2010 REVIEW 2011 PREVIEW - International Dragon Association

New Year’s Greetings Campers....As you may know I normallygive an end-of-seasonroundup at this time to helpyou all keep up to date with theStavroson 2011hood Charity Race and the European Championship all into onefantastic event. I tell you if anyone can pull it off, it’s the Libors. WithUlli rushing around like a madman of half his age and Manuelaorganising everything behind the scenes, it’s an event not to bemissed. Boltenhagen has wonderful beaches to relax on after somewinners and the individual suc-refreshing racing on the Baltic Sea. It’s new Marina is surroundedcess stories I witness throughby superb hotel facilities and apartments, which complement thethe year, bringing hopefullyshort sailing distance to the race course. If you have ever thoughta smile to your faces as I lookof doing a Europeans, DO THIS ONE, it will be family friendly withback over yet another seasonmany “off the water” activities and superbly organised. Some travel-of Dragon Racing at the high-ling boats may take the opportunity to move onto the German Na-est of levels... However, due totional Championships in Kuehlungsborn which starts a week later.the new “Blog” format offeredI have been assured by the great Tommy Müller that this will be anby our exciting and ever chang-extremely well attended event. So why not spend a week touringing IDA Web Site, the past hasthe sights of Hamburg after the Europeans and then try your handbeen noted, it’s the future youagainst the biggest National Dragon Fleet in the World!require!Belgium will then have the privilege of hosting the Gold CupSo looking ahead to 2011in September. As the 2010 Belgian National Champion, I can tellthe Melbourne Worlds are al-you a great deal about Ostend. It’s Yacht Club is one of the mostready upon us and by the timefriendly you will ever visit and the town has endless golden sandythis article is out in circulation abeaches that will keep the most active of young family membersnew World Champion will havebusy. Meanwhile on the water, the North Sea tides offer a mostbeen crowned... With over 80boats registered, many from Europemaking the long journeydown under, I am sure it willhave been exciting, challenging,rewarding and extremelyhard fought at the highest levelof sailing any class can offer. Iwill be there to take part andwinter racing will be in full flowat Cascais, Cannes, Vilamoura,San Remo and Monaco. What away to brush away those dustychallenging race course, with sand banks, tidal changes and differentsea conditions that will keep the most experienced of our sailingfleet on their guard to the very end of every race….. Thinkingback I’m sure many of you will recall the last Gold Cup held there in2001, which saw some boats stranded, fighting an increasing tide.But please don’t let that put you off travelling to Belgium, for thelast nine years we have had the most excellent racing organised bysome of the best Race Officer’s in the World and with the BelgianNationals preceding the Gold Cup, a better warm-up event couldCMYCMMYCYCMYKwitness how the races unfold,cobwebs and get the magicnot be planned. Be There!as a betting man myself, I’ll put“feel” back in those steadyAnd so finally Camper’s keep your eyes glued to the IDA webmy money on either Markushands and set the blood rush-site Blog where I will bring you regular updates from the events IWieser or Lars Hendriksen win-ing through those overstrainedattend throughout the coming season. Try to get your own Dragonning, with Tommy Müller in theveins filled with the Xmas &down to any of the early winter series (or contact me for boat char-top three! The following namesNew Year festivities. In May it’ster possibilities). Make dates in your diaries to attend and supportto be in the frame and possibleour ever-faithful Douarnenezyour own National Championships throughout the year, as well asrace winners, Richard Lynn, Nickregattas, where Louis, Gwentravel whenever you can. It’s great to see the International eventsRogers, Andrew Craig, Jorgenand Annie put together thewell attended, but never forget the grass roots of the class whereSchoenherr and Lawrie Smith.BIGGEST FLEET event of thethe local clubs still need every support.... Remember to encourageWith my wild card wager ofyear.“New Blood” into the class whenever possible, we need youngerKlaus Diederichs being in theIncidentally, the “Flintstone’s”sailors learning the skills from the experienced racers in order tomix. Whoever lifts the trophyare not liked in Afghanistan, butkeep our precious fleet at the very top of it’s game. Then lastly andat the end of the week, it willthe people of Abu Dhabi Do :-)very finally, raise a glass to our class legend, Poul-Richard Hoj-Jen-have been probably the tough-(sorry about that one Densil....)sen, who no doubt is relaxing at his new home in Antigua, trying toest and highest standard of anySo onto the other majorsneak another beer from the fridge, as his watchful guardian angelDragon Worlds..events of 2011, Boltenhagensearches for another home improvement task for him under theThen in Feb/March/April wewill host the Europeans in earlyblue and cloudless sky......will all have the delightful op-July, where Ulli and Manuelaportunity of sailing in the Southof France, Portugal or Italy, asLibor will hope to combine theGerman Grand Prix, the Child-Higher, Faster, Longer.............paynesailing@aol.comStavrosPage 12