COPA Airlines started with 4 weekly flights to Aruba. The tourism industry of Aruba warmly welcomed COPA Airlines a warm welcome with their inaugural flight connecting Aruba with South & Latin America. After years of dedicated efforts spearheaded by the Aruba Tourism Authority and its tourism partners AHATA and AAA, Aruba became COPA Airlines’ newest Caribbean destination as of Monday December 15, 2008. COPA will launch 4 weekly flights (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays) using an Embraer E190 with a seating capacity of 94 passengers of which 10 in business class and 84 in economy class. Flights will be between Panama City, Panama and Aruba connecting to over 40 destinations in the Americas. Celebration ceremonies took place both in Panama and Aruba and were presided by Aruban Minister of Tourism & Transportation Edison Briesen. Upon arrival at the Reina Beatrix International Airport in Aruba, the COPA Airlines plane received the traditional water canon salute. Inside the airport building the ribbon cutting took place by Captain Beltran in the presence of Minister Briesen and executives from the Aruba Tourism Authority, AHATA, AAA and COPA Airlines. “The Government of Aruba is proud to celebrate this achievement today as it fits with the government’s vision to diversify the tourism markets for Aruba. We are determined to make these flights a success and hopefully these flights will become daily flights very soon”, stated Minister of Tourism & Transportation Edison Briesen. Eighteen touroperators and seventeen members of the press of the different Central and South American countries were invited as guests on the inaugural flight, with the objective to experience Aruba as a tourist destination. Aruba Minister of Tourism & Transportation, Edison Briesen presented a painting by a local artist to Mr. Adolfo Sen, Regional Commercial Director of COPA Airlines as a memento of this great event.

Aruba is once more honored with a well-known guest, reverend Jesse Jackson onboard the cruise ship Westerdam from the Holland America Line, which includes the Oranjestad, Aruba port of call on the 14 night Caribbean cruise holiday. The 14 night cruise vacation will be repeated in early 2009 and will depart from Ft. Lauderdale – Half Moon Cay – Oranjestad, Aruba – Willemstad – Grand Turk Island – San Juan – Phillipsburg. The Westerdam with a capacity of 1918 cruise passengers is in Oranjestad, Aruba port until 22:00 hours on December 17, 2008.

The island of Aruba is thrilled to welcome the new charter flight from Dimensione Turismo that recently inaugurated its first flight from Milan, Italy to Aruba. The charter will regularly bring Italian tourists here for a taste of our One Happy Island. Recently, Dimensione brought the Italian company of Ceramica Panaria to the island for a company incentive vacation. Ceramica Panaria is a leading manufacturer of tiles, and many may recognize the name as the sponsor of a well-known professional cycling team that competes on the international circuit. The group enjoyed many wonderful activities and cuisine while here on the island, and the management, culinary, and service staffs of Aqua Grill were excited to be one of the restaurants chosen to entertain the group. Aqua Grill is often the choice of group events and celebrations, and Ceramica Panaria reserved the entire restaurant to host this special night of dining and entertainment for 180 guests. To make your reservation or plan a special event at Aqua Grill, call 586-5900.

On Saturday, December 13, 2008, the Westin Resort hosted the wedding of Shilpa Kanani and Mark Dolfato. The destination wedding brought friends and family from the United States to the island of Aruba for several days of festivities. The couple decided to honor Shilpa’s Indian roots, and with the assistance of the wedding and event professionals at The Westin, held a traditional Hindu ceremony on the beach. A Mandap (altar) was set up seaside, where the couple exchanged vows in a wedding ceremony based on Hindu traditions and rituals that originated from ancient Sanskrit scriptures. After the ceremony, a sunset cocktail reception was held, followed by a formal dinner at the resort. Aruba is one of the hottest island destinations for weddings and honeymoons, and The Westin Resort, Aruba is one of the resorts on the island with a team dedicated exclusively to coordinating weddings and assisting couples in the planning of all aspects of their special day.

