On Friday June 16 2006, Bundock/Ashby (AUS) won the Texel Dutch Open.
Yesterday the Australian team dominated the races with three bullets
and it seemed as though they would obtain overall victory hands down.
But team Heemskerk/De Boer gave tough competition. With a difference
of one point, Bundock and Ashby won the event. Heemskerk and De Boer
were runner-up and Skomski and Kopylowicz ended in third position.

“It got trick today”, says Bundock. During today’s first day, they
managed to keep the other teams at great distance, but after that,
they could not keep up with Heemskerk. “We made some tactical mistakes.
At the second match we chose the left side of the field, but it turned
out there was more wind on the right. The last race we got away quite
well, but we were on the wrong side of the field again.” The Australians
hope the breeze picks up tomorrow: “Wind, waves and sun. Just like
home.”

Heemskerk/De Boer second
Despite a good third day, Mischa Heemskerk and Sander de Boer had to
be satisfied with a second overall position. De Boer: “It’s a shame
we didn’t win the race. So our calculations are correct.” The Yamaha-team
won two out of three races and ended once in second position. De Boer: “It
went great. We tacked at the right moment. We were way ahead of the
rest.” Surprising for the Nacra F18 Infusion team that usually prefers
a strong breeze. Heemskerk: “Not at all, we have become all-rounders.” The
fact that they have won last year’s Zwitserleven Round Texel does not
put more pressure on their shoulders. Heemskerk: “The race stays the
same, because you always want to win. That we were first in 2005, gives
us confidence. We have done it before.” De Boer adds: “We feel good
about tomorrow. We know our competitors.

Local team dissatisfied
Father and son Pool, the Paal 17 team from Texel, sailed halfway the
fleet. Dirk Pool: “We received these hulls only two weeks ago, so we
have not trained well enough. Our speed was bad and we were looking
for the right trim.” Tomorrow, son Albert will participate at his first
Zwitserleven Round Texel Race. Dirk Pool: “In two weeks, the Texel
coastal sailing clubs will organize their own round Texel. I competed
in this edition last year, but tomorrow will be the real Round Texel.”

TNG Short Track
In the afternoon, ten topteams sailed the TNG Short Track, a drop out
series. After the first race, four boats dropped out and the final
battle was between Huntelman/Van der Kamp (NED) and Bundock/Ashby (AUS).
Huntelman: “The tactictal game commenced before the start. Darren pushed
us to the left side of the line. I wanted to gybe, but did not have
enough water. He tacked and was gone immediately. We could only follow.
We managed to catch up, but it was not enough.” Bundock and Ashby won
again.

Red devil
Jean-Louis Flier and Jacqueline Banning made it to the second race of
the TNG Short Track. Jean-Louis Flier about the concept: “It is very
intensive, but fun to do. You need to stay focussed all the time, because
one is covering the other. The level was high. We could keep up the
speed, but the other teams started better and made better tactical
decisions.” Darren Bundock prefers to sail the final race with about
five boats: “Two are boring for the crowd.” Bundock responded to the
question whether his today’s victories were a promise for tomorrow: “That
depends on that red thing overthere.” He pointed at the carbon 20-feet
Hobie Cat, that Team Zwitserleven Booth/Dercksen will use for their
attempt to win the line honours in the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race.
Booth: “It is created to be world’s fastest beach cat.”

Tomorrow at 10.00 hours, the participants will gather on the Texel
beach for the briefing for the 29th Zwitserleven Round Texel. About
noon, the famous helicopter will fly over to announce the start with
coloured smoke.

Final results Texel Dutch Open 2006:
1. Bundock/Ashby (AUS), F18, 8 punten
2. Heemskerk/De Boer (NED), F18, 9 punten
3. Skomski/Kopylowicz (POL), exploder 20, 22 punten
4. Rashley/Lynch (GBR), F18, 27 punten
5. De Koning/Larsen (NED), F18, 29 punten

Apart from Zwitserleven, the event is also sponsored by TNG Swiss
Watches, Repeat Sales Promotions, W&H/Liebherr, Yamaha Nederland,
Nissan, Teso, VVV Texel, TROS, RoT Events, the Mondriaan Onderwijsgroep,
de Meeuw, Zeilen and the Province Noord-Holland.