29er XX

Consistency Pays Off for Team Henken at Seiko North Americans

Photo by Stacy Childers

15 teams raced in Kingston, Ontario for the title of Seiko North American Champion August 21-25th, 2010. Hans Henken, crewing for his sister, Paris Henken, attributed their Championship victory to consistency in the variety of conditions which racers saw over the course of the five day regatta held on the eastern end of Lake Ontario at Kingston; “Paris and I found that just being consistent with our scores help us a lot in winning the regatta. We didn’t win the most races but our overall points at the end of the regatta proves that we were the most consistent.” From light and choppy to heavy air to glassy, light and shifty…Paris and Hans worked their opportunity like engineers, figuring out on the fly what techniques worked most efficiently in various conditions, especially when it came to trapping order. On this issue, Hans commented; “Deciding between which person should trap first, either skipper or crew, was highly important and sometimes yielded different results.” Ultra light and shifty conditions on the final day of the XX marathon didn’t faze the duo. Hans continued; “The last day was practically glass out on the pond and we were still raced in very light and shifty conditions, both in the medal race and the final fleet race. The medal race in my opinion was the best part of the entire regatta. With all the cameras, small course, starboard roundings and a close finish, not to mention no wind and shifty conditions, made it very interesting!” Fourteen year old skipper Paris Henken, was ecstatic about capping off her summer sailing adventure with the 29erXX victory, saying; “It was a great learning experience and tons of fun to sail in my first 29erXX event! I hope to do more in the future to continue learning about the boat and go fast!”

Photos by Stacy Childers
Final Results

Norway Takes Final at 29erXX DOWNHiLL SKiFF CROSS

After jumping on bus or plane, teams arrived with harnesses in hand ready for racing. 29erXX Downhill Skiff Cross, a new slalom racecourse – designed after the popular “Downhill Ski Cross” that caused a media storm at the winter Olympics. During the “Prime Time” racing that took place in front of the Sail Amsterdam grandstands, 8 teams showed off the SEIKO spinnakers in a full knockout series with quarters, semis and finals.

Helene Næss and Ane Gundersen of Norway edging out top Netherlands team in the final proved that excellent boat-handling could land you on top. After getting knocked out of the quarter finals, Radial star Marit Bouwmeester laughed saying she “might have to get used to having two tillers.”

The course consisted of a “push-start” off the starting pontoon, upwind 3 mark slalom, rounding the top for a downwind slalom back to the finish. Each boat marked either green or red stayed to the respective starboard or port course. “I really enjoyed it,” said runner-up skipper Carolien Duetz. “You lose a lot of the tactics, but you gain a lot of fun, excitement and STRESS!”

“[We wanted] to get to know the 29erXX – and have some fun!” said Netherland’s Match Racer Suzanne Leinders. Bouwmeester and Olympic 470 sailor Marieke Jongens agreed. “I think we would make a really good [29erXX] team… with some practice!” added Jongens.

Patchy city winds challenged the Race Committee on the first day of racing, making it difficult to set the slalom marks so they shared similar wind conditions. In the better breeze, and closer set course on day 2 sailors enjoyed the fun and the fanfare.

And so did the fans. “It looks like dancing,” said Brigitte Volkers, seated in the grandstands with her son and husband, “The women are so good at moving through the boat together.” Beijing Silver medallist Merel Witteveen sailing with Annemiek Bekkering referred to the cheers they earned from the Navy ship full of sailors parked next to the grandstands, “We think they liked the capsizes even more than the racing!”

They might have won their 100 Euros around the buoys, but Helene Næss and Ane Gundersen have much bigger plans. In their interview with international Race Officer Frans Bolweg, they told the crowds “We want to prove that we are as good as the boys in the 49er – we want to have the 29erXX in the Olympics for 2016.”

Glitzy Girls Gear-Up for DOWNHiLL SKiFF CROSS

29erXX_head_to_head

The Dutch are bringing plenty of silver and gold to this week’s 29erXX Downhill Skiff Cross showcased at the centre of Sail Amsterdam – the world’s largest sailing festival.

Golden girl Marit Bouwmeester winner of Skandia’s Sail for Gold in Laser Radials, and Beijing Silver medallist in the Yngling Merel Witteveen will be sailing with reigning 29er and 29erXX European Champion Annemiek Bekkering to represent Team Netherlands.

Sailors look forward to the “fun” and making a big splash for the expected 2 million tourists.

Spectators are excited too, as sailing gains ground as an “extreme sport”. Skandia’s 49er promo video featuring Team GBR accrued nearly 83,000 views since its release on YouTube two and half weeks ago.

“It’s a new way to make sailing more audience friendly. We would like the 29erXX fleet to grow, so the dinghy will be on the Olympic program in 2016,” sum up the Danish challengers, Europe’s top women’s 29er team of Ida Marie Baad Nielsen and Marie Thusgaard Olsen.

Olympic sailors from all disciplines are ready for the 29erXX Downhill Skiff Cross: Bouwmeester steps in with Olympic teammate and 470 sailor Marieke Jongens. Match Racers Suzanne Leiders Mijke Lievens are also looking forward to competing for the first time in the 29erXX, the potential new women’s Olympic class in 2016.

Consistency Pays Off for Team Henken at Seiko North Americans

Norway Takes Final at 29erXX DOWNHiLL SKiFF CROSS

Glitzy Girls Gear-Up for DOWNHiLL SKiFF CROSS

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