Bucuti proudly received the National Geographic Magazine ‘Stay List” award in 2008. For the third consecutive year Bucuti won the TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s choice award and Expedia’s Insider’s Select List. Bucuti’s associates were celebrated with the winner of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association Employee of the Year Award for our housekeeper Bernice Dennis and first runner up Marguerita Doyley-Osbourne for the Supervisor of the Year. Apple Vacations awarded Bucuti with its 8th consecutive Golden Apple Award and the International Restaurant and Hotel Association Green Award. Photo: Marguerita Doyley-Osbourne (Left) Bernice Dennis (right) New Streaming Video Web Cam at Bucuti See live streaming video on http://www.bucuti.com/en/about_us/webcams.php of Bucuti’s dream beach of the world as it pans north to south all day long. Stream video of your wedding live to your family abroad, or witness the hatching of a giant sea turtle nest on Bucuti’s Beach. Stay Tuned! Bucuti welcomes the new year in Style In 2008 the Aruba Bucuti Beach Resort realized the final stages of its complete renewal. After the addition of the award winning Tara Suites in 2005, the original Bucuti Wing rooms and public area interiors were completely rebuilt and stylized in 2006 and 2007 and this past year our fresh water pool was transformed into an elegant oceanfront oasis complete with Dedon and Kettal sunbeds, coral tile and hard wood decks. Full American Breakfast Buffet included in all room rates All guests of Bucuti and Tara Beach Resorts have full American Breakfast included each morning as our guests. Our chef is standing by to freshly prepare your eggs, pancakes, French toast, etc at the hearty and healthy buffet at the Pirates Nest where you can dine on the beach. Our Tara Lounge location offers, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage as well as panckakes, and your hot favorites are available at the Buffet. At Bucuti & Tara, you only pay 9% in addition to your room rate! By far the lowest tax/fee rate in Aruba. Some resorts charge as much as 24% in addition to your room rate for taxes, service charges, resort fees, and other fees. At Bucuti we only charge 9% ! When comparing rates, consider that Bucuti & Tara include a hearty full American Breakfast Buffet (Value of $20 per person) plus the low 9% tax/fee rate. Add in all your charges before comparing rates! Chic and Elegant Dining New Terrace at the Pirates Nest Architectural Digest Magazine featured Bucuti’s newly installed ‘Sun Squares’ shade system on their cover this past summer. The exquisite design adds both style and comfort for guests dining on the newly renovated terrace. Hardwood decking and sophisticated furnishings have transformed this space into a comfortable and trendy location for sunset watchers and restaurant patrons.

The annual  Holiday Gift Project organized by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association member lines, the Government of Aruba and De Palm Tours was held  at Club Don Bosco, Noord. Children from the Noord area will participate at this unique Christmas celebration and will have the opportunity to receive their presents from Santa Claus, who arrived onboard the Jewel of the Seas and was transferred to the Club by De Palm Tours. The member lines are Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc., Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International. Coordinating in Aruba is the Aruba Cruise Tourism, Mr. Ernest Giel and on behalf of the member lines of FCCA, Miss Terri Cannicci.

The Enchantment of the Seas celebrated her first call plaque ceremony in the presence of amongst others special invitees of the Aruba Ports Authority NV, and SEL Maduro & Sons, the shipping company. Special guest onboard the Enchantment of the Seas was the First Lady of Colombia, Mrs. Lina Moreno de Uribe, spouse of President Alvaro Uribe, who disembarked in Aruba and enjoyed a few hours shopping before flying back home. A total of 2293 cruise guests were onboard the Enchantment of the Seas and according to Mr. Michael Ronan – Vice President, Government Relations, Caribbean Latin America & Asia, all disembarked to take part in the adventure of shore excursions, shopping, and the sampling of the local hospitality. The consul of Panama, Mrs. Anabel Arends Mojica G. was also present for this occasion, since the Enchantment of the Seas is home porting in Colon, Panama and has amongst others Cartagena, Santa Marta Colombia, Aruba and her sister islands on the itinerary.

Carrying 1802 cruise guests onboard, the cruiseship MV Ocean Village TWO reached Aruban shores on Wednesday December 10, 2008. Mr. Ernest Giel, on behalf of the Aruba Cruise Tourism and the Aruban community, presented a commemorative plaque to Capitan Angelo Vago during the traditional welcome ceremony on board in the presence of special guests.

Come and celebrate the Holidays with our Christmas special in the elegant living room of Maison Madruga Presenting for the first time – * Soprano: Nicole van Eer * Dutch Broadway Star with a Holiday Repertoire from around the world *Special Dance Performance: Alydia Wever * Diva interpretive dancer *Lounge Party: Lounge DJ Mike Willer * Music Master of our Island Limited seating includes: Dinner * show * 1 Welcome Drink & 2 glasses of wine *Holiday Buffet -Carpaccio of smoked duck breast salad with Berry Coulis -Petit Pain & Spiced Butter -Christmas ham with a Dijon mustard sauce -Roast beef in a sumptuous gravy -Chicken roulade in cream sauce -Seasonal Vegetables -Jingle bell rice –Tiramisu -Tropical fresh fruit Limited seating: 40 per evening Reservations: 5824896 * 7420969 Dates: December 13,14,15- 2008 Time: 8pm – 8.30 Welcome garden reception. *8.45pm – 11pm Dinner Show *11pm – 12am Lounge & DJ Place: Maison Madruga – Schotlandstraat # 4. Eagle, Aruba. (behind Eagle Tennis Club) Prix Fixe: $100 per person Cash Bar: credit/debit cards accepted Buffet catered by: Taste of Belgium

