At 11.00 hrs sharp, the Green Flag went down for the first start of the opening rally of the European Tour: The Coastal Run!

13 Teams participated in 4 different classes, and they competed for the first 200 points in the overall championship of this year Rib Rally. A great competition it was, where unfotunately the champion of last year, Team Roughneck, could not compete within the Kings Class, but had to send their juniors to take the honors with participaton in the Minor Class. But, the number 2, Derksen Infra, and 3 of last years ranking, MM Bouw, were for sure present at the starting line, and had a great rally and battle!

Rally 1: surprising winners...
With a light northern wind, and full sunshine ahead, the first rally took the field north from IJmuiden, around the "Razende Bol" and then into the straight between Den Helder and Texel. After a fast 48 nautical miles, the first team to finish was an outsider in the Major Class: Team Ribverhuur.nl. To everybodies surprise, including their own, the had passed Team Biesheuvel in the first rally. What a great start of their season!

The first team to pass the finish in the Kings Class, was Team 24: Derksen Infra. In their yellow Osprey, that had taken the lead over three other teams going for the first place: Valk Racing, MM Bouw and Brink Elektro!

One team did not make it to the finish. The junior team of Roughneck experienced technical problems and could not complete the rally. It took some serious searching and support of the Dutch Coast Guard to get them back home. They were found 5 miles of the track, and could be taken into their homebase Den Helder.

Rally 2: tougher conditions and fuel problems
After a great lunch in "De Compagnie", it was time to set course South and head for IJmuiden again. The wind had picked up, turned a bit to North-West and create a serious swell in line of the track. Rallying with the waves, surfing nose-dipping was on the menu...

Unfortunately, Team Ribverhuur.nl could not take their first lead into prolongation, and it was Team Biesheuvel taking the victory in the second heat. In the Kings Class, just out of nowhere it seamed, it was Team MM Bouw that came over the line as first, leaving a gap of more then 2,5 minutes before the second team arrived: Valk Racing.

Team Derksen in competition with Omnivents at the last meters... 

And only then, in a battle to the last meters, it was Derksen Infra passing the finish line just before Team Omni "4th Place" Vents came in... Derksen experienced some fuel problems on break in Texel. Or better said, some none-fuel problems, as a great part of the fuel stock was taken by an outsider-boat. So, with no liters to waist, calculations needed to be made by Team Derksen, in order to reach the finish at all! But with smart thinking and elegant rallying, they did take some valuable points!

Top 3 Results of the Coastal Run
The first championship points of the Rib Rally European Tour 2010 are divided...

See the full ranking over here.