After a very nice event last year there was again the International Regatta at Curacao( http://www.heinekenregattacuracao.com/).
The second edition of the Heineken Regatta Curacao from 6th till 8th of November 2009.
The Regatta started and finished in the center of Willemstad on the handelskade, in between Punda and Otrabanda so that everyone off and onshore could enjoy the sailing part of the event.
The windsurfers started from the parking place next to Plaza hotel. Total there where 33 participants.

Day 1- Friday evening we had registration from 19.00 hour. For me it was done by Jessie who organzied it for the whole team from Bonaire. As we went with quite a big group this year: Taty Frans, Jeager Sint Jago, Dylan Robbels, Hendrick Balentien, Endru Finies, Björn Saragoza, Jurgen Saragoza and myself.

Day 2- I had a little bit of an handicap this morning as I lost my contactlens at breakfast so had to surf the first heat with only one good eye and other with -4.5. The wind was oke so I was going nice on my Starboard Formula 160 and North Sails Warp 9.0. Special upwind I was pretty strong, was close to the guys. Downwind I had some hard time to push the board with the waves downwind to the finishline.
After the lunsh given by the organisation we had a second heat and I was ready for this race, I wanted to sail. Just we had not so muchs luck as in the morning half way upwind the wind was much less. It was hard to go upwind against the streaming, so costed a lot of time and I was happy to pass the upwind mark. After 1,5 hour I was back at the finish and did see many returned back earlier. In my catogory I won both heats so far.

Day 3- Today the weather forecast was given more wind and I think it was coorect I was flying over the water and was enjoying the waves here in front of Willemstad. Today the organisation had decided two things, first we had to round the mark the other way around as the other day we went against the boats what was kind of dangerous. The second differents I had to find out on the water. As they moved  the mark much father out in the sea, so while I decided to surf back I did see surfers going to another direction, finaly I did see where they where off to so, turned back. It coasted me a lot of extra meters but had a great battle between Hilde Tuinbeek and me.
The second heat I thought: "oke now I know where the mark is". But you can guess already they changed it again back to the old place and not a mark but a rescue boat. This time I was very lucky as I came very easy with view tacks at the mark rounding the mark before a big sail boat who had to give me space and was blocking the other two windsurfers close to me. Because of this I could make a big differents downwind, so after 4 heats I had won 3 out of 4 in the women class and finished 7th out of 12 in the men class.
In the evening we had the price giving at Maritiem museum what was very nice with nice trophies and good party.
We, the team from Bonaire all had to leave after the price ginving to the airport to catch our plane back to Bonaire as we all had to work or go to school the next day.

For all of us again a nice event here in Curacao with nice memories and for sure we will be back next year!!!

Under 15 Open class:
1st place Rafale de Wit CUR 745
2nd Alexander Da Costa Gomes CUR 17
3rd Jean Patrick Wolde CUR 191

OPen Class:
1st Remco Osnabrugge NC 9
2nd Felix Martina CUR 22
3rd Ivan and Aaron Etmon

Formula:
1st Taty Frans NB-9
2nd Björn Saragoza NB-11
3rd Jeager Sint Jago NB-
4th Archuendro Finies NB-77
5th Perry van der Wolde CUR 19
6th Fulco de Vries NC
7th Monique Meijer NB-28 (1st women)
8th Hendryck Balentien NB-52
9th Hilde Tuinbeek CUR 11
10th Michel Huijberts CUR 69
11th Dylan Robles NB-19
12th Jurgen Saragoza NB-117