William Sunnucks and Simon Farren (GBR) climbed into third position overall on the fifth day of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. Two out of three scheduled races were sailed, as a heavy tropical rain shower came with poor visibility in the morning. Once it cleared up, the wind increased to 14-18 knots and the fleet enjoyed the stronger conditions. Dutchmen Booth/Nieuwenhuis took again two bullets and are already unbeatable for the overall victory. Mischa Heemskerk and Eduard Zanen (NED) scored an early start (OCS) and second. They remain in second position on the leader board with one more race to go. Martinair Race – OCS & Miscounting legs “We do win, but we definitely have to work hard for it”, said Pim Nieuwenhuis after six bullets out of nine. “We started badly in the last race and had to work ourselves through the fleet. There are enough options on the course, which is good. It is a percentage game. If you make less mistakes than the others, you will come first.” They do dominate the competition, but Nieuwenhuis still likes the battle: “There are some good teams and every time there is another one fighting for the lead, like John Casey (USA) and Jorden Veenman (NED) in the second heat.” Casey and Veenman were in the lead for three laps and finished third, but back on the beach they found out about their OCS. Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) miscounted the number of legs and carried on for a sixth one, which cost them their third podium position. Eventful starts for Heemskerk/Zanen Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk commenced with an OCS and blew the next start. Zanen: “We hit the pin-end and had to take a penalty. We were forced to continue on port-tack and were eleventh at the top mark. By gibing and tacking in the pressure, we were able to come back in the leading pack.” The last year’s winners finished second. Zanen: “The top is broader this time. There are at least six teams interfering in the battle for podium places.” Honored by ATA On Wednesday evening, the Aruba Tourism Authority honored Willie van der Heijden (NED) for coming to the island for the tenth time in row. Van der Heijden: “The atmosphere is still great and I enjoy the sailing here. The Aruba Regatta is very well organized, which makes me coming back every year.” Van der Heijden and his crew Arthur Moerman are racing a Nacra 20, but in 2009 they will return with a F18. Van der Heijden: “Let’s see how that goes.” Leo Ambtman (NED) already received the award, officially presented by the ATA. He only missed three editions of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta out of eighteen. Ambtman: “I was there at the first Aruba Regatta ever. Over the years, the concept stayed the same. It is about racing in paradise, but the level has improved. I never have enough of this event.” Almost 6,000 euro for Right to Play “The lottery raised 1,400 euro and the auction about 1,500 euro”, said Vladimir Voute (NED) proudly. He and his colleague Meriam Winterink organizes the fund-raising event within four weeks. “It is heartwarming how everybody offered prizes. Our employer Atos Origin will double this amount, so that will make it 5,975 euro. We are very happy with this result.” According to the initiators, most tickets were sold during happy hour. “Meanwhile, we showed a special video message of silver medalist Annemieke Bes.” The action was associated with an imaginary case, called ‘Passion for Kassy’. Kassy represents a boy in Sudan, who wants to play and practice sports with his boyfriends. “The money goes to his village.” Top five <105 fleet (35 entries) after nine races and two discards: 1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 8 points 2. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 16 points 3. GBR – Sunnucks/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion 23 points 4. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 24 points 5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 32 points Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after nine races and two discards: 1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 9 points 2. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 13 points 3. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 15 points The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

