July 14th 2008.  To you it might not sound like a special dat at all.  To us, however, this date will be remebered for quite a long time.  That night, during the shortened Martin's Nieuwpoort Channel Race 2008, we damaged our spinnaker boom and ultimately even lost on of our rudders.  One year later, Felicity II and its crew, Bert and Glenn, have sailed many more miles together and are confident that they will finish Martin's Nieuwpoort Channel Race 2009.

Sunday morning, July 12th, 2009.  At the KYCN yacht harbour in the port of Nieuwpoort, 28 sailing yachts have assembled for the only Belgian offshore long distance race.  The bigger boats will compete in a 540 nm race, taking them from Nieuwpoort to Ostend, around the Isle of Wight, then South to the Isle of Sark and back to Nieuwpoort.  Six Mini 650's will participate in a slightly shorter race.  The 320 nm race will take them to the Isle of Wight and back.  The will compete in their own class in the downwind beat to Ostend as well, dubbed the "Channel Raceke" by the race organisation, as well.

That morning Glenn and Bert are studying the most recent weather forecasts.  The first day and night would be tough, but afterwards things are looking challenging, but not impossible. Tension rises, spirits are high.  Felicity II was ready, more than ever, for what proved to be an extremely exciting three day sailing adventure.