared the line, we tacked on the lay-line for the windward mark, which was already after about 50 tot 100 meters. The rest of the fleet went further into the corner.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis had the same plan and timing but there was no room, so they were forced to carry on. Gummer continues: ‘Mitch and Pim overtook us in the third beat, as they tacked away. They crossed ahead of us, but we were ahead of them at the next crossing. We held them on the run and the same thing happened during the last beat.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis broke away and kept this lead all the way to the finish, although they nearly lost it.

Soon after the hoist, they gibed to the left side of the course, whereas Gummer stayed right and took advantage of a bit more pressure and a shift. Both teams met again in the gate. Booth: ‘We over stood the mark, so we had to put the spinnaker away.’ They still managed to stay ahead of Gummer, who had to give water to a catamaran of the small fleet. ‘It was a good race’, concluded Nieuwenhuis. And it was their first one together after finishing fifth at the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao. ‘We agreed with Zwitserleven and Hobie Cat to compete in the major F18 events in 2009. That means we will do Eurocat, Round Texel Race and the F18 Worlds. Our main focus is on racing the new Hobie F18.’

Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) finished third with their F18 Nacra Infusion. Pols: ‘We banged the right corner of the beat twice, by which we gained many boats.’ They passed De Boer/Munck and last year's winners Zanen/Heemskerk.

Small fleet too eager
Half of the small fleet, including six slower catamarans with a handicap rating higher that 105, was too eager at the first start. Three teams pulled on the sheets one minute too early, which resulted in a DSQ. Thirteen year old Sil Grijpma and his helmsman Henk-Johan Hankart (from Aruba) won with their Dart 18. Sil and his brother Rens (11) crew for Hankart. Their mother Francis van Baaren and sister Frederique Grijpma are also in the same competition.

Two races are scheduled for tomorrow.

Top five
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger
2. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn
3. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion
4. NED – De Boer/De Munck, F18 Hobie Tiger
5. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger
Top three >105 fleet (6 entries):
1. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18
2. NED – Baas/Baas, Hobie 16
3. ARU – Valize/Maarten, Nacra 580