It was a concentration game on the fourth day of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. The light and variable breeze caused big gains and losses on the course. The sailors had to be very cautious, as the tactics changed all the time. Menno Vercauteren and Jaap Straakenbroek (NED) won the morning race and climbed on the leader board. Mischa Heemskerk and Eduard Zanen took the bullet in the semi-long distance in the afternoon. Mitch Booth and Pim Nieuwenhuis scored two seconds and are still leading. Zwitserleven Race: Last-minute gains This Wednesday morning started calmly on the Aruba beach. The conditions were light and the sailors did not seem to be in a hurry, after a lay-day full of activities. They took their time to get dressed while swimming in the Caribbean Sea. But once they were out, the heat was on and the sixth race of the series saw a new winner. Menno Vercauteren and Jaap Straatenbroek pushed the accelerator hard and played the game well. They slowly worked their way up to the front and got there at the very end. Vercauteren: “We finally beat Mischa and Eduard in the last beat. Close to the top mark along the coast, they tacked off early and sailed straight into a header. We carried on and tacked on the lay-line. We gibed straight after the mark and picked up the breeze, whereas Mischa continued to the right side of the course into less pressure.” Vercauteren and Straakenbroek had a big lead, even after the penalty they had to take just before the finish. “It was so exciting”, said Vercauteren with a big smile. Despite its bad start at the boat end, Team Zwitserleven came back strongly and finished second. Nieuwenhuis: “In the first beat we had every shift wrong, but after that we got them all right. We avoided the corners and went through the middle to leave all options open. That gives you the possibility to play the shifts.” Booth and Nieuwenhuis normally prefer the big winds, but today they showed their skills in the light conditions. Nieuwenhuis: “We don’t mind these circumstances as long as there are many tactical options on the course. Today it was about the tactics, more than boat speed.” The Olympic duo passed Heemskerk/Zanen in the last meters before the finish. Semi-long distance: The tables are turned Fortunately, the breeze was strong enough for the traditional semi- long distance race in the afternoon. The fleet had to round a top mark first, where after it set course to the southern point of Aruba, passing a reef and small islands. The 41 catamarans returned through the tricky lagoon in the shadow of Oranjestad and the airport. The differences in pressure and wind direction were significant, which was hard on the crews. Mischa Heemskerk and Eduard Zanen (NED) were first at the upwind buoy. Heemskerk: “Initially we stayed close to the shore, whereas Mitch and Pim gibed away and chose for the seaside.” The two of them battled it out all the way to the entrance of the lagoon. Booth and Nieuwenhuis were leading at that point and extended the gap. On the way back to the last mark before the finish, the two front runners came together again. Heemskerk: “We sailed above Mitch in a good breeze, so he tacked and crossed us at the stern. We continued and benefited from a shift to the left. That is where we got him.” Sander de Boer and Mischa de Munck finished third. De Boer: “We gained a lot on the reach, by switching quickly in the variable wind. It was a great race.” Small fleet: Troubles for leader “We did alright this morning, but we had some troubles in the afternoon”, said Dart 18 sailor Martin van der Velden. He and his daughter Nicole are leading the small fleet. “We could not get the boat into the groove, until we found out why. In the lagoon we noticed that one hull was dislocated by 3 cm, so we pushed it back as hard as we could. Fortunately, we managed to overtake Henk, so we finished second.” Manfred Thomasch and Amanda Westera took both bullets. Right to Play It rained prizes in the afternoon at the Holiday Inn Beach Party. Not to reward the sailing performances, but to collect money for the Right to Play foundation. This event was initiated by team Vladimir Voute and Meriam Winterink (NED). All sponsored items were sold by auction or raffled. The final return will be doubled by Atos Origin, the employer of Voute. Top five <105 fleet (35 entries) after seven races and a discard: 1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 8 points 2. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 14 points 3. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 21 points 4. GBR – Sunnucks/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion, 25 points 5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 29 points Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after seven races and a discard: 1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 8 points 2. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 14 points 3. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 17 points The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

This is the second consecutive year that Aruba wins this title. Miss Aruba International Miss Nuraisa Lispier won “Best National Costume” title during the Miss International Beauty Pageant in Macau, China among 63 other beauty queens from around the world. Nuraisa’s costume is a carnival fantasy representing the joy of the Aruban people during the island’s famous month long carnival season. The wining costume was designed by local designer Hendrik Croes. Star Promotions, organizer of the Miss Aruba pageant, is proud to announce that this is the second year in a row that the Aruba representative won this title.

