High seas, local life prepare drivers for Assen.

The six Champ Car World Series stars attending Thursday's press conference in Assen took the chance to meet some of the young Dutch stars of tomorrow as well as experiencing some unique Dutch culture.

Sebastien Bourdais, Robert Doornbos, Justin Wilson, Paul Tracy, Jan Heylen and Katherine Legge were on hand as local school children raced around a temporary kart circuit in the middle of town, although some took things a little too far.

Always ready to compete, Heylen took the chance to try his skills against one of the young children - only to be soundly beaten! Despite being one the smallest drivers in the Champ Car World Series, power to weight wasn't on his side on this occasion.

Bourdais and Doornbos also took to the track to do battle renewing their season-long rivalry. On this occasion, unlike Mont Tremblant, Bourdais claimed the victory, but knows that Doornbos will be out for revenge when the serious business begins at Assen today [Friday].

It wasn't only motorsport on the agenda, however, as, prior to the press conference, the six drivers went from handling 750 horsepower to trying to reign in 400 'sheep power', as they visited a farm just outside of Assen.

It seems that being 'herded' from one media event to another had paid off, however, as they did a spectacular job - aided by a well-trained sheep dog - in getting the entire flock out into the field.

Pre-race activities weren't just confined to Thursday, mind you - although Doornbos will be hoping that he has better luck on land than he did on water after being beaten by a pair of future stars in a fishing boat race on Tuesday.

The Minardi Team USA driver was joined by Legge, Tristan Gommendy and Dan Clarke in 'captaining' 19th century Dutch botters off the traditional Netherlands village of Spakenburg, but were soundly beaten by Road America Atlantic winner Franck Perera and Dutch ace Junior Strous.

The drivers were joined on the water by local media and corporate sponsors of this weekend's event, but Perera and Strous, teamed up on the newest boat - albeit one still more than 100 years old - raced away from the start and were never headed as a lack of wind hampered efforts to get the ancient craft up to full speed.

"I have actually never been to this part of Holland before, but it was really fun out there," Doornbos said, "Our boat set the pace early, we were feeling comfortable and had a good set-up - especially when we stole the wind away from everyone's sails at one stage. I tried everything I could to - even throwing a rope out at a container ship to tow us along."

Container ships won't be of much use to Doornbos, or anyone else for that matter, this weekend, as the Dutchman attempts to prevent Sebastien Bourdais wrapping up a fourth straight Vanderbilt Cup in front of what is expected to be an ardent Dutch crowd as Assen.