The International Aruba Regatta 2024 concluded on Sunday, June 30th, with two thrilling days of racing and two award ceremonies, celebrating the outstanding performances of both young and adult sailors.
Youth and miniature boat trophies were presented by Marylin Feliciana from Aruba Airport Authority, while trophies for other classes were awarded by Michelle Harms of Aruba Bank and Rik van der Vaart, president of the Aruba Regatta Foundation.
The exciting events and races took place from Friday, June 28th, to Sunday, June 30th. Given the enthusiastic reception from sailors and the public, the Aruba Regatta Foundation is already planning for next year’s 15th edition.
Some regatta highlights included Zane Winterdal’s win, unseating longtime, senior Sunfish champion Richard v/d Wal. The youngster also went on to win the travelling Ernie Kervel trophy, won by Richard last year.
Finnigan Foht, a young sailor from Florida, on vacation on the island with his parents, won the Optimist races, his first win, and his first international win.
Iona de L’Isle won the Sailqubes Silver races fighting against bigger and older opponents.
Captain Annemarie Melchers, raced Galena for the first time, winning the trophy as Best Rookie of the regatta.
Captain Vivian Hankart, raced Ragamuffin for a victory over Tranquillo, captained by crew-mentor Anthony Hagedoorn. When students win, you may start calling the teacher MASTER!
The Aruba International Regatta featured a diverse range of sailing classes, catering to various skill levels and interests, including Optimist, SailQubes, F-11, Beachcats, Windsurfers, and Sunfish. Three Yacht Classes: Live-Aboard Open Yachts, Multihulls, and Racing Yachts. Miniature Boats, Traditional 30-inch, 35-inch, and 40-inch handmade small boats reflecting Aruba’s maritime heritage, attracting sailors from other Caribbean islands.
The Aruba International Regatta continues to grow in quality and excitement each year, and this year’s event was no exception.
A record level of 98 sailors, including 31 youths, participated this year, in the following categories:
- 14 Miniatuurboat captains, each with maximum 3 boats
- 31 Youth sailors in the Windsurf, Optimist, SailQube and F11 classes
- 13 Sunfishes
- 4 Windsurfers (Adults)
- 3 Beachcats with crew of 2 each
- 2 Live-Aboard Cruisers Yachts each with crew of at least 5
- 1 Multihull Yacht with a crew of 5
- 3 Racing Class Yachts each with a crew of at least 5
The pleasant weather conditions made for excellent sailing across all classes! Alongside the thrilling races, the International Aruba Regatta featured delicious food from Trampolin pa Trabao and beverages for sailors, volunteers, and the public. Entertainment was provided by Sax Man Ronald Hopman on Saturday evening and the talented local reggae band, THE ORIGINALZ, who played only their own compositions, on Sunday. Adding to the vibrant beach ambiance was SON (Sound Optimizing Network), playing chill lounge music.
The International Aruba Regatta places a strong emphasis on youth sailing and marine conservation. The event aims to support and encourage young sailors, providing a healthy and fun platform for them to interact with each other and nature sustainably.
The Aruba International Regatta collaborates closely with Stichting Rancho, which tirelessly works to conserve Aruba’s culture, particularly Oranjestad’s Caribbean heritage. SYWA, Aruba’s sailing school, enjoys full support from the Regatta as they manage the youth sailing races.
This year, WRCA joined us at the Surfside location, sailing excellent courses in the Lagoon. Tactical upwind legs and fast downwind legs provided great conditions for the sailors to showcase their skills. Having WRCA with us at Surfside for both days enhanced the sense of community, integrating sailors from Aruba and the region across all classes, aligning with the Regatta’s intent.
Additionally, the Regatta promotes marine conservation, raising awareness about the importance of ocean protection and preservation. By combining the excitement of sailing with a focus on environmental stewardship, the International Aruba Regatta advocates a responsible approach to water sports and recreation.
The event brought the sailing community together for an unforgettable weekend. We are already looking forward to next year’s 15th Aruba International Regatta in 2025.
A heartfelt thank you to all who volunteered and helped in any way, especially the Aruba Regatta Team, whose collaborative efforts ensured the excellent execution of this event.
Results Aruba International Regatta 2024
Miniatuurboats
30 inch
1 Raji Lamper TopGun
2 Ceferino Gomes Speedy
3 Pullun Ras Palmera
35 Inch
1 Jay Quandt Copeton
2 Lyondrick Hoek Lyondrick
3 Liberato Hoek Princess Yra
40 Inch
1 Ryan Lamper Respect The Fish
2 Shandrick Geerman Ban Pa Bay
3 Le de Windt Honey Boy
Windsurf Kids
1 Matteo Nobles
2 Tiago Roelofs
3 Julian Benkema
Windsurf Youth
1 Olivier van Sisseren
2 Tame Mondria
3 Joey Ross
Optimist
1 Finnigan Foht
2 Laurence Hernandez
3 Lucas Bonnevalle
Sailqubes Silver
1 Iona de l’Isle
2 Brayden Bareno
3 Devin de Cuba
Sailqubes Gold
1 Veronica St. Paul
2 Ashira Kurc
3 Jessie De Bie
F11
1 Zamir Kelly
2 Gillianne Christiaans
3 Eden Antersijn
Windsurf Adults
1 Nik van Eerenbeemt
2 Tom de Vries
3 Reinier van Sisseren
Sunfishes
1 Zane Winterdal, also the winner of the travelling Ernie Kervel Trophy.
2 Richard van der Wal
3 Randy Brown
Beach Cats
1 Arie Hoek, and Henk Steenbergen
2 Greg Marchena and Folkert van der Woude
3 Joost Saris and Sam Bonnevalle/Patrick Melchiors
Yachts: Live Aboard Cruisers
1 Galena, captained by Annemarie Melchers
2 Air Power, captained by Les Long
Yacht Multihulls
1 Inspiration, captained by Sergio Dubero
Yachts Racing
1 Ragamuffin, captained by Vivian Hankart
2 Tranquillo, captained by Anthony Hagedoorn
3 Sarita, captained by Ricardo Hurtado
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