| ARUBA-(12-11-2005) On Friday November 11th 2005, Stuart Gummer and Gillian Power (GBR) won officially the 15th Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. Although the 2005 victory was already a fact, the British winners sailed the very last Aruba Bank Race as well and finished as first F18 in fourth position overall. Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk (NED) are second best this year, followed by Richard Allen and Simon Farren (GBR).
Stuart Gummer carried a little camera on top of his cap during their champion’s race. Gummer: “That is fun. We have produced a lot of footage this week, which we will use for a report on the 15th Aruba Regatta.” The end of the racing was a relief for Gummer: “I have been ill for the last two days, so I am happy that it is over now.” Although it seemed to be an easy victory, it was obviously not that easy. Power: “We had to sail hard for it. Competing on handicap means that you never know how you did, until the prize giving in the evening.” Last year, Gummer and Power had a terrible regatta, as their Spitfire crashed in a collision, so they had to make up for that and they did.
Big smile for runners up
“Every day, I have come off the boat with a big smile”, said Mischa Heemskerk after the last race. “The conditions have been great and we enjoyed the sailing very much.” He and his occasional skipper Eduard Zanen became second best. Heemskerk: “We are happy with the result, since we are the first Tornado and we know it is hard to beat the F18’s on handicap. We did well in comparison to other Tornado teams and so did Stuart and Gillian. They were very fast and sailed a good competition.” Heemskerk will fly directly to Miami / USA for a training session on the olympic Tornado with his skipper Koen de Koning. They are aiming for the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing. Marcus Lynch (GBR), crewing for James Power, has also aspirations for the Olympics in London in 2012. Back home, he will participate at the F18 Olympic Sailing Camp with Christopher Rashely.
“We have to win it”
Richard Allen and Simon Farren had to wait five days for it, but they finally won the tenth and very last race. Allen: “That was a better one. John Payne and Mathew Hunt went very well. They were two laps in front of us, as they run out of wind and we caught up on them. Mischa was also ahead of us, but we got him in the third upwind beat.” According to Allen, he is satisfied with his third place in this year’s strong fleet of competitors: “We have to win it though, so I still keep coming. I finished twice in second position. The last time was two years ago with Stuart. He managed to win now and I still haven’t, so I have another challenge for 2006.”
Organiser Edwin Lodder about the 15th Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta: “The sailing conditions were perfect and we have seen a very exciting competion. The sailors are happy, which is most important of course.” The prize giving party will be at Moomba Beach in a warm Caribbean breeze, with champaign and music.
Final top five after ten races and two discards:
1. GBR – F18 – Gummer/Power, 10 points
2. NED – Tornado – Zanen/Heemskerk, 19 points
3. GBR – Tornado – Allen/Farren, 38 points
4. NED – F18 – Kerstens/Smissaert, 41 points
5. GBR – Spitfire – Sproat/Burke, 44 points
In addition to the head sponsors Heineken and Aruba Tourism Authority, the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Hapag Lloyd, TNG Swiss Watches, KLM, Holiday Inn, Does & Cadushi, Magic Marine, Coca Cola, Gaastra, AWA, Anthony Veder & Co, Aruba Watersports Center, Kodak, Palm Tours, Pelican Watersports, Seaworld Explorer and Aruba Bank.
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