Team Childhood I third in the opening Leg of the Ocean Race Europe
by Team Childhood I 2 Jun 2021 21:24 BST
2 June 2021
Team Childhood I - The finish of Leg One of The Ocean Race Europe from Lorient, France to Cascais, Portugal © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race
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.
Rutger Vos - NED: "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 the whole fleet 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 - NED: "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 - NED: "Fantastic leg! After 4 years of absence from the Volvo65's, I know what it's about again. Work, work, and work! Racing these boats is so delightful. Especially with all these young professionals."
Simeon Tienpont - NED: "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!"
The Ocean Race Europe VO65 Leg 1 Results:
1. The Austrian Ocean Race Project 13:47:41
2. Ambersail 13:47:47
3. Team Childhood 13:48:02
4. Sailing Poland 13:49:00
5. AkzoNobel 13:50:33
6. Viva Mexico 13:51:53
7. Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team 13:53:52