Texel / Netherlands, June 17th 2006 - Saturday June 17 2006, Göran Marström and Thomas Persson (SWE) were the fasted team during the 29th edition of the Zwiserleven Round Texel. Their M20, build by Marström himself, crossed the finish in 4:10:34. Their fellow country members Mattsson/Malmsjo followed in second position and Bouscholte/Van Wieren (NED) finished third.

Surprising Prindle 15
More than an hour and ten minutes after Marström took the line honours, an old Prindle 15 finished. Competitor Hans Primowees was astonished at his provisional second position overall: “This weather is perfect for A-cats, so I though they would have won the race.” He mentioned his experience as a reason for his success: “I made full use of the current by staying inshore, while many cats choose for the Waddensea. Although Primowees participated in twenty Zwitserleven Round Texel Races, he is not a fanatic sailor during the rest of the season. Primowees: “A week before the event, I take my old Prindle out to practice in the Texel Dutch Open. I will bring the boat back next week.”

June 17, 10:18am -Team San Diego struggled a bit and another team dropped a crew member but all stayed on the water and are headed out.

June 17, 9:30am - Team R3 pulled out of the race and there are a few teams that may not go as of now. Some are waiting for the local sailors to launch then will make the choice to go. Winds 15-20 with a 3-4 swell. Hopefully all will have a safe launch.

June 17, 7:30am - Word at the great BBQ last night was that it was a go. This morning there is a SCA in effect with winds on the beach at 20 easy. Local buoy data shows 6 foot seas at Galveston. The beach here is quite shallow for a long way out and there is a line of rolling surf to punch through. Local weather predicted winds 15-25 and 5-7 ft seas. Right now the race is on! Will make for some awesome shots, so I am off to make sure the batteries are charged. It should be a short ~40 mile run to Galveston for both the on the water team and the ground teams. See you there tomorrow and hopefully with a lot more photos! ~Wish them luck!

Update! June 16, 5:06pm, Surfside, TX
Crews are scrabbling to secure boats... Just heard a hardcore cat racer say, "Dam, it's blowing!"

June 16, 4:30pm, Surfside, TX
Blowing like snot is about the story today. When we hit the beach shovels full of sand were ripping across the beach. At the 9 am skippers meeting it was decided that there would be second meeting to determine the outcome at 11:30am. At the second meeting, Tom the PRO, made the call that leg 3 of the race was called off due to the weather conditions.

We have arrived in Surfside. Wind 12kts, storm blowing through and very heavy rain at one point on the way here. Teams are on the beach and getting the boats off the trailers in prep for the start tomorrow.

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.”

June 16, 11:30am, Breaking News From Mustang Beach!

Leg 3 Cancelled After Several Delays The race committee cancelled todays racing due to lightning and thunderstorms along todays route. The final leg is scheduled to start tomorrow at 10 AM from Surfside to Galveston Island.