Martinair Race – OCS & Miscounting legs
“We do win, but we definitely have to work hard for it”, said Pim Nieuwenhuis after six bullets out of nine. “We started badly in the last race and had to work ourselves through the fleet. There are enough options on the course, which is good. It is a percentage game. If you make less mistakes than the others, you will come first.” They do dominate the competition, but Nieuwenhuis still likes the battle: “There are some good teams and every time there is another one fighting for the lead, like John Casey (USA) and Jorden Veenman (NED) in the second heat.” Casey and Veenman were in the lead for three laps and finished third, but back on the beach they found out about their OCS. Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) miscounted the number of legs and carried on for a sixth one, which cost them their third podium position.

Eventful starts for Heemskerk/Zanen
Eduard Zanen and Mischa Heemskerk commenced with an OCS and blew the next start. Zanen: “We hit the pin-end and had to take a penalty. We were forced to continue on port-tack and were eleventh at the top mark. By gibing and tacking in the pressure, we were able to come back in the leading pack.” The last year’s winners finished second. Zanen: “The top is broader this time. There are at least six teams interfering in the battle for podium places.”

Honored by ATA
On Wednesday evening, the Aruba Tourism Authority honored Willie van der Heijden (NED) for coming to the island for the tenth time in row. Van der Heijden: “The atmosphere is still great and I enjoy the sailing here. The Aruba Regatta is very well organized, which makes me coming back every year.” Van der Heijden and his crew Arthur Moerman are racing a Nacra 20, but in 2009 they will return with a F18. Van der Heijden: “Let’s see how that goes.” Leo Ambtman (NED) already received the award, officially presented by the ATA. He only missed three editions of the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta out of eighteen. Ambtman: “I was there at the first Aruba Regatta ever. Over the years, the concept stayed the same. It is about racing in paradise, but the level has improved. I never have enough of this event.”

Almost 6,000 euro for Right to Play
“The lottery raised 1,400 euro and the auction about 1,500 euro”, said Vladimir Voute (NED) proudly. He and his colleague Meriam Winterink organizes the fund-raising event within four weeks. “It is heartwarming how everybody offered prizes. Our employer Atos Origin will double this amount, so that will make it 5,975 euro. We are very happy with this result.” According to the initiators, most tickets were sold during happy hour. “Meanwhile, we showed a special video message of silver medalist Annemieke Bes.” The action was associated with an imaginary case, called ‘Passion for Kassy’. Kassy represents a boy in Sudan, who wants to play and practice sports with his boyfriends. “The money goes to his village.”

Top five <105 fleet (35 entries) after nine races and two discards:
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 8 points
2. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 16 points
3. GBR – Sunnucks/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion 23 points
4. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 24 points
5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 32 points

Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after nine races and two discards:
1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 9 points
2. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 13 points
3. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 15 points

The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

Zwitserleven Race: Last-minute gains
This Wednesday morning started calmly on the Aruba beach. The conditions were light and the sailors did not seem to be in a hurry, after a lay-day full of activities. They took their time to get dressed while swimming in the Caribbean Sea. But once they were out, the heat was on and the sixth race of the series saw a new winner. Menno Vercauteren and Jaap Straatenbroek pushed the accelerator hard and played the game well. They slowly worked their way up to the front and got there at the very end. Vercauteren: “We finally beat Mischa and Eduard in the last beat. Close to the top mark along the coast, they tacked off early and sailed straight into a header. We carried on and tacked on the lay-line. We gibed straight after the mark and picked up the breeze, whereas Mischa continued to the right side of the course into less pressure.” Vercauteren and Straakenbroek had a big lead, even after the penalty they had to take just before the finish. “It was so exciting”, said Vercauteren with a big smile.

Despite its bad start at the boat end, Team Zwitserleven came back strongly and finished second. Nieuwenhuis: “In the first beat we had every shift wrong, but after that we got them all right. We avoided the corners and went through the middle to leave all options open. That gives you the possibility to play the shifts.” Booth and Nieuwenhuis normally prefer the big winds, but today they showed their skills in the light conditions. Nieuwenhuis: “We don’t mind these circumstances as long as there are many tactical options on the course. Today it was about the tactics, more than boat speed.” The Olympic duo passed Heemskerk/Zanen in the last meters before the finish.

