2005 New Years Fun Race in Playa del Águila
The 2005 New Years Fun Race in Playa del Águila was a great success. With 40 competitors in total it was the biggest fleet to date since its beginning in 1997.
The “soul” group that started this event back in 1997 are still attending – year after year – which include famous windsurfers such as Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Vidar Jensen and Orjan Jensen. This year (2005) their motivation to spend this last day of the year windsurfing together brought a big group of people to Playa del Águila.
Between spectators and competitors there was a crowd of over sixty people on the beach, forty of them competitors. The registration was made at 12:00 and competition time began at 13.00. Being what it is, a ‘Fun-race’ the local competitors started slowly to show up around one o’clock.
The competitors were divided in 5 different teams – all teams had 5 adult windsurfers, 1 child windsurfer and 2 paddlers (none windsurfers). Each paddler had to do one round with one of the adult windsurfers; the child windsurfer has the option to lower his sail size and was therefore the last windsurfer to go in each team.
All 5 teams were equipped with beginner boards and big sails (7.2 – 7.8 m2) from the Dunkerbeck windsurfing centre.
The first race was a simple half figure 8 course, jibing one time on the outside buoy and back to the pit area for team member change.
The second race was longer – adding another jibing mark on the inside and two jibes on the outside. Paddlers only had to join the ride one time around the outside mark.
The third race was only done by the team captain and one team member – the rest of the competitors were tired and sat the last race out. This round also had two jibes on the outside and one on the inside. It was amazing and so much fun to see the team working together in the Pit area! Some grabbed the next person and helped him/her on the board as quickly as possible, while the equipment was turned and positioned correctly by others………. really good pit stop action!
The team captains are chosen by their windsurfing abilities… this way the best guys do not end up in the same team. This year captains where: Vidar Jensen, Orjan Jensen and Bjorn Dunkerbeck, all professional windsurfers as well as Urmas and Herki, two amateur racers visiting from Estonia. Some of the visiting people in this race have also joined in since the first year and we always try to keep the same people in the same teams.
The last two years Orjans team has taken first place – but this year his team was pushed back to 4th place. The last team was Herki’s in 5th place. The first place this year was Bjorn’s team; Gunnar, Voitek, Theo, Sina, Kay, Grete and Robin and in second place was Vidar Jensens team.
The clear reason for Bjorn’s teams victory was youngster, Kay (14) visiting from Holland with his (also competing) family. Kay always managed to gain the places needed for the team to come in first place in every round. Once he had to overtake his own mum – who had a really great lead, but nevertheless did not manage to hold it – and Kay took his team to first place.
In the last race of the day Kay joined Bjorn in the two man team. All captains started the race and Orjan had a clear lead and did the competitor change long ahead of all the rest. Bjorn was not to fast in this last round – but Kay pulled through again and got them their third first place.
After the races the bungalow restaurant ‘Drop Inn’, came with the sponsored Paella – and all competitors and spectators filled up with energy again before heading home to get ready for an evening of partying! The prizes were awarded on the beach – and champagne flowed for the first time that day – all over the competitors!!! The Dunkerbeck windsurfing centre thanks all the competitors for joining us in the free fun race we organise every year – we hope you had as much fun as we did and will come back and join us in 2006!
New Years Fun Race, Playa del Aguila 31.12.
Results.
FIRST PLACE
Captain: Bjorn Dunkerbeck
Adult Windsurfers: Gunnar, Voitek, Theo, Sina
Kid Windsurfer: Kay
Paddlers: Liuba y Robin
SECOND PLACE
Captain: Vidar Jensen
Adult Windsurfers: Kaupo, Einar, Eike, Marie
Kid Windsurfer: Sahra
Paddlers: Dimitri y Etienne
THIRD PLACE
Captain: Urmas
Adult Windsurfers: Raul, Roma, Jan, Peter
Kid Windsurfer: Carina
Paddlers: Daniela y Laura
FOURTH PLACE
Captain: Orjan Jensen
Adult Windsurfers: Timo, Reinhard, Jan, Christian
Kid Windsurfer: Marijn
Paddlers: Emilio y Grete
FIFTH PLACE
Captain: Herki
Adult Windsurfers: Gerhard, Andy, Helmut , Philipp
Kid Windsurfer: Micha
Paddlers: Marelis y Sonja