[UK Cat Info] [Team Holmatro - Interview with Herbert Dercksen]

Fri, 5 May 2006 06:22:03 -0400

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0681_01C6700C.39E0F380
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

 =09
=09
TEAM HOLMATRO - Interview with Herbert Dercksen=20

=93It was the best regatta ever=94=20

Baltimore / USA, May 5th 2006=09
=09
=09
  _____ =20

=20

=93People were cheering for us, as we passed them along the =
quay-sides=94,
says Herbert Dercksen (NED) enthusiastically about the Volvo Extreme 40
Grand Prix in Baltimore / USA. =93This hardly happens in the sailing =
sport
and it is axactly what the class was designed for.=94 The five =
spectacualr
40-foot catamarans sailed eighteen races in the Inner Harbour from April
28th until May 3rd 2006. The office workers were hanging out of their
windows and the area was crowded with about 350.000 visitors to the
Waterfront Festival. Team Holmatro lined up well prepared for the
American event. The Dutchmen finished second after Tommy Hilfiger (USA)
in a fierce competition with all crews. Thanks to their performance in
Baltimore, they climbed to the third position on the overall ranking
after three series.=20

=20

=93We have put more time in training sessions and that makes a
difference=94, explains class CEO Herbert Dercksen their considerable
improvement in results. Although Team Holmatro ended up as fourth and
last but one boat in Rio de Janeiro, they had a two-day lead in
Baltimore. Throughout the regatta, the regular crew of Herbert Dercksen,
Mitch and son Taylor Booth was completed with a skilled sailor from one
of the Volvo Open 70 teams. Pirate Anthony Merrington (AUS) could not
resist the temptation and joined the Dutchmen for a second racing
sequence. Dercksen: =93It is fantastic to sail with them. They are fit =
and
have a good overview. They know what has to be done.=94 After Tommy=92s
impressive victories on the first day of the Baltimore Grand Prix, it
was Team Holmatro=92s turn to give a show. The quartet scored three
bullits and one second place, which pushed them to the top of the leader
board. But finally, it was again Tommy Hilfiger, helmed by two times
Olympic medallist Randy Smith (USA), that won the Grand Prix. The first
win of the Americans was in Spain at the start of the Volvo Ocean Race
in November. Dercksen: =93Randy has sailed an excellent event, so he is =
a
true winner. We are absolutely happy with our ranking. We are back on
track.=94

=20

Fierce competition
As the teams are becoming more experienced with the 40-foot catamarans,
racing starts to get more fierce. Protests form an established practice
of the Grand Prix series. The sailors compete on the edge, which causes
excitement and sensation. Dercksen: =93It is very obvious that the level
has improved. Everybody sails better and in a different way. The
competition is extremely close. We change positions continuously within
centimeters and the public can almost touch our boats.=94 According to
Dercksen, there was one day with about 100.000 visitors who witnessed
the Volvo Extreme 40 spectacle in the Inner Harbour. Dercksen: =93It is
great to organize this event and to receive such an award. We are proud
of the interaction with the crowd and the users of our website.=94=20

For class CEO Dercksen it has not always been easy to combine his busy
schedule with sailing, but in Baltimore he could completely fulfil his
job as main sail trimmer onboard Team Holmatro. Despite all the hard
work, he enjoyed everything. Dercksen: =93Of course I do, it is =
absolutely
worth it. Especially with this public.=94 Meanwhile, the champaign =
bottles
are empty and the boats are almost ready for transport, so it is time to
look ahead. On May 27th, the last but one Grand Prix will start in
Portsmouth (GBR). Dercksen is enthusiastic about the British location:
=93It is less compact than here, but people can watch the races from the
beach. It is going to be great again.=94

Final results Grand Prix Baltimore:
1. Tommy Hilfiger, USA (1,1,1,1,2,4,5,3,1,1,4,4,1,2,1,1,1,2) 149 pts.
2. Team Holmatro, NED (2,3,3,2,1,1,1,2,3,3,1,2,3,5,3,2,5,3) 130 pts.
3. Team Basilica, GBR (4,4,2,5,5,2,2,1,2,2,3,1,4,4,2,DNF,2,1) 123 pts.
4. Motorola-CHR, GBR (5,2,4,3,3,3,3,4,4,5,5,3,2,3,4,DNF,3,5) 98 pts.
5. Volvo Ocean Race, USA (3,5,5,4,4,5,4,5,5,4,2,5,5,1,DNF,DNF,4,4) 91
pts.