Semi-long distance: The tables are turned
Fortunately, the breeze was strong enough for the traditional semi- long distance race in the afternoon. The fleet had to round a top mark first, where after it set course to the southern point of Aruba, passing a reef and small islands. The 41 catamarans returned through the tricky lagoon in the shadow of Oranjestad and the airport. The differences in pressure and wind direction were significant, which was hard on the crews.

Mischa Heemskerk and Eduard Zanen (NED) were first at the upwind buoy. Heemskerk: “Initially we stayed close to the shore, whereas Mitch and Pim gibed away and chose for the seaside.” The two of them battled it out all the way to the entrance of the lagoon. Booth and Nieuwenhuis were leading at that point and extended the gap. On the way back to the last mark before the finish, the two front runners came together again. Heemskerk: “We sailed above Mitch in a good breeze, so he tacked and crossed us at the stern. We continued and benefited from a shift to the left. That is where we got him.” Sander de Boer and Mischa de Munck finished third. De Boer: “We gained a lot on the reach, by switching quickly in the variable wind. It was a great race.”

Small fleet: Troubles for leader
“We did alright this morning, but we had some troubles in the afternoon”, said Dart 18 sailor Martin van der Velden. He and his daughter Nicole are leading the small fleet. “We could not get the boat into the groove, until we found out why. In the lagoon we noticed that one hull was dislocated by 3 cm, so we pushed it back as hard as we could. Fortunately, we managed to overtake Henk, so we finished second.” Manfred Thomasch and Amanda Westera took both bullets.

Right to Play
It rained prizes in the afternoon at the Holiday Inn Beach Party. Not to reward the sailing performances, but to collect money for the Right to Play foundation. This event was initiated by team Vladimir Voute and Meriam Winterink (NED). All sponsored items were sold by auction or raffled. The final return will be doubled by Atos Origin, the employer of Voute.

Top five <105 fleet (35 entries) after seven races and a discard:
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 8 points
2. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 14 points
3. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 21 points
4. GBR – Sunnucks/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion, 25 points
5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 29 points

Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after seven races and a discard:
1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 8 points
2. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 14 points
3. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 17 points

The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

Miss Aruba International Miss Nuraisa Lispier won “Best National Costume” title during the Miss International Beauty Pageant in Macau, China among 63 other beauty queens from around the world.

Nuraisa’s costume is a carnival fantasy representing the joy of the Aruban people during the island’s famous month long carnival season. The wining costume was designed by local designer Hendrik Croes.

Star Promotions, organizer of the Miss Aruba pageant, is proud to announce that this is the second year in a row that the Aruba representative won this title.

This morning, big black clouds hang above the southern point of Aruba. As the fleet sailed out for the first race, it started raining and the wind was very gusty. By the time thunder and lightning came closer, all boats were sent back to the beach. That allowed the sailors to adjust some settings on the boat, to have a chat with others or to just have a siesta nap. During lunchtime the sky cleared up and the variable breeze filled in (10-12 knots). Finally, the Setar and Martinair Races could be sailed.

Booth: ‘Fun course with interesting tactics’
“Well, it is the other way around”, said Mitch Booth about sailing the former Olympic course. “This afternoon, we went clockwise and it used to be anti-clockwise in the old days. It has been a long time ago, since I rounded the marks on starboard.” The competitors had to do two tri-angles and a sausage. “It was a fun and small course with interesting tactics. The conditions were tricky, which you can expect from easterly trade winds at the leeside of an island. There was so much to gain and lose on the downwind along the coast.” Booth and Nieuwenhuis had a big lead at the first top mark in race one, but stayed a bit too long close to the shore. Pols/De Waard and Zanen/Heemskerk closed the gap by choosing the seaside. However, Booth and Nieuwenhuis maintained their winning position.

New F18
Despite sailing a 2005 Hobie Tiger, Team Zwitserleven is still competitive. Booth: “It is a 15 year old design, but it goes alright.” Meanwhile Booth and Nieuwenhuis are part of the design team of the new Hobie F18. Booth: “We are spending a lot of time to get all the details perfectly right. There are some good guys involved, such as Bundy, Ashby, Mourniac and Citeau. Pretty much everything is new and there are no compromises, since it might last for another fifteen years.” This summer, the Olympic duo caused heavy discussions by introducing the Code Zero to the Tornado class. However, this sail won’t appear on the new F18. Booth laughs: “It is not allowed by the rules.”

