Double victory for Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97 TP Services), winners of the Super U & U Express Oasis Prize and the Saint-Barth Cata-Cup 2025!
Two Sunday races for the Prix Super U & U express Oasis, which concluded four days of sailing under the sun in St Barth. For these final confrontations, the committee featured an extremely tactical course, on the windward side of the island, tricky and unpredictable, yet perfect for differentiating the best of the best.
Segeco In The Lead
The first race of the day took the 48 boats from Saint Jean to the magnificent beach in Saline, and across the finish line. The course required finesse, mostly upwind, in unstable winds that called for clear thinking, precision, and composure. Here, the hierarchy can change in the blink of an eye: reading the water, sensing the gusts, making millimeter adjustments… a real tactical headache.
Sailing superbly since Saturday, Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand (Segeco) confirmed their return to form by clinching another victory. Behind them, overall leaders Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97 TP Services) secured a solid second place. Jean-Christophe Mourniac and Benjamin Amiot (Gypsea) completed the podium: “We came third in this round, which is great! We were overtaken downwind by Tim and then at Colombier by Henri: they have been untouchable these last few days,” said Benjamin Amiot. “We fought hard, which is fantastic. Every year, the level here is incredible, we really enjoy the St Barth Cata Cup.”
A Different Kind Of Podium For The Second Race Of The Day
No sooner did they arrive, than they were off again, with the race committee moving straight into the second race of the day. This time, it was a typical return leg, from Saline to Gustavia and Public Beach. In this final battle, the inevitable duo of Demesmaeker/Rosengren (97 TP Services) secured their sixth victory in eight races—with the regularity of a metronome.
Just behind them, Argentineans Cruz Gonzales Smith and Mariano Heuser (Bacchus Equipements) recorded a superb performance, making a particularly inspired decision to sail far offshore. “The race was super-short and super-fast! We were sixth at Coco Island, and we chose to go farther offshore where there was more wind pressure: it was the right strategy,” said a delighted Mariano Heuser.
Third place in this race went to Americans Gavin Parker and Dan Brown (Sibarth Real Estate).
Henri Demesmaeker & Rasmus Rosengren Win The Prix Super U & U Express Oasis
Finishing second and then first in the two Sunday races, Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97 TP Services) brilliantly clinched the Super U & U Express Oasis Prize, adding another win to their already impressive list of achievements for the week. They finished ahead of Brett Burvill/Max Puttman (Le Barthélemy Hotel) and Cruz Gonzales Smith and Mariano Heuser (Bacchus Equipements).
Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97 TP Services) Crowned Winners of The Saint Barth Cata Cup 2025!
“In my opinion, consistency will be the key to winning the race,” Henri said at the beginning of the week.
The young 24-year-old Belgian skipper was spot on: he executed his strategy with surgical precision. With six podium finishes in eight races, impressive consistency, and a fifth place as their only subpar performance, the Demesmaeker/Rosengren duo dominated this 17th edition with remarkable mastery. Sailing with Demesmaeker was Swede Rasmus Rosengren, 2023 F18 World Champion and skipper of the Swedish boat.
“We are really happy. Rasmus did an excellent job again today. We weren’t that far behind Tim, we always kept him in our sights. We did what we do best: sail the boat fast!” emphasizes Henri.
The Belgian-Swedish pair, racing together for the first time, immediately found their footing. “We were a little short on speed upwind at the very beginning of the week, but we were able to pick up speed, fine-tune the settings, and stay consistent. Rasmus is super versatile and very attentive to detail. He’s a complete sailor, not only strong on catamarans but also in understanding the race course and race management,” Henri continued.
For Rasmus, this victory was especially sweet: “This is my fifth time competing in St. Barth, but my first victory. I’m very happy… and a little relieved as well! We had to fight to win, and we really enjoyed competing against the best.”
Mourniac/Durand (Segeco): Fighting Back, But Not Enough For The Win
Handicapped by the breakage of their spinnaker halyard in the very first race of the Saint Barth Cata Cup, Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand (Segeco) took a while to recapture their characteristic mojo. The last time they sailed here, they dominated the competition, winning every race. Their 15 years of competing together finally paid off: yesterday, the two friends rediscovered their instinctive teamwork and that little extra something that makes all the difference. Their three victories at the end of the week allowed them to finish on a high note. However, it wasn’t enough to catch up with the leaders: “We finished in second place after a chaotic week, which was to be expected,” acknowledged Tim Mourniac. “We were far too inconsistent against Henri and Rasmus, who were very consistent. We didn’t really sail at our best, but we enjoyed ourselves in a few races.”
An Australian Duel For Third Place: A Nail-Biting Finish
A state of suspense endured right to the end of the regatta, for third place on the podium, with a battle between the two Australians teams, each having the same number of points before the final race. At the end of the day, Brett Burvill and Max Puttman (Le Barthélemy Hotel) took home the bronze.
“The finish was amazing,” notes Brett Burvil enthusiastically. “It’s great to be on the podium after such a battle. Yesterday, on the same course, we made quite a few mistakes. That taught us a lesson. We learned from what we saw yesterday. Every day is a day to learn something else. We’re thrilled with this result! The organization is incredible: bringing all these boats and competitors here, managing our accommodations in this magical place, it’s crazy! I take my hat off to them. We’re going to be talking about this event all over Australia.”
By Saint-Barth Cata-Cup