On Monday November 17 2008, Mitch Booth and Pim Nieuwenhuis extended their lead at the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. The Dutchmen took both bullets in again tricky sailing conditions on the Caribbean Sea. Pols/De Waard and Zanen/Heemskerk are tied on ten points, with Pols/De Waard still in second position. It was old style racing today, as the race committee decided to go for a tri-angle course. This morning, big black clouds hang above the southern point of Aruba. As the fleet sailed out for the first race, it started raining and the wind was very gusty. By the time thunder and lightning came closer, all boats were sent back to the beach. That allowed the sailors to adjust some settings on the boat, to have a chat with others or to just have a siesta nap. During lunchtime the sky cleared up and the variable breeze filled in (10-12 knots). Finally, the Setar and Martinair Races could be sailed. Booth: ‘Fun course with interesting tactics’ “Well, it is the other way around”, said Mitch Booth about sailing the former Olympic course. “This afternoon, we went clockwise and it used to be anti-clockwise in the old days. It has been a long time ago, since I rounded the marks on starboard.” The competitors had to do two tri-angles and a sausage. “It was a fun and small course with interesting tactics. The conditions were tricky, which you can expect from easterly trade winds at the leeside of an island. There was so much to gain and lose on the downwind along the coast.” Booth and Nieuwenhuis had a big lead at the first top mark in race one, but stayed a bit too long close to the shore. Pols/De Waard and Zanen/Heemskerk closed the gap by choosing the seaside. However, Booth and Nieuwenhuis maintained their winning position. New F18 Despite sailing a 2005 Hobie Tiger, Team Zwitserleven is still competitive. Booth: “It is a 15 year old design, but it goes alright.” Meanwhile Booth and Nieuwenhuis are part of the design team of the new Hobie F18. Booth: “We are spending a lot of time to get all the details perfectly right. There are some good guys involved, such as Bundy, Ashby, Mourniac and Citeau. Pretty much everything is new and there are no compromises, since it might last for another fifteen years.” This summer, the Olympic duo caused heavy discussions by introducing the Code Zero to the Tornado class. However, this sail won’t appear on the new F18. Booth laughs: “It is not allowed by the rules.” Pols: “Experience pays” During the first three days of close competition, Xander Pols and Frank de Waard showed a consistent performance with only top four results. Today’s score is a fourth and second, which keeps them in second position overall. Former overall winner Pols: “I like the changeable weather at the moment. I think the experience with Aruba and the sailing pays in these circumstances. It feels good to battle with top sailors as Mitch and Mischa. Coming back from a fifth to a second place in the last race is fantastic. We never teamed up before, so I am very pleased with our performance.” Pols and De Waard are about 20 kilogram heavier than their competitors, which is an advantage going upwind. Pols: “We are slower downwind though, but the beat takes twice as long, so that is good.” Small class adventure The small class with six slower catamarans is dominated by the local kids. Father Martin and daughter Nicole van der Velden started the series with a disqualification, but took revenge by winning all following races. The Grijpma brothers and helmsman Henk-Johan Hankart are in a comfortable second position. Sil Grijpma (11) about his adventure of the day: “The dose dived into the water and I flew around the forestay. That had never happened before.” Amanda Westera, crewing for Manfred Thomasch (AUT), is third overall: “My mom replaces me in the mornings, while I am at school.” Both youngsters will participate at the Dart 18 Worlds 2009 on their home island Aruba. Top five 1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 4 points 2. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 10 points 3. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 10 points 4. GBR – Sunnuck/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion, 17 points 5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 19 points Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after five races and one discard: 1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 4 points 2. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 8 points 3. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 15 points The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