Pols: “Experience pays”
During the first three days of close competition, Xander Pols and Frank de Waard showed a consistent performance with only top four results. Today’s score is a fourth and second, which keeps them in second position overall. Former overall winner Pols: “I like the changeable weather at the moment. I think the experience with Aruba and the sailing pays in these circumstances. It feels good to battle with top sailors as Mitch and Mischa. Coming back from a fifth to a second place in the last race is fantastic. We never teamed up before, so I am very pleased with our performance.” Pols and De Waard are about 20 kilogram heavier than their competitors, which is an advantage going upwind. Pols: “We are slower downwind though, but the beat takes twice as long, so that is good.”

Small class adventure
The small class with six slower catamarans is dominated by the local kids. Father Martin and daughter Nicole van der Velden started the series with a disqualification, but took revenge by winning all following races. The Grijpma brothers and helmsman Henk-Johan Hankart are in a comfortable second position. Sil Grijpma (11) about his adventure of the day: “The dose dived into the water and I flew around the forestay. That had never happened before.” Amanda Westera, crewing for Manfred Thomasch (AUT), is third overall: “My mom replaces me in the mornings, while I am at school.” Both youngsters will participate at the Dart 18 Worlds 2009 on their home island Aruba.

Top five
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 4 points
2. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 10 points
3. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 10 points
4. GBR – Sunnuck/Farren, F18 Nacra Infusion, 17 points
5. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 19 points

Top three >105 fleet (6 entries) after five races and one discard:
1. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 4 points
2. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 8 points
3. AUT – Thomasch/Westera, Dart 18, 15 points

The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

Today’s weather required a lot more trimming and smart racing. The winning strategy was about getting the shifts and pressure right. Sunburned legs and arms had a rest, as it was mostly clouded. The morning breeze was about 8 knots strong, but in the afternoon it picked up to 16 knots and more. During lunchtime on the Aruba beach, the competitors could share their experiences and reconsider their tactics. Or simply enjoy the Aruba hospitality. Late afternoon, they decided to have their happy hour in sea, as the rain was pouring down in a tropical shower.

Race 2 - Going left pays
“We had to fight all race long”, said Mischa Heemskerk with a smile. He and his helmsman Eduard Zanen had a close battle with Xander Pols and Frank de Waard. Heemskerk: “I saw good pressure on the right sight of the course, so we started near the starting boat. Unfortunately, we had no room to tack and had to carry on. It looked really bad, but we managed to stay with the front runners. We pushed hard downwind and were second at the gate. In the next beat, we grabbed the lead by going to the left.” Pols and De Waard did the same and climbed to the second position. Both front runners fought for every meter. De Waard: “In the third beat, we went a bit further left than Mischa, which was our winning move.”

Crewing for the F18 World Champion
Jacques Visser and his son Thijs Visser (NED) recovered well from a bad start and finished third. Thijs (19): “We were forced to tack to the right, where we picked up a cloud with a good breeze. That was our luck.” This is their last regatta as a family team, as Thijs will move on to a new challenge. Next season, he will crew for the current F18 World Champion Coen de Koning (NED). “I am very excited about it, as it is a big step forwards for me. It gives me the chance to learn a lot and to compete on the highest level”, said Thijs Visser.

Race 3 – Shorter course
After a relaxing lunch break, the third starting gun was fired at about 2:45 PM. The race committee decided to shorten the course, so the fast cats had to do three laps and the slower boats two. That was one less that in the previous races. Booth: “That made the first beat very important.” He got it right and was in the lead from the beginning until the end. That battle for the second and third place was full on. The British duo William Sunnucks and Simon Farren was fifth at the first top mark and overtook three boats on the following run. It looked like a comfortable second position, but Heemskerk/Zanen became a threat again. Sunnucks: “On the last full beat, Mischa went left and made a huge gain. He came into second place, but dropped down to a third.” Sunnucks and Farren benefited from the final shift and kept their competitors.

In the evening, the sailors and families enjoyed the tasty barbeque at Moomba Beach. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, as three races are scheduled.

