Well, she went on to sail for Nacra Europe and is now part of a rather succesful crew in the F18 class. I think she has won several prices together with Sacha Larsen already. Sacha is the brother of Gunnar who is a little more famous outside of NL.

She told me at the time the picture was taken that she had only been sailing catamarans for something like 2.5 months. Doing the Westland Cup on the F16 with me was her first race on a spinnaker cat. I think she said that she had sailed one time with a spi before in 8 knots of wind the week before. Looking at where she is now I think we can qualify her learning curve as simply stellar. Anybody could recognize her talent just after a first glance. I would have loved to have formed a team with her, but it took only moments before I also recognized that her best interests laid elsewhere (second glance).

So yes Tony_F18 is right, she is exactly who he think she it and she has raced the Infusion during 2007 as well. And Nacra would be a fool to let her go. The second they let her go I'm going to offer her a F16 (or a Blade F18, if Marcus is interested ?).

She is talented, nice, bubbly and totally stress resistant. She would make a great show case c.q. promo crew for the F16 boats. I tried to "contract" her earlier but the F16 class was not ready yet and at the second time Nacra had help her so much that her loyalties laid there.

She also raced with John Casey during 2007 Round Texel and he was all praised about her as well.

Anyway, I think waiting our time is a good policy here. She will finish her studies at some time and then she'll have to make a choice. Become more professional in sailing or go work in the field of her studies. In the latter case, she'll be hard pressed to put in the practice time to stay ahead in the F18 game. With her light body mass the F16 would suit her well, especially when she'll sail with another women or light male.

There will be more opportunities in the future I'm sure.

I'm not sure whether she can be there in Gulfport in march. I'm sure that if somebody made her an attractive offer that she will consider it. From her perspective it can never harm to widen her network of relations (VWM) and who does not want to sail in the sun when it is winter over here.

However, I'm also trying to get her to come along and do some landyachting with us/me; so if 15-16 march is excellent for landyachting them I'm ahead of you in the line !

Actually, she was the first person I called when Matt McDonald arrived at the 2007 GC event without Gina. She wanted to come but could only manage thursday and friday, so we hooked Matt up with Bart who could race with him all week. Mind you Bart did an excellent job as well.

P.S. it must be wonderful for a woman to be so in demand !





Aahhhh, they don't make enough of these women !

Wouter