Volvo Ocean Race – Team Brunel announce crew replacement

by Team Brunel - Robbert-Jan Metselaar on 13 May 2015 Volvo Ocean Race - Due to an elbow injury Gerd-Jan Poortman is unable to sail the seventh leg. The Dutch bowman will be replaced by a fellow Dutchman and reserve crew member of Team Brunel, Timo Hagoort.

“After seven months of Volvo Ocean Race my arm has caught an infection,” says Gerd-Jan Poortman in the Newport harbour. “It all started a couple of days ago. I'm taking antibiotics now. According to the doctors, it's not sure it will be cured within four days. And even if the infection is cured before the start of the next leg, I still can't use my arm on a professional sailing level. Because the next leg is very demanding from start to finish I have decided together with our physiotherapist Mark Haak and skipper Bouwe Bekking not to participate in this leg which will take us to Lisbon.“

“Gerd-Jan has an elbow bursitis,” says physiotherapist Mark Haak. “A bursitis can be caused by a bacteria or by an inflammation. In both cases it needs to be treated carefully and it will not be fully cured on a professional sailing level before the start of the next leg. “

'As a bowman you get the most hits. Physically, it is the toughest task onboard, so the chance of this type of injury is always present,' adds Gerd-Jan Poortman. 'I‘m happy that I was able to sail all stages, including rounding Cape Horn, so I've actually already been around the world. Of course I'm disappointed, but I find it especially hard to let the team down. In Lisbon, I will step back onboard. Timo is a hard worker and a fine replacement. And Rokas has enough training to take on the role of first bowman.'

'Although Timo Hagoort is our first reserve for the two sailors under thirty, I also really wanted someone who had previously sailed on the boat,' says Bouwe Bekking. 'And during the preparation for the Volvo Ocean Race he sailed many miles with us, so that’s why the choice fell on him.'

'I got a call this afternoon from Team Brunel director Gideon Messink,' says Timo Hagoort from the Netherlands. 'When he told me that I can sail to Lisbon onboard Team Brunel I let a little cry of joy and immediately afterwards I asked who had to be replaced. I know Gerd-Jan very well and I learned a lot from him. Since I became the first reserve, the team has grown a lot, so I do not know exactly which role I will get. I will work as hard as possible. My strength is that I can trim and work on the foredeck.'