Top five <105 vloot (35 entries) after three races:
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger, 7 points
2. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion, 8 points
3. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger, 10 points
4. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn, 13 points
4. NED – Visser/Visser, F18 Capricorn, 15 points

Top three >105 vloot (6 entries) after three races:
1. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18, 5 points
2. ARU – Van der Velden/Van der Velden, Dart 18, 10 points
3. ARU – Grijpma/Van Galen, Hobie Tiger, 12 points

The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Heineken, Aruba (ATA), Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

The British/Dutch duo Gummer/Bogaards, sailing a F18 Capricorn, took a flying pin-end start and leaded the pack for three laps. Gummer: ‘As soon as we cleared the line, we tacked on the lay-line for the windward mark, which was already after about 50 tot 100 meters. The rest of the fleet went further into the corner.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis had the same plan and timing but there was no room, so they were forced to carry on. Gummer continues: ‘Mitch and Pim overtook us in the third beat, as they tacked away. They crossed ahead of us, but we were ahead of them at the next crossing. We held them on the run and the same thing happened during the last beat.’ Booth and Nieuwenhuis broke away and kept this lead all the way to the finish, although they nearly lost it.

Soon after the hoist, they gibed to the left side of the course, whereas Gummer stayed right and took advantage of a bit more pressure and a shift. Both teams met again in the gate. Booth: ‘We over stood the mark, so we had to put the spinnaker away.’ They still managed to stay ahead of Gummer, who had to give water to a catamaran of the small fleet. ‘It was a good race’, concluded Nieuwenhuis. And it was their first one together after finishing fifth at the 2008 Olympics in Qingdao. ‘We agreed with Zwitserleven and Hobie Cat to compete in the major F18 events in 2009. That means we will do Eurocat, Round Texel Race and the F18 Worlds. Our main focus is on racing the new Hobie F18.’

Xander Pols and Frank de Waard (NED) finished third with their F18 Nacra Infusion. Pols: ‘We banged the right corner of the beat twice, by which we gained many boats.’ They passed De Boer/Munck and last year’s winners Zanen/Heemskerk.

Small fleet too eager
Half of the small fleet, including six slower catamarans with a handicap rating higher that 105, was too eager at the first start. Three teams pulled on the sheets one minute too early, which resulted in a DSQ. Thirteen year old Sil Grijpma and his helmsman Henk-Johan Hankart (from Aruba) won with their Dart 18. Sil and his brother Rens (11) crew for Hankart. Their mother Francis van Baaren and sister Frederique Grijpma are also in the same competition.

Two races are scheduled for tomorrow.

Top five <105 fleet (35 entries):
1. NED – Booth/Nieuwenhuis, F18 Hobie Tiger
2. GBR – Gummer/Bogaards, F18 Capricorn
3. NED – Pols/De Waard, F18 Nacra Infusion
4. NED – De Boer/De Munck, F18 Hobie Tiger
5. NED – Zanen/Heemskerk, F18 Hobie Tiger

Top three >105 fleet (6 entries):
1. ARU – Grijpma/Hankart, Dart 18
2. NED – Baas/Baas, Hobie 16
3. ARU – Valize/Maarten, Nacra 580

The Aruba Catamaran Regatta is sponsored by Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), Heineken,  Martinair, Hapag Lloyd, Holiday Inn, Setar, AWA, Coca Cola, TNG, Does & Cadushi, Aruba Aloe, Palmtours, Aruba Watersports Center, Atlantis, Pelican Nest, Moomba Beach, Zwitserleven and Alfons de Letter.

Presented by The Billionaires Media, Luxury – category Public Relations: An experienced media group combining Premier BUSINESS, FASHION, FILM, MUSIC, and Non-to-Profit Charity for exclusive representation.

Participated by high–end boutiques, presents exclusive designer collections showing the most up-to-date trend with a global fashion sense. Fashion insiders will come together at the most prominent fashion event of the season.

Designer Boutiques approached for participation include: Mercedes-Benz as event “title sponsor”, American Express as co-title sponsor, Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Cartier, Bvlgari, David Yuhrman, Gottex, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, BCBG Max Azria, Gimmick (Nicole Miller, Tadashi), Calvin Klein, Clarins, Chopard, Swarovsky Crystal, Mont Blanc, Patrizia Pepe Firenze, Paola Frani Italia, Via Spiga, Nine West , Tiffany & Co., Roberto Coin and VISA Platinum Aruba Bank.

