There was a little less wind in the sails of Buttjesrigata on 2 and 3 September in De Panne this year, meaning that the sailcar pilots in the Standart class did not start. In the second grade, Henri Demoisser and his son Lucas won first and second prize, respectively.
54 participants from Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom registered for this edition of Potjesregatta. “It was a technically challenging race with minimal north-easterly winds, but we are counting on the wind gods to be more favorable to us during the upcoming European Championships on September 30,” says Jan Lee, president of RSYC (Royal Sand Yacht Club). .
I started early
RSYC’s Henri Demuysere (57) is not ready for his audition piece. Like the rest of his family, he developed a passion for sailing at an early age, thanks to the inspiring example of his father Robert, the driving force behind sailing yacht racing. “My brothers Pascal and Yann and I started sailing when we were about eight years old. You gradually learn to feel everything very well. Today it was to our advantage to have a bigger sail since there was only a light wind. You should then have a good idea of where Where the wind blows. In this case, the technical aspect is more important than the physical aspect.”
“They sometimes call us the ‘Demoisier Dynasty’ or the ‘Blankerts’ of sailing cars.”
Henry “Fingerspitzengefühl” took first place in the second semester. Son Lucas (20), from De Krab Sailing Club, performed well and took second place, following in his father’s footsteps. Jan Demoisier (52 years old) comments with a laugh: “With Lukas, my son Jerko (14 years old) and Kato (31 years old) (our niece Pascal), we are talking about three generations of Demoisseurs who are active in windsurfing. They sometimes call us the “Demoisier Dynasty” or the “Blanquerts of sailing cars”, because all three generations have already competed in the European Championship. However, it’s not just competition that matters. It is also a “friendship sport” where we exchange experiences with each other. I’ve been going with the Irish for 12 years!
The European Commission is approaching
Graeme Grant from Ireland and Laura Garcia from Spain, who signed up for the Standart class at Potjesregatta, can confirm this. “Yes, we always have a lot of fun.”“, confirms Graeme, who has also registered to participate in the upcoming European Championships in De Panne. Jan even has a prediction for the top three places in his head: there will definitely be a Belgian, and then also an Irishman and a Frenchman!
