Saint Martin Heineken Regatta Preview

Hot Fleet at Heineken 2000!

The tempo is picking up at the 20th annual Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Heineken Regatta. Over 250 vessels from 24 countries racing in 16 different classes are expected to participate March 3-5.

"The harbors are suddenly filling up with entrants, and anchorages such as Simpson Bay, Philipsburg, Marigot and Oyster Pond are getting crowded," said Martin Brink, promotional chairman of the Heineken Regatta. "The Simpson Bay bridge is having to stay open longer and longer to accommodate the sudden increase in marine activity... and our registration desks are just jam-packed with applicants. It looks like another record year for the Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Heineken Regatta!"

One of the most competitive boats in the Caribbean, CRASH TEST DUMMIES of Trinidad, is competing in the Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Heineken Regatta for the first time. She is expected to be in the hunt for the top spot in the racing fleet.

Built by Soca Boats of Trinidad, designed by Glen Henderson of the United States and helmed by Paul Amon of Trinidad, this boat is clearly the most competitive 'all Caribbean efforts' this region has fielded in some time.

Last year (launched too late for the Heineken) it easily won Tobago Sailing Week and the Barbados Regatta, and placed third overall in both the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle (CORT) series and during Antigua Sailing Week. It also won the prestigious Caribbean overall 'Travelers Trophy.'

This year it will have Doug Fisher of Ullman Sails aboard, as well as Sint Maarten sailing hero Paul Dielemans. (Dielemans has won the Heineken twice, and represented the Netherland Antilles in the Olympics.)

With such experienced sailors as Gregory Loe, Gert Jan Dommerholt, Mark Chapman and Tim Kimpton rounding out the crew, the 'dummies' will be harder than ever to beat.

However, for the dummies to win they will have to get passed three highly competitive Olson 30s. Jamie Dobb's LOST HORIZON (Antigua) is, traditionally, the fastest Olsen 30 in the Caribbean. However both Eddie Brockbanke's FASTIDIOTS (BVI) and Kevin Rowlette's RUSH'N ROULETTE (BVI) are now knocking loudly on his transom.

Another tough competitor will be Les Crouch on his Bashford 41 TWISTER (USA). He's a former winner who would like to repeat, as would John Foster of the USVI aboard his modest J/27 named MAGNIFICENT 7 (USVI).

Of course, it would be foolish to count out a top sailor such as Sint Maarten's own Frits Bus. He is hoping this 20th running of the event will be his year, and that he can sail his hot Melges 24 CARIBE MANTRA into the winner's circle.

Another wild card in the racing fleet is MERMAID II of Tortola. Under previous owners she's won the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit (SORC) and the Caribbean Ocean Racing Triangle (CORT). However it remains to be seen if owner/skipper Bill Berardelli has had enough time to get his vessel and crew completely up-to-speed.

The Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Heineken Regatta always attracts a few racing 'rock stars,' and this year is no exception. Conrad Humphries, skipper of the BT Challenge Around the World race, will be driving a one-design yacht named PRIMA of the UK.

The bottom line: there will be plenty of hot boats manned (and women-ed) by experienced racers at Heineken 2000.

But not all of the boats are competing in the hot racing classes. After all, the official motto of this regatta is 'Serious Fun!" Many of the boats entered in Heineken 2000 are modest 'mom and pop' boats, and at least one is an old wooden war horse built more than 50 years ago.

Certainly the lovely matched pair of traditionally-lined 60 foot 'modern classics' named WHITE WINGS and WHITE HORSE have a head start on winning the regatta on 'style points' alone.

Which brings us to the 162 foot schooner BLUE GOLD, the largest craft ever to race the Heineken. She'll be racing (leisurely and with a certain measured grace) in the 'open' (or 'fun') class. To say that she is merely 'big' is to under-exaggerate. She is wider than many Heineken entries are long. At 360 tons, she is a THOUSAND TIMES heavier than some. Her sails could provide the materials for an entire racing class... and more people work in her galley than some vessels have in their crew.

But that is exactly what the Heineken is all about - providing a 'serious fun' venue in which some of the hottest, largest and most-laid vessels in the world all feel equally comfortable and catered too.

"It is going to be another great regatta," said co-director Mirian Leffers. "We have some great boats and some very competitive crews - and our shore parties will be truly world- class. What could be better?"

More Information: www.heinekenregatta.com