1st place at Curacao challange 2009

Day 1: Thursday 9th of April we had to registrate for the Curacao Challenge windsurf slalom races that were held this Easter weekend. An unbelievable 83 participants took part in the first International Curacao Challenge, ranging in age from 6 to 60, hailing from many different countries like Holland, Bonaire, Aruba, the US and Canada. On that same day we had a quick skippers meeting plus a welcome speech from the organizers and the day ended with a small party as the wind prediction was good for the next day.. so everyone was truly looking forward for the next day racing and went early to bed. Or tried as Ilse de Lange was giving a concert next door.

Day 2: April 10th Skippers meeting began at 9 O’clock, The race director decided to make an 8 figure slalom as the sea bottom is about 600 meter deep it was too deep and too much work to adjust more jibe marks and it would be easy to just place two jibe marks and start the first possible race at 10 O’clock. Due to problems with the outside mark drifting away the races where started later at 12 O’clock.
With wind gusting from 20-25knots open sea, with swells 1 -2 meter it was a perfect day for rough slalom racing. Just what I like – 3 races were done back to back.
I was on my Isonic 87 and North Sails Warp 6.3. The first day wasn’t easy. I had troubles this day, had to waite on the water to long and made some mistakes with the jibes so was already tiered from the waterstarts before the start. I finished one race got late at the start the second one and couldn’t make it back to the start the the last heat as I was to small rigged. I was not the only one having problems that day, other sailors were having problems with their self’s including crashing, out of control, falling in jibes etc. The day ended with wind dropping to 15 knots very on steady and not so much at the jibe marks.

Day 3: April 11th 9 o’clock Skipper meeting for all sailor – about 15 mile down wind Long Distance race for all classes.
Wind 22-26 knots average  20 knots. As it was going to be a fully down wind race a rigged my Warp 6.8 and went with the Starboard Isonic 111, my favorite set. I went pretty well downwind compair to the other competives, just made a mistake as sailing all the way to shore and back and realised I had to go half wind back to the commitee boat. The committee boat was way outside to check for your name and sail number confirmation, because if you didn’t jibe this boat and or didn’t made sure they did see you, you risked DSQ. I didn’t know where the finish was, so I had to make a extra jibe before I did see the flags from the event. It was a true challenge. Once you arrived on land all competitors had to run and touch the yellow promotional Curacao Challenge Pick-up truck parked on the beach.It was great to do this long distance down wind. I never done this before special not in this kind conditions, but it was great fun.

Day 4: 12nd April The day started with a skipper meeting at 10 o’clock. Race director stated that there will be two qualifying races for the morning and the top 10 advances for the afternoon races. Wind was pretty light 18-20 knots very choppy and the forecast was looking to be great in the afternoon. Both qualifications I surfed 5th place between the men, so I was going to the winner finals. Then went back to the beach for a lunch break offered by one of the sponsors (Albert Heijn). 2 o’clock first races was started for the Junior, Sports and after that follow by the men/women. 3 races where done back to back for all catergories and with the wind picking up to a steady 20knots was great. I was using the Warp 6.8. and the I sonic 111. I surfed still good even in this strong group together with Taty Frans, Kiri Thode, Patun Saragoza, Bjorn and other very good sailers. I surfed very strong and was able to ge in plane very fast and was able to overtake some guys even downwind from them with good speed. Special in the last heat I was doing well and finished 8th position.

Day 5: 13rd April The last day of the Event. Race director was on to make 4 slalom races (figure  plus to finish before  2 o’clock, as the wind was a good steady 20knots.
Today again change in programma. We had to start with whole group together, 18 people men open and women together. So they was going to be busy at the startline. I was surfing very well today. I managed to surf each heat somewhere in the middle. The 3rd heat I was having a very good position before the green flag just at the startline someone hit me with his sail, so I got out of balance, but went quick on the board to go after the others. I decided to take no risk in the last heat so started safe, as i knew I had more speed then some of the other surfers and so in my last heat I surfed overall to the 1st place in the Women class and 13th in the Men open.

Closing Ceremony 13rd April, 09
Long but great speech was given at the Closing ceremony to everyone that helped and supported and compete at this event. Great and very tasty BBQ was also on the house. Nice prizes where given to the top 3 sailors from each class: free flight tickets, prize money and gift certificate plus some very nice goody bags from heat sponsor Albert Heijn.

Here are the Overall results:

Mini Junior: in total 7 mini junior -here the top 3
1st Amado Vrieswijk (Bonaire)
2nd Steven Max (Curacao)
3rd Jurgen Saragoza (Bonaire)

Junior: In totaal 10 junior but here the top 3
1st Felix Martina (Curacao)
2nd Mark O’Donoghue (Curacao)
3rd Ezri Heymans (Bonaire)

Women: only 2 women compete:
1st Monique Meijer (Bonaire)
2nd Mylene de vries (Curacao)

Sport Class: in total 16 top 3 results:
1st Nick Brouwer (Curacao)
2nd Wilco Faber (Curacao)
3rd Daan van der sluis (Curacao)

Open Men + women: 18 in total top 3 results:
Taty Frans (Bonaire)
Kiri Thode (Bonaire)
Ingmar Schnitzler (Curacao).

Every single competitor agreed at the end of this well organized, exciting and especially fun event; they all want to come back to compete in the Curacao Challenge 2010.

I want to thank all the people who make this all possible for me: Starboard, Bonaire Windsurf Place, Sign Studio and Aquapseed club.

Monique NB-28