WHAT WILL YOU WEAR THIS SEASON?

HAUTE FASHION is an exclusive runway show, for guest only, where only the most selective boutiques of Aruba will be showcasing their Holiday Season Collection.

Special Designer guests from Miami and Venezuela, Eva Zissu and Gabriela Chacon of the Fundacion Diseñadores de Venezuela Para Los Niños .

Guests will be able to presence the show with an unrivaled view, while enjoying signature cocktails in addition to meeting luminaries in Aruba’s most exclusive lounge, Mr. Jazz Lounge, on December 7th, 2008 at 8 pm.

Title sponsor will host the Star Lounge at HAUTE FASHION, where the shakers and makers of this powerfull fashion industry and their VIP guests will indulge in premium champagne, decadent cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, one hour prior to the show.

In conjunction with the finest to provide hospitality, services and amenities to make this elegant evening as enjoyable and pleasant possible are:

The Billionaires Media
All guests will receive a customized plastic Preferred Customer Card to enjoy their Holiday season shopping with a special 10% promo at all participating premier boutiques. Valid from Dec7th to Jan7th, with the Preferred Customer Card you are guaranteed that your customers coming in, will spend more . It will promote your business, increase traffic and your sales, specially in the local market. The “ Preferred Customer Card will also build “customer loyalty”.

The Gift Bag
Each guest will also receive the renowned gift bag (as seen at FashionWeek), with remarkable promotional material(brochures,catalog) and samples of each participating sponsors boutique, jewelers and restaurant. This will also help increase traffic and sales during this Holiday Season.

UPS-Fast Delivery
As the official express delivery and logistics provider for Haute Fashion,
Fast Delivery offers the most comprehensive delivery solutions designed for the fashion industry- unique, quick, easy-to-use services from this expert in express shipping and delivery.

Diario Aruba
Press Releases , candid photographs , Diario Aruba is distributed to the most elite residences and community in general. Available to all high traffic locations in affluent areas. Diario Aruba has more than 25.000 subscribers who crave learning about what is haute fashion again , a number that is growing each month.
The only newspaper to personally cover international renowned shows as Mercedes –Benz Fashion Weeks , Miami and New York, and also one of world’s largest art affairs, Art Basel in Miami.

Magic 96.5
Aruba’s Fashion Station. The only radio station that covers the Runway like this.

ATA Aruba Tourism Authority
HAUTE FASHION will be promoted in the official Aruba website, www,aruba.com, through their newsletter page. Our visitors will be able to presence the event as well.

Haute Fashion Holiday season show will be covered front row by Aruba’s leading journalists, editors, buyers and fashionistas. This front row will be shared with philantrophist and socialites. An A- List of executives, professionals , International media, top real estate companies, luxury condominiums, lofts and the fast growing fashionable market. An attendance of minimum 500 exclusive guests.

The event will have total exposure and promotion at all Concierge Managers and agents of our Hotels, distributed by The Billionaires Media concierge liaison.

Foundations/ Charity
Part of proceeds will be donated at the event , to the Aruba Alzheimer Foundation and the organization against child abuse Fundacion Respetami and Addopt an Addict.

As part of the package, kids ages 5 – 12 can participate in a children’s camp with fun-filled activities like Papiamento lessons, t-shirt painting, face painting, arts and crafts, basketball, movies, pool games, beach games, bingo, scavenger hunt, snorkel clinic, tennis clinic, soccer tournament, snacks and more.

For parents who want to keep the kids close but also want a little privacy, the Tamarijn Aruba’s Family Room offers the option to add on a separate room for as many as 4 children up to age 18 at a special discounted rate.

A stay at the recently renovated Tamarijn Aruba includes, air-conditioned, oceanfront accommodations in two-story buildings each with a patio or balcony, color satellite flat screen television, hair dryer, iron, ironing board, mini-fridge and telephone. Located just ten minutes from the airport and five minutes from Aruba’s capital city of Oranjestad, this low-rise resort is set on beautiful Druif Beach with a shopping arcade and the Alhambra Casino nearby. Readers of Caribbean Travel & Life magazine have regularly named the Tamarijn Aruba as one of the best all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.

