Curacao Challenge 2012

Skippers meeting day 1

From Thursday 17 May to Sunday 21 May, Curacao in the sign of the great windsurfing event the "Curacao Challenge. Unique to this fourth edition is that the matches in three different locations, namely St. George's Bay, Windsurfing Curacao to Caracas Bay Island and the sea at the Jan Thiel Beach.On Thursday 17 and Friday 18 May, 'downwind' slalom races at St. George's Bay for two different classes. The open class, designed for windsurfers with a lot of competition experience, and the sport class for windsurfers who first enter a contest.In the open class slalom in the age 16 +, Jean Patrick van der Wolde from Curacao, recently crowned 2011 Curacao sporting talent in youth and youth also IFCA World Champion 2011, make its appearance. His great rival from Bonaire, Amado Vrieswijk, he will be not easy. These two talented young people have already fought in many games against each other, but will now be up against professionals and Taty Frans and Bjorn Saragoza. This promises to be very exciting heats.
In the weekend of 19 and 20 May, slalom races, freestyle competitions and spectacular mini-kids races at Windsurfing Curacao. On Saturday and Sunday working the open class, in which professionals and Taty Frans, Bjorn Saragoza and Monique Meijer will sail from Bonaire, a spectacular figure 8-slalom on the open sea off the beach of Beach Club Zanzibar. The class will sport a 'downwind' slalom sailing at Windsurfing Curacao.On Saturday and Sunday sail the rookies and freestyle class at the same time the Spanish Water. The rookies are children who just started with windsurfing. Some of them are just a few weeks of surfing and do it anyway. 

Getting the gear ready

Getting ready for the start

Me flying around the marks

Day 1- It was a windy day and I started of with my 6.2 and 86 liter Starboard I sonic. The first heat I was pretty powered up and was sailing very smooth around on the waters of St Jorisbay. Just then the wind dropped a little and I wasn't able to change gear. I had to wrok hard to keep my gear going but was still able to pass other people. I guess it was between 18-22 knots today.
After lunch I changed to the 97 liter board what is my favorite and was helping me a lot.
This day we had in total 6 rounds and I was 11th in the men class overall and 1st in women.

Racing between the big guys

Day 2- It was still nice weather conditions for some playing on the water. Not so strong wind as the day before but still very good. I guess about 18 knots. So I went out on the 97 liter I sonic with my 7.0 m2 Neil Pryde. Today I promised my self to make better starts as the level in this group is so high that you can't be late a few seconds on the start, it will drop you straight away more then 5 place. So I did. 

I was happy about my starts as was all the time in the first part of the fleet. 

I was jibing smoothly around the marks. I had a great competion with Rens Grijpsma, Milan and some others and finshed the day with a good feeling about my races. Tommorrow we will move to Zanzhibar to go out on the open see and the forecast is for 28 knots.

Day 3- Today was the real challenge, after the rea flat water at St Joris baai was today the open sea at Jan Thiel Zanzhibar. In the morning they had a freestyle competion at Spaanse water and after we started the open Slalom. There where 16 brave men and boys and me... The wind was pretty strong. The most decided to go on smaller gear then at St Joris. I decided to take my 6.2m2 with the Starboard I sonic 97 as we had to do a figur eight and I was pretty happy I decided to tke this set. It was realy strong out there with big waves up to 3 meters, but because the course wasn't perfect we had a very upwind mark and a downwind mark, so with a bigger board and fin it was muchs easier then with the small board. I was realy happy with my results as had some great jibes around the marks and speed was good too. Just the starts where hard to time as was very gusty close to the shore and with the waves difficuilt to stay in one position, but overall I was stocked with my performance.

Going back to the beach

Day 4- It was already the last day of the Curacao Challenge. The windguru was giving a lot of wind today so everyone decided to keep the same set as the day before with the 28 knots we seen online. On the water it felt not as much. It was maybe even a little less then the day before.
Today they organisation was able to put a better course on the open sea so we had to do a real figur eight. I was so tiered from the days before that I had a little problem making the jibes in the waves. I had two times a 12 as finish.
Then we went back in for a little rest and some drinks. I decided to stay on shore to watch the last races.   It was great to see them flying over the water.
Later in the day there was a freestyle competion again at Spaanse water. It was great to see all the boys and guys doing there tricks to impress the judges.
The Bonaire team did realy well. 

I want to thank all the Sponsors and volunteers of the Curacao Challenge who made this great event again. Special thanks to Insel Air for the wonderfull price I got and the great support they have given me.

Results:

Freestyle

Pros
1 Kiri Thode Bon
2 Bjorn Saragoza Bon
3 Amado Vrieswijk Bon

Kids
1 Cheppie BON
2 Wave CUR
3 Stijn CUR

Slalom

Boys 14-17

1st Kenroy Francisca  CUR
2nd Jordan van Rooijen  CUR
3rd Richard Richie CUR

Girls 14-17
1st Fleur van der Burg CUR
2nd Puk van Spall CUR
3rd Annelotte Sussenbach CUR

Men 16+ Open Class
1st Richard Konstapel CUR
2nd Bjorn Saragoza BON
3rd Ethan Westera ARU

Women Open Class

1st Monique Meijer BON

Kids 7-15 Open Class
1st Aron Etmon CUR
2nd Felix den Heijer CUR
3rd Jurgen Saragoza BON

Men 16+ Sport Class
1st Michel Motshagen CUR
2nd Ivan Etmon CUR
3rd Roeland Schaeffer CUR

Kids 7-16 Sports Class
1st Jean Paul Da Silva de Goes CUR
2nd Delano Moreno CUR
3rd Oscar Etmon CUR