On the second day of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta 2008, the fleet of 41 teams had to deal with tricky sailing conditions on the Caribbean Sea. From time to time, big clouds brought rain showers and gusts. That resulted in a shifty and variable breeze, which made it an interesting competition. Dutchmen Booth and Nieuwenhuis are still in the lead by one point, with Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) in second position. Last year’s winners Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk (NED) climbed to a third place. Henk-Johan Hankart and the Grijpma brothers are first overall in the fleet of slower catamarans. Today’s weather required a lot more trimming and smart racing. The winning strategy was about getting the shifts and pressure right. Sunburned legs and arms had a rest, as it was mostly clouded. The morning breeze was about 8 knots strong, but in the afternoon it picked up to 16 knots and more. During lunchtime on the Aruba beach, the competitors could share their experiences and reconsider their tactics. Or simply enjoy the Aruba hospitality. Late afternoon, they decided to have their happy hour in sea, as the rain was pouring down in a tropical shower. Race 2 - Going left pays “We had to fight all race long”, said Mischa Heemskerk with a smile. He and his helmsman Eduard Zanen had a close battle with Xander Pols and Frank de Waard. Heemskerk: “I saw good pressure on the right sight of the course, so we started near the starting boat. Unfortunately, we had no room to tack and had to carry on. It looked really bad, but we managed to stay with the front runners. We pushed hard downwind and were second at the gate. In the next beat, we grabbed the lead by going to the left.” Pols and De Waard did the same and climbed to the second position. Both front runners fought for every meter. De Waard: “In the third beat, we went a bit further left than Mischa, which was our winning move.” Crewing for the F18 World Champion Jacques Visser and his son Thijs Visser (NED) recovered well from a bad start and finished third. Thijs (19): “We were forced to tack to the right, where we picked up a cloud with a good breeze. That was our luck.” This is their last regatta as a family team, as Thijs will move on to a new challenge. Next season, he will crew for the current F18 World Champion Coen de Koning (NED). “I am very excited about it, as it is a big step forwards for me. It gives me the chance to learn a lot and to compete on the highest level”, said Thijs Visser. Race 3 – Shorter course After a relaxing lunch break, the third starting gun was fired at about 2:45 PM. The race committee decided to shorten the course, so the fast cats had to do three laps and the slower boats two. That was one less that in the previous races. Booth: “That made the first beat very important.” He got it right and was in the lead from the beginning until the end. That battle for the second and third place was full on. The British duo William Sunnucks and Simon Farren was fifth at the first top mark and overtook three boats on the following run. It looked like a comfortable second position, but Heemskerk/Zanen became a threat again. Sunnucks: “On the last full beat, Mischa went left and made a huge gain. He came into second place, but dropped down to a third.” Sunnucks and Farren benefited from the final shift and kept their competitors. In the evening, the sailors and families enjoyed the tasty barbeque at Moomba Beach. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, as three races are scheduled. Top five <105 vloot (35 entries) after three races: 1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 7 points 2. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 8 points 3. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 10 points 4. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 13 points 4. NED – Visser/Visser, F18 Capricorn, 15 points Top three >105 vloot (6 entries) after three races: 1. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 5 points 2. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 10 points 3. ARU – Grijpma/Van Galen, Hobie Tiger, 12 points The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

Dutchmen Mitch Booth and Pim Nieuwenhuis are in the lead after day one of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta 2008. The competition started off with a windy practice race with lots of capsizes, followed by the first race of the series with an average breeze of 22 knots and Caribbean sunshine. The top six finishers showed a close battle and changed positions a couple of times. The Olympic duo Booth and Nieuwenhuis, racing a F18 Hobie Tiger, played the game well and took the bullet. This year’s fleet includes 41 beach catamarans, representing six countries. The British/Dutch duo Gummer/Bogaards, sailing a F18 Capricorn, took a flying pin-end start and leaded the pack for three laps. Gummer: ‘As soon as we cleared the line, we tacked on the lay-line for the windward mark, which was already after about 50 tot 100 meters. The rest of the fleet went further into the corner.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis had the same plan and timing but there was no room, so they were forced to carry on. Gummer continues: ‘Mitch and Pim overtook us in the third beat, as they tacked away. They crossed ahead of us, but we were ahead of them at the next crossing. We held them on the run and the same thing happened during the last beat.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis broke away and kept this lead all the way to the finish, although they nearly lost it. Soon after the hoist, they gibed to the left side of the course, whereas Gummer stayed right and took advantage of a bit more pressure and a shift. Both teams met again in the gate. Booth: ‘We over stood the mark, so we had to put the spinnaker away.’ They still managed to stay ahead of Gummer, who had to give water to a catamaran of the small fleet. ‘It was a good race’, concluded Nieuwenhuis. And it was their first one together after finishing fifth at the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao. ‘We agreed with Zwitserleven and Hobie Cat to compete in the major F18 events in 2009. That means we will do Eurocat, Round Texel Race and the F18 Worlds. Our main focus is on racing the new Hobie F18.’ Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) finished third with their F18 Nacra Infusion. Pols: ‘We banged the right corner of the beat twice, by which we gained many boats.’ They passed De Boer/Munck and last year’s winners Zanen/Heemskerk. Small fleet too eager Half of the small fleet, including six slower catamarans with a handicap rating higher that 105, was too eager at the first start. Three teams pulled on the sheets one minute too early, which resulted in a DSQ. Thirteen year old Sil Grijpma and his helmsman Henk-Johan Hankart (from Aruba) won with their Dart 18. Sil and his brother Rens (11) crew for Hankart. Their mother Francis van Baaren and sister Frederique Grijpma are also in the same competition. Two races are scheduled for tomorrow. Top five <105 fleet (35 entries): 1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger 2. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn 3. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion 4. NED – De Boer/De Munck, F18 Hobie Tiger 5. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger Top three >105 fleet (6 entries): 1. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18 2. NED – Baas/Baas, Hobie 16 3. ARU – Valize/Maarten, Nacra 580 The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), Heineken,  Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.