Guests staying at the Tamarijn Aruba also have use of all facilities and services at the Divi Aruba, located next door. All stays at the Tamarijn Aruba include all meals and snacks at a choice of ten dining outlets (surcharge applies and reservations required at Windows on Aruba, located at The Links at Divi Aruba adjacent to the resort), unlimited beverages at seven bars and the use of three freshwater pools. In addition, all guests may enjoy the well-equipped Divi Winds Sports Center, which features an air-conditioned, oceanfront fitness center with the latest strength and cardiovascular equipment as well as a 30-foot outdoor rock climbing wall on the beach. The Divi Winds Sports Center also boasts non-motorized water sports including snorkeling equipment, snorkel clinic and tour, sunfish sailing, floats, kayaks, beginner’s windsurfing equipment and “Learn to Windsurf” beach clinic. Tennis on courts lighted for night play, beach volleyball, beach olympics, bikes and bike tour, tennis clinic, casino table games, arts & crafts, dance lessons, beach soccer, billiards, board games, darts, basketball, Papiamento lessons, entertainment nightly, theme nights, ticket to Bon Bini Festival (seasonal), Funbook! with coupons for the adjacent Alhambra Casino, tax and service charges are further all part of what guests receive at Tamarijn Aruba.

The Divi & Tamarijn Aruba 2009 all inclusive Honeymoon Packages offer:
- Accommodations for two with a spacious patio or balcony (Guaranteed preferred Deluxe Oceanfront room with king-sized bed at Tamarijn Aruba or Oceanview or Beachside room with king- or queen-sized bed at Divi Aruba)
- Candlelight Dinner for two at the oceanfront Sunset Beach Bistro including a glass of wine for each person, taxes, service charges and round-trip transportation from the Divi & Tamarijn Aruba
- Bottle of champagne
- Free night first anniversary certificate
- Remembrance gift

In addition to specific package features, honeymooners staying at either the Divi Aruba or the adjacent, recently updated, oceanfront Tamarijn Aruba have use of all facilities and services of both properties. The packages are value-added with prices based on seasonal nightly rates and are available year-round.

Further, all guest stays at the Divi & Tamarijn Aruba include all meals and snacks at a choice of ten dining outlets (surcharge applies and reservations required at Windows on Aruba, located at The Links at Divi Aruba adjacent to the resort), unlimited beverages at seven bars and the use of three freshwater pools. In addition, all guests may enjoy the well-equipped Divi Winds Sports Center, which features an air-conditioned oceanfront fitness center with the latest strength and cardiovascular equipment as well as a 30-foot outdoor rock climbing wall on the beach. The Divi Winds Sports Center also boasts non-motorized water sports including snorkeling equipment, snorkel clinic and tour, sail boats, floats, kayaks, beginner’s windsurfing equipment and “Learn to Windsurf” beach clinic. Tennis on courts lighted for night play, beach volleyball, beach olympics, bikes and bike tour, casino games master class, arts & crafts, dance lessons, beach soccer, billiards, board games, darts, basketball, Papiamento lessons, entertainment nightly, theme nights, tickets to Bon Bini Festival (seasonal), Funbook! with coupons for the adjacent Alhambra Casino, tax and service charges are further all part of what guests receive at Divi & Tamarijn Aruba.

With the White Hot Winter Sale savings, double rooms are priced from $359 per night, January 4 – 31 and March 29 – April 18, 2009. Rates begin at $374 per night, February 1 – March 28, 2009. Families enjoy even more value as kids under 12 years of age eat free at the resort’s breakfast and dinner buffets.

Guests booking stays of five nights or longer will receive an additional added value of $150 credit per room. This credit can be used towards a host of signature amenities and services, including the Aloe Vera & Rum Massage from the award-winning Larimar Spa, a private sunset Dinner by Torchlight on the beach or gourmet dining at the AAA Four Diamond-rated Sunset Grille.

The White Hot Winter Sale can be booked through (800) 333-3333, the resort’s Web site www.radisson.com/arubawintersale or calling any travel professional.

Destination weddings have increased 400 percent in the past decade.* Occidental Hotels & Resorts is calling all brides to bring the dress and leave the stress with a variety of hassle-free, all-inclusive wedding and honeymoon options at its resorts throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Aruba and the Dominican Republic.

