ABN AMRO North Sea Regatta

by Diana Bogaards on 31 May 2007 The ABN AMRO North Sea Regatta 2007 showed a tough competition at Whitsun. On Friday May 25, a fleet of nearly 400 dinghies, yachts and catamarans started racing on five courses off the Scheveningen coast in the Netherlands.

By means of an introduction to the Dutch sailors, the organisation allowed teams to subscribe for IRC and ORC. That resulted in some double scores and prizes. Unfortunately, the wind did not pick up on the final Whit-Monday and all races had to be cancelled for that day. After three evenings with outstanding live music, culinary dinners prepared by star cook Paul van Waarden for hundreds of guests and an exciting regatta on the water, this year’s edition has come to an end.

ORC and IRC overall: double winners

The Roark (Grand Soleil 43 of skipper Kees) and the Holmatro (Grand Soleil 44 of skipper Sander Speet) battled for overall victory in the IRC 1 class. Both teams competed in the offshores to Harwich and back to Scheveningen and those results are included in the overall ranking after the inshores. Roark had a good Sunday with two thirds and a bullet.

Tactician Jurjen Feitsma analysed their success: 'We changed some settings, which caused an increase in speed of a few tenth of a knot. Our starts went well and we chose the right left side of the course.'

Since all races were cancelled on the final Whit-Monday, Team Holmatro could not make up any distance to the leader. Speet: 'We could not have won anymore, since we did not sail too well yesterday.' The Grand Soleil 44 finished second, eighth and fourth.

Helmsman Simon Anink explains: 'There were two major wind shifts in the second race. We took too much risk by leaving the fleet. That was a shocker.' According to Speet, this year’s competition was very strong: 'You got punished for every mistake.' Roark took the victory. Not only in IRC 1, but also in ORC 1.

Rosetta from the Rocks, a Dehler 34 with Eric van Vuuren on the helm, won the ORC 2 and IRC 2. JimJams of skipper Paul van der Pol was the best in ORC 3 and IRC 3. l'Esprit du Morbihan of skipper Vincent de Vries remained unbeaten in ORC 4/5.

One-Design classes

In a fleet of 38 Laser Radial-sailors, Rodie van Mackelenbergh won the series after seven races. Rolph Oudshoorn finished only one point behind with no racing on Monday: 'I could have easily won the regatta, but it is fine with me', was his sportive reaction. 'This event was a qualifier for our Laser Radial Worlds here in Scheveningen. That was my most important goal and I succeeded.'

On Friday, the former Olympic O-jol class started with seventeen competitors and they ended with six. A combination of a long postponement and a drifting buoy on Sunday, made several sailors decide to leave the course. Finally, Vincent O. van Leeuwen took the victory: 'That would probably not have happened, in case everybody had sailed all yesterday’s and today’s races, because we would have had a second discard.' Now, Ward Boersma (second overall) and Herman van Eijk (third) had to carry two bad results.

MaxFun 25 skipper Walter Geurts won for the third year in row. Geurts: 'We did a good job yesterday, whereas our competitors on the 18+ slipped back. It was tricky with a strong current and a bumpy sea. The more difficult it gets, the better for us. In those circumstances, I take advantage of my 25-year experience.'

The podium looked the same as in 2006, with skipper Marco van Driel in second position, followed by Jan-Pieter Botman. Nic Bol of the X-35 Quantum Sails, winner of the first X-35 World Cup in 2006, was the best in his class with 23 boats. Jeroen den Boer and his crew took again the victory in the J-22 with 27 competitors.

Special prizes

The NSR Super Trophy for the team that sailed most bullets, went to the Rosetta from the Rocks. The newly formed Team No Limits (Swan 45) of skipper Gideon Messink received the Hans Horrevoets Memorial Trophy, in memory of Volvo Ocean Race sailor Hans Horrevoets, who sadly died in last year’s leg to Portsmouth. The spirit and enthusiasm of No Limits’ start of the season was decisive.

Volvo-sailors in Scheveningen

Besides former Whitbread-competitors Gideon Messink, Frans Hinflaar and Arend van Bergeijk, also Gert-Jan Poortman (ABN AMRO Two) and Bouwe Bekking (Movistar) joined the Scheveningen regatta. Over the last seven years, Poortman competed in the professional circuit, but since the Volvo Ocean Race he is employed by North Sails and he is tactician and coach onboard the Eclectic (Dehler 44). Poortman about his return to Scheveningen: 'It is great to be here again. I achieved a lot as a bowman, but on the bow you are not so much involved in the tactical game. So, this is a new challenge for me.'

The Eclectic of skipper Lockefeer finished seventh in IRC 1. Poortman: 'Both, the boat and crew were new, but we are improving every race. At the Stellendam Regatta we could not keep up with the top. Now, we start to mix up, so I am satisfied with our result. The level of the fleet has definitely increased. The top is still small, but I think the IRC gives a new impulse. The young teams like Holmatro and Van Uden–TU Delft–van Oord are another good development. There is a strong request for young sailors. It is good to see their fanaticism and the results.'

Poortman also praised the race committee: 'They are perfectionists and put in the course perfectly, which makes sailing more fun.' According to Bouwe Bekking, that used to be problematic in the past, but he expressed his appreciation for the ‘huge improvement’.

Despite his enormous record, Bekking enjoyed the regatta as tactician onboard No Limits: 'It was really nice. I met many old friends and our results were reasonable.' The No Limits did not do the offshores, so they are not in the overall ranking. On Friday, they got a fourth in the Houtrust Race and during the weekend they finished second in the Yeoman Challenge Trophy.

For complete results, please surf to http://www.nsr.nl