Overall ranking after three events:
1. Tommy Hilfiger 26 pts.
2. Basilica 20 pts.
3. Holmatro 19 pts.
4. Motorola-CHR 18 pts.
5. Volvo Ocean Race 16 pts.

///

  _____ =20

Text: Team Holmatro / Diana Bogaards

Photography: Team Holmatro and Volvo Extreme 40 Class Organization
You can download high resolution images of Team Holmatro from
http://www.holmatro-marine.com/vx40_Baltimore.=20

For more Information, please contact Diana Bogaards on number +31
6-51383762.

For more information about the VX-40 class, please surf to
www.volvoextreme40.org <http://www.volvoextreme40.org> .=20

=20

  _____ =20

  U staat momenteel in ons bestand met het volgende mailadres:
info@catamaran.co.uk=09

------=_NextPart_000_0681_01C6700C.39E0F380
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC"-//IETF//DTD HTML//EN"><html><head><style =
type=3Dtext/css></style></head><body =
bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><DIV align=3D"center"><center><table border=3D"0" =
cellspacing=3D"1" celpadding=3D"1" width=3D"680" =
bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><tr><td width=3D"100%" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><table =
width=3D"100%" height=3D"110" border=3D"0"><tr><td width=3D"100%" =
align=3D"center"><img =
src=3Dhttp://www.diabo.nl/images/applic/eventlogo/blanco.jpg =
border=3D0></td></tr></table><tr><td =
bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"></td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%" =
bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><DIV align=3D"center"><center><table border=3D"0" =
cellpadding=3D"2" cellspacing=3D"0" width=3D"96%"><tr><td =
width=3D"100%"><FONT size=3D4>TEAM HOLMATRO - Interview with Herbert =
Dercksen</FONT>
<br><br><FONT size=3D5><STRONG>=93It was the best regatta =
ever=94</STRONG></FONT>
<br><br>Baltimore / USA, May 5th 2006</td></tr><tr><td =
width=3D"100%"></td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%"></td></tr><tr><td =
width=3D"100%"><hr class=3Dhr_blue><br>
</td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%"><img =
src=3D'http://www.diabo.nl/images/applic/newspics/podium_kl.jpg' =
align=3D'left' valign=3D'middle' hspace=3D'10'><P>=93People were =
cheering for us, as we passed them along the quay-sides=94, says Herbert =
Dercksen (NED) enthusiastically about the Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix in =
Baltimore / USA. =93This hardly happens in the sailing sport and it is =
axactly what the class was designed for.=94 The five spectacualr 40-foot =
catamarans sailed eighteen races in the Inner Harbour from April 28th =
until May 3rd 2006. The office workers were hanging out of their windows =
and the area was crowded with about 350.000 visitors to the Waterfront =
Festival. Team Holmatro lined up well prepared for the American event. =
The Dutchmen finished second after Tommy Hilfiger (USA) in a fierce =
competition with all crews. Thanks to their performance in Baltimore, =
they climbed to the third position on the overall ranking after three =
series. </P>

<img src=3D'http://www.diabo.nl/images/applic/newspics/holmatro_kl.jpg' =
align=3D'right' valign=3D'middle' hspace=3D'10'>
<P>=93We have put more time in training sessions and that makes a =
difference=94, explains class CEO Herbert Dercksen their considerable =
improvement in results. Although Team Holmatro ended up as fourth and =
last but one boat in Rio de Janeiro, they had a two-day lead in =
Baltimore. Throughout the regatta, the regular crew of Herbert Dercksen, =
Mitch and son Taylor Booth was completed with a skilled sailor from one =
of the Volvo Open 70 teams. Pirate Anthony Merrington (AUS) could not =
resist the temptation and joined the Dutchmen for a second racing =
sequence. Dercksen: =93It is fantastic to sail with them. They are fit =
and have a good overview. They know what has to be done.=94 After =
Tommy=92s impressive victories on the first day of the Baltimore Grand =
Prix, it was Team Holmatro=92s turn to give a show. The quartet scored =
three bullits and one second place, which pushed them to the top of the =
leader board. But finally, it was again Tommy Hilfiger, helmed by two =
times Olympic medallist Randy Smith (USA), that won the Grand Prix. The =
first win of the Americans was in Spain at the start of the Volvo Ocean =
Race in November. Dercksen: =93Randy has sailed an excellent event, so =
he is a true winner. We are absolutely happy with our ranking. We are =
back on track.=94</P>