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Occidental Hotels & Resorts Weddings

Wedding packages include the essential cake, champagne, judge, documents, décor, flowers and one complimentary breakfast in bed. In addition, couples can customize their wedding depending on the resort:

Allegro Wedding Fiesta! - Starting at $1,400
Allegro weddings, available at Allegro resorts in Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, provide brides and grooms with the best value for their wedding budget. Planning is simple, affordable and fun with basic, premium and vow-renewal options.

Occidental Grandest Moments Weddings - Starting at $1,800
Occidental Grand weddings, available at Occidental Grand resorts in Mexico, Costa Rica, Aruba and the Dominican Republic, offer basic, premium and vow-renewal options. Free weddings are also available to parties booking a minimum of 10 rooms for four nights in the resort’s Royal Club accommodations.

Royal Hideaway Playacar Infinite Bliss Weddings - Starting at $2,400
Royal Hideaway Playacar in Mexico, the first adults-only**, all-inclusive resort to receive the AAA Five-Diamond Award, delivers a beautiful, personalized and thoughtfully planned day of wedding-bell bliss. The acclaimed resort hosts just one wedding per day and features six restaurants and a staff-to-guestroom ratio of 2.2 to 1.

Occidental Hotels & Resorts Honeymoons

Newlyweds staying a minimum of three nights at any Occidental Hotels & Resorts property can take advantage of a complimentary honeymoon package, which varies by resort, featuring a variety of amenities including room upgrades, resort discounts, congratulatory in-room items, continental breakfast in bed and more.

Couples looking to enjoy a more indulgent honeymoon experience can upgrade to a premium honeymoon at any Occidental Hotels & Resorts property starting from just $250 per couple, including the complimentary honeymoon package amenities plus exclusive experiences such as couples massages, a candlelit dinner for two on the beach or in-room, and more.

All Occidental vacations include unlimited meals and snacks, free-flowing drinks, juices and soft drinks, daily activities throughout the resort, non-motorized water sports, land sports, beginner’s scuba clinics, daily entertainment and activities, nightly shows and live entertainment supervised Kids Club (Allegro only) and all taxes and gratuities.

For more information or to book an Occidental Hotels & Resorts wedding or honeymoon, call 800-858-2258 or visit www.occidentalweddings.com

Once having accessed the trade-exclusive site, agents can contact the sales team, order a supply of brochures, subscribe to the quarterly e-Newsletter, view travel agent rates, download photography, look up their leisure sales representative and learn about LookToBook® – Carlson Hotels Worldwide agent reward program.

“Travel agents are an important partner in the success of Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa and Radisson St Martin Resort, Marina & Spa (opening December 2008) and have always been very supportive of our products,” explains Herron. “We wanted to create something specifically to make their jobs easier and help them know our properties better.”

For information and reservations, call Radisson Hotels & Resorts (800) 333-3333 or visit www.radissoncaribbean.com.

There are only 2 ranking tournaments left before the we will announce the Queens and Kings of Beach Tennis Aruba 2008!

Dates: Sunday, November 16, 2008 and Sunday, December 14, 2008

Location will now be: EAGLE BEACH across Le Dome restaurant.

About the paddles: We no longer be lending out the paddles! If you don’t have one, but still want to play with them, we will be renting them.

The rent is Afl 10 per paddle.

Get a Beach Tennis Clinic from a Pro!

Don’t miss out on this golden opportunity to get a clinic from Betrand Coulet from Reunion Island, one of the best professional Beach Tennis players in the world!

Every Friday from 3 pm @ MooMba Beach
Every Saturday from 9 am @ Eagle Beach
Cost Afl 15

If you want to join a clinic, contact Jochem Ros at info@arubabeachtennis.com or by phone at 5926421.

This is a perfect opportunity to get the tips and tricks from a pro.

Sunday 9th of November: Aruba’s 1st Singles Tournament!

Join Aruba’s 1st Singles Tournament on Sunday November 9th @ Eagle Beach!

You can register online at www.arubabeachtennis.com!

Where to Play?

Wondering where to play?

We have 3 locations where you can play Beach Tennis.

Every day, all day at MooMba Beach and Havana Beach. There are permanent courts there.

Saturday morning till Sunday evening (until the sun sets that is) at Eagle Beach (across Le Dome).

So See You at The Beach!

Jochem Ros & Sjoerd de Vries
Aruba Beach Tennis