Round Texel

Round Texel is the biggest catamaran race in the world with an annual average of 600 participants.

The "Ronde om Texel" (Round Texel) is a regatta for catamarans around the island of Texel in The Netherlands. Round Texel was first organized in 1978. In that year Sigi Lach won in a Hobie 14 in a field of 84 participants. Since then the race grown into the biggest catamaran race in the world with an annual average of 600 cats participating. The race has its start and finish near Paal 17 on the North Sea and is approximately 100 kilometers long. It is organized once a year on a saturday in June. The race starts an hour before high tide to ensure that there is enough water to pass the high mud flats northeast of the island. This tidal prerequisite determines the date that is chosen each year for the event.

Strong tidal currents and variable winds around the island make "Round Texel" a highly tactical race that has been won alternately by professional sportsmen and skilled outsiders. Notable winners have been Reg White, the first multihull Olympic champion, who won Round Texel in 1994 at the age of 59. In 2003 the trophy went to Darren Bundock, world champion in several multihull classes in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The 30th anniversary race on June 23, 2007 was won by Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby from Australia in a F18 Hobie Tiger. Line honours have been won in this year by Xander Pols and Tjiddo Veenstra

External links

* [http://www.roundtexel.com/ Round Texel website]