Mitch Booth to strengthen Team Boskalis in 2013

by Diana Bogaards on 17 May 2013 Mitch Booth (AUS/NED) will strengthen Team Boskalis 2013. By sharing his knowledge and experience with the other team members, he will support further growth of this Dutch multihull platform. Another novelty is the expansion with one F16 catamaran, in addition to the original four Nacra F18 Infusions and one Nacra carbon 20.

On Saturday May 18, Team Boskalis will line up for the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta in The Hague, Netherlands. The ultimate peak moment of the season is going to be the 2013 F18 Worlds in July.

Multihull specialist Mitch Booth (NED/AUS) grabs the chance of Team Boskalis to take his son Jordi (AUS/ESP) under his wing for a year. According to the veteran, this is the last season that their combined weight makes them a good F18-duo. His objective is to help his son further in the saddle. Jordi is now following in the footsteps of his father and represents Spain at the ISAF Youth Worlds in the multihull. Mitch Booth won Olympic bronze and silver in the Tornado for his native country Australia. At the Olympic Games of 2004 and 2008 he represented the Netherlands and finished fifth both times.

The British multihull talent Andrew Walsh joins forces with Mischa de Munck (NED) in 2013. Walsh is not a newcomer to the F18 class, but in recent years he pointed his arrows especially on the Tornado and Extreme 40. Walsh won the UK F18 Nationals twice and finished fifth at the F18 Worlds. Then all attention went to the Tornado, but Walsh lost the qualification for the 2008 Olympics. He switched to the X 40, took the helm of Team BT and finished third overall in the Extreme Sailing Series 2008. De Munck made his debut in Team Boskalis in 2012. He formed a mixed duo with Froukje Feenstra (NED), with whom he ended up as third mixed multihull at the World Championships F18 that year.

Dutchmen Jorden Veenman and Frank de Waard enter their third Boskalis-year together. Veenman about their expectations for 2013: 'We have noticed that cooperation by combining forces is an interaction between the teams. For example with Team Captain Gunnar [Larsen], who really knows much about the boats and a he is a great talent on the course. We talk and train a lot with him in order to improve. We also discuss racing matters with Jolbert, who has a different background with lots of racing in large fleets. In return, we give him tips and tricks about how to sail cats. I am impressed with how much they have grown over the past year. That proofs the concept of Team Boskalis works! You have only teachers!' Veenman and De Waard commenced their 2013 season with winning the Eurocoupe in Bray-Dunes, France.

Jolbert van Dijk and Niels Kleijweg made their F18 debut in 2012, learned a lot and are ready for the next step. They already nailed down their first victory of the season at the first Dutch class event of 2013 last weekend.

This season, Froukje Feenstra broadens her horizons with the Nacra F16, as permanent helmsman of Team Boskalis. During the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta, she will form an all-female team with Sanne van Hek. The 2013 F16 Worlds in Travemünde, Germany will be Feenstra's peak moment. She will participate with her twin brother Diemer.

Xander Pols and Stefan Dubbeldam, the initiator of Team Boskalis in 2007, form the sixth Boskalis duo, sailing the Nacra carbon 20. In 2012, they took line honours in worlds' biggest catrace, the Round Texel. On June 15, they will aim for matching that performance. An overall victory on handicap would be the icing on the cake.