| MEDEMBLIK, THE NETHERLANDS-(24-5-2005) Over 800 elite sailors from around the globe will gather in Medemblik, Holland, for the 21st Holland Regatta from Wednesday 25 May until Sunday 29 May. For the past 20 years the Regatta has been know as the Spa Regatta but as their title sponsor moves on the event will be known as the Holland Regatta. However, its reputation as being one of four major European grand prix regattas remains intact and all eleven of the Olympic class boats will be hosted by the International Sailing Centre in Medemblik.
For many sailors in the 49er, Tornado and the men’s and women’s 470, the biggest challenge of the event will be the change in race format. If six races are completed by Saturday the top six teams in each fleet will sail in a semi-final comprising of short races. The top three remaining boats will compete for the podium positions. This differs from the usual eleven races and one discard format, as ISAF searches for a new and exciting ‘media friendly’ format to use at the 2008 Olympic games.
The Finn class will see the return of Ben Ainslie, gold medal winner at the Athens’s Olympics 2004. Ainslie has been sailing with Team New Zealand in the America’s Cup and this will be his first return to competition in the Finn as he begins campaigning for the 2008 Olympics.
Replacing the Europe as the women’s single handed boat, the Laser Radial class has 67 entries. 2004 Youth Worlds Champion, Charlotte Dobson, has now made the transition to senior level competition and recently took the silver medal from 40 competitors at the Princess Sophia Regatta, Palma, in March. Lizzie Vickers who finished fourth at the same regatta, will also be competing along with the Athens Olympian, Laura Baldwin, who has just made the transition from the Europe to the Laser Radial
With 135 boats entered in the men’s Laser fleet the competition for the top slots will be intense. Team GBR has three entries; Mark Powell, Keir Clark and Athens Olympian Paul Goodison and will be looking to get some good results. Unfortunately, following a recent injury, Mark Howard is unable to compete in the Holland Regatta but is expected back in competition next month.
The 49er class, introduced to the Regatta in 1997, should prove an interesting class to watch. Back from a winter sabbatical, this will be the first World Class Olympic Ranking event that Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks have attended since they took a bronze medal at the Athens Olympic Games. Returning two weeks ago at the RYA National Ranking Series in Hayling Island the pair took a comfortable first place, a performance they will be looking to follow up at this event. Challenging them for the medals will be Steve Morrison with his crew Ben Rhodes and John Pink with Alex Hopson.
Taking sixth place at the Princess Sophia Regatta in Palma and a second place last month at the Hyeres Regatta, Sarah Ayton, Annie Lush and Lisa McDonald are climbing up the ISAF World rankings and hoping to continue their recent run of good form in the Yngling. However their competition will be tough as the home team from the Netherlands, Hin/ De Jong/ Zuiderbaan, who won gold medals at the Princess Sophia Regatta in March, will also be competing.
The Tornado fleet continues to field a high level of competition including British world class performance sailors Leigh McMillan and Will Howden and Hugh Styles sailing with Graham Vials. Also sailing are Rob Wilson and Mark Bulkeley who are looking to continue their success after taking a silver medal at the Hyeres Regatta in April.
RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park commented on the forthcoming regatta that lies ahead. “Team GBR enjoys competing in Medemblik and are sure that this year will be no different. While the new racing format is a change it will add a new challenge for the sailors and be an interest for us all.”
With top sailors from over 50 countries and with Olympic athletes registered to compete, there is sure to be some tough competition and some very intense racing.
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