De Koog / Texel / Netherlands, June 17 2007
by Diana Bogaards
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A week prior to the start of the 30th Zwitserleven Round Texel Race, the organization has received 482 pre-entries. Among them the overall winners of 2006, Remco Kenbeek and Paul Brouwer with their F18 Capricorn (NED). The Swedish M20 duo Marström/Persson that took last year’s line honours after an exciting battle, will be back as well. The golden fleet is at full strength with over two hundred top teams from the Netherlands, Australia, France, Belgium, Germany and the UK. On Saturday June 23rd 2007 at 12:30 hours pm local time, hundreds of catamarans will start their race against the clock. From Wednesday June 20 until Friday June 22, golden fleet competitors have the opportunity to warm up by participating in the Texel Dutch Open, the official Dutch Championship Catamarans Sailing. 98 Teams have registrated so far.

A strong representation of home country the Netherlands will line up for world’s biggest catrace. Double former winner Mischa Heemskerk (recently the winner of the Tybee 500) and his new crew Bastiaan Tentij are at full speed this season. Earlier this year, the Yamaha and Boskalis sponsored duo won Eurocat in Carnac (FRA) and the North Sea Regatta in Scheveningen (NED). They are part of the first one season Nacra Master Class ever, in which the 19-year old Tentij is supposed to learn as much as possible from his master Heemskerk. Tentij’s actual skipper Stefan Dubbeldam (19) will be coached and trained by Gunnar Larsen, who won the Round Texel Race in 1999. Team Zwitserleven Booth/Nieuwenhuis will be hard to beat in heavier conditions. At the F18 Worlds in Queensland (AUS) in February 2007, the Dutchmen showed their strength by winning silver with only one point deficit to Gold. Booth won the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race 2004 with crew Herbert Dercksen. Almost a year after their split, the two former mates will compete against each other, but this time both as skipper.

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Prototype Volvo Extreme 20
Herbert Dercksen takes the helm of the prototype Volvo Extreme 20, with Aaron Mcintosh (NZL) crewing for him. Dercksen about his latest project, enabled by Zwitserleven: “This carbon cat is based on the M20, but has a different sail plan. You can consider it as a possible successor of the Tornado. Is carries a Tornado mast, the jib is smaller and the main a bit bigger. The VX 20 weighs 125 kilograms, which is 45kg less than the Tornado. I have learned a lot over the past years, so it is very exciting to helm by myself now. I look forward to the race.” At the moment, Dercksen is skippering the Extreme 40 in the Swiss Bol d’Or on Lake Geneva.
Record holders Wouter Samama (NED) and Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED) will join forces one more time in their farewell race around Texel. In the early spring of 2007, the Dutchmen decided to split up. In 2005, they smashed the record with their Tornado. The time to beat is 2 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds.

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Foreign favourites
Although the level of competition has always been high, the top has expanded due to the increased international interest. The French Nissan Pro Team delegates three favourites on Hobie Tigers: the Australian World Champions Tornado and F18, Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby, the German father and son Gosche and the Frenchmen Mourniac and Citeau. In 2006, the Aussies were third overall and Bundock won the Race in 2003. The Belgian Mext Sailing Team also lines up with three crews on F18 Cirrus B1 catamarans: Lecomte/Hollevoet, Lefevre/Kervyn and Vanhaverbeke/Simpelaere. The British are often mixing up in the front as well. In 2006, James and Gillian Power finished sixth overall with their Capricorn and they will try their luck again in this year’s edition. The same is true for the numbers eight of 2006, Stuart Gummer and Georgina Burke. The Olympische duo Hugh Styles and Ryan Crawford skipped the last race, but will be back with its Nacra Infusion.

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Silver fleet popular
The silver fleet turns out to be a popular addition, as about 280 recreational teams have entered the new class so far. Especially the Dutch participants benefit from it, since they do not need to purchase a license to start, which the organisation bought off from the Royal Netherlands Sailing Federation. The aim is to encourage participation at world’s biggest catrace. Not only by the best sailors, but by everybody who likes to join.
In addition to Zwitserleven, the Round Texel Race has been sponsored by TNG Swiss Watches, Repeat Sales Promotions, W&H/Liebherr, Yamaha Nederland, Nissan, Teso, VVV Texel, de Mondriaan Onderwijsgroep, Rabobank, de Meeuw, Zeilen, Texeler, Stiehl Entertainment and Paal-17 Events.

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