- TEAM WISSENRAET (NED 345) WINS GRAND PRIX MUIDEN SERIES (NETHERLANDS)
Since 1939 the Royal Netherlands Yacht Club and the Dutch Dragon Class are organizing an annual series of races with a precious silver replica of a ship sailing for the city of Enkhuizen in the 16 the century as the main prize. The name of the winner is added to the silver plates.
This year a fleet of 22 Dragons from Germany, Belgium, Estonia and of course The Netherlands were racing during four weekends from Muiden, the home base of the Royal Netherlands YC.
The start of the series at the end of April was tough. Material and crews were tested during polar conditions with gusts up to 33 knots and snow on the decks. Team Bakker (NED 422) Team Wissenraet (NED 345) and Team Van Cauwenbergh (BEL 80) founded their base for the final results during the first series.
Given many other interesting series in surrounding countries in this period of the time of the year, Team Bakker (NED 422) lost points in relation to NED 345 and BEL 80, given their choice to join the races and lobsters in La Baule. No racing, due to lack of wind during the final series, prevented this strong Dutch team to challenge the NED 345 and the BEL 80 for the final results. Team Wissenraet (Reinier Wissenraet, Pim ten Harmsen van der Beek and Marc Reijnhoudt) scoring a triple during the third series, was the overall winner of this interesting a truly international Grade Two event in Holland, including a Traditional Dragon Dinner in the good spirit of the Class. As a result the coming Belgian Open in Ostend has around 10 entries of Dutch teams joining the Belgian, German and British registered Dragon friends in Ostend. It proves to be a good way stimulating Corinthian teams to sail abroad.
