Swedish Dutch Team Childhood I finished third in the first Leg of The Ocean Race Europe. In a nerve-wracking final, the team skippered by Simeon Tienpont finished behind AmberSail 2 and leg winner The Austrian Ocean Race Project on respectively 15 and 21 seconds. This first leg took the fleet from Lorient in France via a virtual waypoint in the Atlantic Ocean to Cascais in Portugal. A distance of more than 1300 nm.

The podium place is an important step for the young team, which, in addition to the experienced Tienpont, Peter van Niekerk, Wouter Verbraak, and Gerd-Jan Poortman, consist of no fewer than eight young professionals under the age of 30. By sailing The Ocean Race Europe these under 30 sailors are being prepared for The Ocean Race 2022-23.

Quotes from the team

Simeon Tienpont: "In four days' time we have had the experiences you normally get in half a race around the world. We made a lot of mistakes but also did some things really well. Despite the few seconds difference at the finish line we are for now happy with this third place!"

Rutger Vos: “This was a beautiful leg, with a lot of downwind sailing. We have sailed fast for 1300 nm without seeing a lot of the competition. Until about the last ten hours of the leg. Then everyone got back together and we could actually see all the other boats. This meant that we have all been more or less on watch for the last ten hours, we really sailed the boat together and pushed it to the limit. Especially through the light wind part in the last stage, we sailed very well. We positioned ourselves in a great spot to turn in first around the corner. Unfortunately, we couldn’t bring it home in the last part to the finish. But in the end, overall I’m definitely pleased with the result.”

Arianne van de Loosdrecht: "Since this morning the whole fleet was sailing more or less together. There were a lot of small position changes. We knew from the beginning this morning that the leg would be decided in the last couple of miles. We turned around the last corner, with about 4 or 5 boats almost next to each other, side by side. At the finish, we had to let The Austrian Ocean Race Project and AmberSail 2 go.

Gerd-Jan Poortman: “Fantastic leg! After 4 years of absence from the Volvo 65’s, I know what it’s about again. Work, work, and work! Racing these boats is so delightful. Especially with all these young professionals.”

new quotes will be added.

Crewlist Team Childhood I – leg 1

Simeon Tienpont – NED – skipper
Gerd-Jan Poortman – NED – watch leader
Wouter Verbraak – NED – navigator
Peter van Niekerk – NED – watch leader
Jelmer van Beek – NED – under 30
Rutger Vos – NED – under 30
Laura van Veen – NED – under 30
Arianne van de Loosdrecht – NED – under 30
Matt Whitehead – RSA – under 30
Max Deckers – NED – under 30
Lars van Stekelenborg – NED – under 30
Julius Hallström - SWE – under 30
Filip Wojcikiewicz – POL
Brend Schuil – NED – On Board Reporter

Team Childhood I third in the opening Leg of The Ocean Race Europe