International Dart Association

PRESS RELEASE

Aruba, November 17 2009
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This year's Dart 18 Worlds catamaran sailing brings strong competition to Aruba. Title defender and European champion Emmanuel Dodé (FRA) will be present. The current Dutch and Belgian Champions David Lloyd en Joanna Jones-Pierce (GBR) are also on their way to the Caribbean island. The 41 teams, representing nine countries, are going to fight a tough battle for victory on the Caribbean Sea. The first starting gun will be fired on Sunday November 22, on the same day as the nineteenth Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta commences with fourteen participants.

Dodé and Lloyd/Jones-Pierce are considered as favourites. David Lloyd is the only sailor who competed in all previous Dart 18 World Championships. In 1998, the British duo won its first bronze medal at the Dart 18 Worlds and number three followed last year. They took silver in 2007. So far into this season, they have beaten Dodé in all meetings. The French couple Thierry and Christine Wibeaux will absolutely try to repeat its winning performance at the 2004 Worlds. From Germany, the former European Champions Matthias Huber and Dominik Volke will line up.

Dart 18 - Younger sister of Tornado
In 1975, Rodney March (GBR) designed the Dart 18 as a One Design Class. The concept originates from his earlier creation, the ex-Olympic Tornado from 1967. The Dart 18 is 5.5 meters long, has a mainsail and jib, one trapeze for the crew and no dagger boards. The boat is easy to sail and therefore still popular. Thanks to the lack of continuous development of equipment, the Dart 18 remains an affordable class for a wider group of sailors.

Organization
The Dart 18 Worlds will be held simultaneously with the annual Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta. The events are organized by Edwin Lodder of Sailing Management International and Discover. His company is specialized in and full-time focussed on the organization of sailing events, such as worlds' biggest cat race the Zwitserleven Round Texel, Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta, DELTAWEEK, Delta Lloyd 24 Hours Sailing Race, 470 Worlds 2010 and the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta.

In addition to the title sponsors Aruba Tourism Authority and Heineken Aruba NV, this year's Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta and Dart18 World Championships are also supported by Martinair, GILS Worldwide, Setar, Holiday Inn, Does & Cadushi, Tropical Bottling Company, Coca Cola, AWA, Aruba Aloë, VR Shipping, Aruba Watersports Center, Palm Tours, Pelican Watersports, Seaworld Explorer, Moomba, Zwitserleven, TNG, Patria and AMI Kappers.