<img src=3D'http://www.diabo.nl/images/applic/newspics/Herbert1_kl.jpg' =
align=3D'left' valign=3D'middle' hspace=3D'10'>
<P><STRONG>Fierce competition</STRONG><BR>As the teams are becoming more =
experienced with the 40-foot catamarans, racing starts to get more =
fierce. Protests form an established practice of the Grand Prix series. =
The sailors compete on the edge, which causes excitement and sensation. =
Dercksen: =93It is very obvious that the level has improved. Everybody =
sails better and in a different way. The competition is extremely close. =
We change positions continuously within centimeters and the public can =
almost touch our boats.=94 According to Dercksen, there was one day with =
about 100.000 visitors who witnessed the Volvo Extreme 40 spectacle in =
the Inner Harbour. Dercksen: =93It is great to organize this event and =
to receive such an award. We are proud of the interaction with the crowd =
and the users of our website.=94 </P>
<P>For class CEO Dercksen it has not always been easy to combine his =
busy schedule with sailing, but in Baltimore he could completely fulfil =
his job as main sail trimmer onboard Team Holmatro. Despite all the hard =
work, he enjoyed everything. Dercksen: =93Of course I do, it is =
absolutely worth it.  Especially with this public.=94 Meanwhile, the =
champaign bottles are empty and the boats are almost ready for =
transport, so it is time to look ahead. On May 27th, the last but one =
Grand Prix will start in Portsmouth (GBR). Dercksen is enthusiastic =
about the British location: =93It is less compact than here, but people =
can watch the races from the beach. It is going to be great =
again.=94</P>
<P>Final results Grand Prix Baltimore:<BR>1. Tommy Hilfiger, USA =
(1,1,1,1,2,4,5,3,1,1,4,4,1,2,1,1,1,2) 149 pts.<BR>2. Team Holmatro, NED =
(2,3,3,2,1,1,1,2,3,3,1,2,3,5,3,2,5,3) 130 pts.<BR>3. Team Basilica, GBR =
(4,4,2,5,5,2,2,1,2,2,3,1,4,4,2,DNF,2,1) 123 pts.<BR>4. Motorola-CHR, GBR =
(5,2,4,3,3,3,3,4,4,5,5,3,2,3,4,DNF,3,5) 98 pts.<BR>5. Volvo Ocean Race, =
USA (3,5,5,4,4,5,4,5,5,4,2,5,5,1,DNF,DNF,4,4) 91 pts.</P>
<P>Overall ranking after three events:<BR>1. Tommy Hilfiger 26 =
pts.<BR>2. Basilica 20 pts.<BR>3. Holmatro 19 pts.<BR>4. Motorola-CHR 18 =
pts.<BR>5. Volvo Ocean Race 16 pts.</P>
<P>///<BR></P></td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%"><hr class=3Dhr_blue>

</td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%"><P>Text: Team Holmatro / Diana =
Bogaards</P>
<P>Photography: Team Holmatro and Volvo Extreme 40 Class =
Organization<BR>You can download high resolution images of Team Holmatro =
from <A =
href=3Dhttp://www.holmatro-marine.com/vx40_Baltimore>http://www.holmatro-=
marine.com/vx40_Baltimore</A>. </P>
<P>For more Information, please contact Diana Bogaards on number +31 =
6-51383762.</P>
<P>For more information about the VX-40 class, please surf to <A =
href=3Dhttp://www.volvoextreme40.org>www.volvoextreme40.org</A>. </P>
<P> </P></td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%"><hr class=3Dhr_blue>
</td></tr></table></center></div></td></tr><tr><td width=3D"100%" =
colspan=3D"2" bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF" class=3D"smalltext" =
align=3D"center">&nbsp;&nbsp;U staat momenteel in ons bestand met het =
volgende mailadres: =
info@catamaran.co.uk</td></tr></table></center></div></body></html>
------=_NextPart_000_0681_01C6700C.39E0F380--