Volvo Ocean Race – A successful campaign for Team Brunel

by Team Brunel - Robbert-Jan Metselaar on 26 Jun 2015 Volvo Ocean Race – With second place in the world's toughest ocean sailing race in the pocket, the Team Brunel men are enjoying their well-deserved rest. After the In-Port race on Saturday, most of the sailors will head for home together with their family and loved ones. But first, Bouwe Bekking, Gerd-Jan Poortman and Andrew Cape look back on this Volvo Ocean Race, which was so successful for Team Brunel.

Volvo Ocean Race veteran Bouwe Bekking is happy with his team's performance. “We prepared exceptionally well and the team functioned amazingly throughout the race,” says the Dutch skipper in Gothenburg. “Those preparations formed the basis for our successful campaign. The communication with the sponsors and the budget monitoring was equally good.”

This edition of the Volvo Ocean Race figures highly on Bouwe Bekking's favourite race list. “My first Volvo Ocean Race was the best of my seven attempts, but this edition is way up there in second place. I've really enjoyed the one-design class and the team. The sailing itself was more exciting than ever before, the boat stayed in one piece and we came in second. How unique is that, to head to work with such enjoyment every day?'

“What I enjoyed most was the pit stop in Scheveningen. That was the climax of the race as far as I'm concerned – alongside the two leg victories. My least favourite leg was the one from Abu Dhabi to Sanya. Although we were making good time, we didn't have enough speed close to the wind. My favourite would have to be the final leg because we sailed superbly from Scheveningen to Gothenburg. For the first time in the race, we enjoyed good boat speed close to the wind.”

While Bouwe Bekking is very satisfied with the current Volvo Ocean Race set-up, he has identified possible points for improvement. “I think the VO65 is a fantastic boat, but I'd like to see a bit more lead in the keel, as long as that's not a problem for the mast. Plus I'd like different electronics systems and an extra sail. It would also be useful if the AIS system could be switched off in certain areas where there is very little shipping traffic.”
Bouwe Bekking will remain affiliated to Sailing Holland. “Together with Sailing Holland, we'll once again be looking for sponsors for a new Dutch Volvo Ocean Race campaign. I haven't given much thought to my role yet.”

“I'm proud of the fact that everyone was willing to work together, both on board and ashore. We are only a small team after all, with a pretty modest budget,' says Gerd-Jan Poortman. 'We are however also a close team, with all the noses continually pointing in the same direction. Of course, we had some irritations between team members, but any problems were professionally ousted by our team coach Anje Marijcke van Boxtel at the end of each leg. There will always be things we should have done better. They're mainly tactical decisions on the water, which didn't turn out the way we hoped.'

“I love sailing a one-design class boat,' Gerd-Jan Poortman continues. “Never before has the race been so exciting, but I do believe that we need to change a few things in order to guarantee the continuity. A number of the VO65 boats will be sailing their own programme all over the world until the beginning of the next Volvo Ocean Race in 2017. It's essential that we know whether the boats are all still exactly the same after such a period.'

“The boats themselves are fantastic. I do feel, however, that there is little leeway for teams to really excel. The environment in which we are sailing is overly controlled, We have the same boats, sails, software and weather reports, and there are more and more exclusion zones within the course. I don't think that's necessary. We're all experienced seamen and we know all the international sailing rules inside out. The AIS system doesn't help either, as all the teams are continuously checking on each other on the digital sea chart. I'd like to advocate more freedom.'

“It would surprise me if this was my last Volvo Ocean Race. For now, I'm going to focus on skippering the Team Brunel boat. On Sunday, we'll be sailing the boat to IJmuiden with a special crew, after which we'll spend two months sailing with business relations. The boat will then depart to the Caribbean, where we'll sail a number of well-known regattas such as the Heineken Sint Maarten Regatta and Les Voiles de Saint Barth. In the meantime, Sailing Holland will be on the lookout for sponsors for a possible new Dutch Volvo Ocean Race team.'

Andrew Cape also agrees that Team Brunel was a successful campaign. “We came in second and the boat stayed in one piece,” says Andrew Cape proudly. “Team Brunel is one of the best teams I've ever worked with. That was mainly because of the team composition and the long training period on Lanzarote. Prior to the months spent on Lanzarote, Bouwe had put together the perfect team. Later on, the two under-30 sailors joined us. We got on very well right from the start and made each other even stronger.'

“I might take a few days off after the race, but I won't hesitate if I'm invited on another sailing job. Who knows, I may well sail the Volvo Ocean Race again. Never say never.”