The VO65 Fleet
The VO65 class has been used for the last two around-the-world editions of The Ocean Race and the fleet is set for a third lap of the world in the upcoming 2022-23 edition. Built to a strict one-design rule, the boats are identical in every way, and therefore extremely evenly matched.
The VO65 division in The Ocean Race Europe is made up of two entries from the Netherlands, as well as one each from Austria, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, and Portugal.
Dutch-flagged entry AkzoNobel Ocean Racing is led by Australian skipper Chris Nicholson, one of the world’s most experienced around-the-world racers. The team’s international line-up blends proven experience with exciting young talent, and features Britain’s Will Harris as navigator, as well as Australians Liz Wardley and Lucas Chapman as boat captain and watch leader respectively. Also on board is British bowman Trystan Seal, as well as Rosalin Kuiper (NED), Rory Hunter (GBR), Giulio Bertelli (ITA), and Charlie Wyatt (AUS).
Lithuanian entry Ambersail-2 is led by Lithuanian London 2012 Olympian skipper Rokas Milevičius. The crew includes 2016 Vendee Globe competitor Conrad Colman (NZL) as navigator, as well as Lithuanian sailors Domantas Juškevičius, Deimantė Jarmalavičiūtė, plus Tomas and Linas Ivanauskas.
Led by Dutch skipper Gerwin Jansen – an accomplished offshore racer with a highly competitive reputation – The Austrian Ocean Race Project is a young and ambitious team of international sailors with a shared enthusiasm for big boat sailing. Despite positioning themselves as the ‘new kids on the block’ this team plans to use The Ocean Race Europe to establish its credentials. For The Ocean Race Europe the team will operate a core crew of sailors made up of Oliver Kobale (AUT), navigator Jolbert van Dijk (NED), watch leaders Michiel Goegebeur (NED) and Konstantin Kobale (AUT), and sail trimmer Anna Luschan (AUT), with other sailors rotated in on each of the offshore legs.
Portuguese entry Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team is led by the noted French ocean racer Yoann Richomme with a crew list packed with sailors from the 2017-18 around-the-world edition of The Ocean Race – plus some keen newcomers.
The Mirpuri line-up is made up of navigator Nico Lunven (FRA), watch leader Jack Bouttell (GBR), bowman Olly Young (GBR), mid bow Emily Nagel (GBR), helmsman/trimmers Bernardo Freitas (POR) and Frederico Pinheiro Melo (POR), pitman Willy Altadill (ESP), floater Mariana Lobato (POR) and OBR Martin Keruzore (FRA).
Dutch ocean racer Bouwe Bekking – a skipper who has become synonymous with The Ocean Race since he first raced around the world back in 1985-86 – leads the Sailing Poland crew which includes the highly regarded Norwegian racing navigator Aksel Magdhal, as well as experienced ocean racer Jens Dolmer from Denmark as boat captain, and the young but experienced Simbad Quiroga from Spain as bowman.
“What I’m looking forward to the most is just to be our sailing and racing again,” said Bekking from Stockhom, where his team had taken part in a short prologue event. “To have this event in between the around the world races is important for all of us. We have a young team, and we want to give them an opportunity to learn about what ocean racing is all about.”
The youngsters on Bekking’s team are a group of talented young Polish sailors keen to ramp up their professional ocean racing experience: Maja Micińska; Anna Weinzieher; Alan Alkhatab; Stan Bajerski; Kacper Gwóźdź; Mateusz Gwóźdź; Gustaw Miciński. Sailing Poland’s OBR is Adam Burdylo (POL).
Skippered by Dutch two-time America’s Cup winner Simeon Tienpont, Team Childhood I features an experienced core crew comprising Dutchmen Gerd-Jan Poortman, Peter van Niekerk, and Wouter Verbraak (navigator) and former Olympian Pieter-Jan Postma.
Additionally, the team has assembled a pool of talented Dutch, Swedish and South African sailors to rotate onboard during three legs of The Ocean Race Europe, including: Jelmer van Beek; Rutger Vos; Laura van Veen; Arianne van de Loosdrecht; Matt Whitehead (RSA); Julius Hallström (SWE); Robin Jacobs; Lars van Stekelenborg; Max Deckers.
Viva México skipper Erik Brockmann is a talented Mexican sailor who previously led two Mexican teams in the Extreme Sailing Series, as well as racking up thousands of miles of offshore racing – including six editions of the prestigious Transpac Race.
Brockmann is flanked by two experienced watch captains in the form of Spaniards
Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermúdez – a competitor in seven editions of The Ocean Race – and Jaime Arbones, as well as Mexico’s Juan Varela and Juan Luis Medina, Carlos Robles (ESP) Miguel Fernández (ESP), Moritz Spitzauer (AUT), Nadir Balena (ITA), and Eugenia Bosco (ARG). Viva México’s OBR is Jen Edney (USA).
The Ocean Race Europe starts from Lorient on Saturday May 29 and finishes in Genova, Italy on June 19. As well as the three equally scored offshore legs – Leg 1: Lorient to Cascais, Portugal; Leg 2 Cascais to Alicante, Spain; and Leg 3 Alicante to Genova, Italy – the teams will also race two shorter coastal races in Cascais and Genova with bonus points being awarded to the top three finishers.
As a prelude to the start of the first leg from Lorient, on Friday May 28 all the teams will compete in a non-scoring race around the nearby Ile de Groix.
