International Dart Association

DART 18 WORDLS 2009 BRINGS STRONG COMPETITION TO ARUBA

Last Updated (Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:42) Written by Nicolette van Gorp Tuesday, 17 November 2009 20:34

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.

2010 International sailing calender

Last Updated (Monday, 19 October 2009 20:39) Written by Nicolette van Gorp Monday, 19 October 2009 20:35

Dear Dart sailors,

We are busy coordination the 2010 International Regatta Calender. Look at REGATTAS. Please inform us as soon as possible if you have a date of an International Dart 18 event in 2010!

Hope to see you all soon on the water,

Nicolette van Gorp
Chairman International Dart Association

UK Nationals with 57 entries

Last Updated (Monday, 02 November 2009 12:45) Written by Administrator Monday, 31 August 2009 11:43

By: James Douglas

The 2009 Dart 18 National Championships was held at Dee Sailing Club on the banks of Dee estuary from 20th to 23rd August. This is Dee SC’s centenary year, and the first time they have hosted this event.

The 57 entries included boats from Holland, Italy and France and the entry was up on last year bucking the trend in many classes this year and good enough to be close to the top 20 UK nationals turnouts.

The strong field included Dan Norman and Mel Rodgers (Sheppey) the defending champions (and former world Champions) and the current world champion Emmanuel Dode (SR Vannes)

8 races were schedule and 6 were completed in a variety of conditions using windward /leeward courses, set by the local Dee SC team managed by the professional from Starlight coaching.

Read more...

33 teams at very competitive French Nationals

Last Updated (Monday, 20 July 2009 16:28) Written by Nicolette van Gorp Monday, 20 July 2009 16:23

33 teams from France, Great-Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium came to Courseulles in Normandy, France to sail the French Nationals 2009. Five boats from the top sever at last years World Championship were on the starting line. In 4 days 9 races were sailed under difficult circumstances. The wind was all the days very shifty, from light winds till about 12 – 15 knots. The racing was very competitive with the whole fleet finishing most races close together despite very challenging sailing conditions.
The British team Dave and Louise Roberts again knew best how to handle the shifty winds and became French National Champions for the second year in a row.
A splendid social programme with Hawaiian shirts for all the sailors was organised by the French Dart 18 Class Association. An International event to be remembered!
 
Overall Results:
1 Dave and Louise Roberts (GBR)
2 Herve Le Maux, Gini Jones Pierce (FRA/GBR)
3 Thierry and Christine Wibaux (FRA)
4 Nuno Rocha and Nuno Lopez (POR)
5 David Lloyd and Jo Jo Pierce (GBR)

Dartworlds 2010 webiste online!!

Last Updated (Saturday, 20 June 2009 12:16) Written by Nicolette van Gorp Friday, 19 June 2009 20:45

The organisation of the 2010 Dartworlds is already underway. Dates and location are known.

Recently,  the official event website has been launched! Look at: http://www.dart18worlds2010.com