Olympians join with Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive ahead of The Ocean Race Europe
by Canada Ocean Racing 8 Aug 22:56 BST
Scott Shawyer (left), Susann Beucke (middle), Jo Aleh (right) © Richard Mardens / Canada Ocean Racing LLC
Two Olympic sailors, Jo Aleh (NZL) and Susann Beucke (GER), joined Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water Positive in Kiel today for the Pro-Am racing ahead of The Ocean Race Europe's main event, starting on Sunday.
The pair - both Olympic medallists and respected figures in the sailing world - teamed up with the Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water Positive crew in a fast-paced speed trial against some of the sport's most competitive teams.
Jo Aleh is a two-time Olympic medallist in the 470 class (Gold, London 2012; Silver, Rio 2016), who competed at Paris 2024, a SailGP athlete and an America's Cup sailor for the New Zealand women's team.
Susann Beucke, an Olympic silver medallist from Tokyo 2020 and holder of multiple European titles. Now living in France, she sailed with Team Holcim in the last Ocean Race and has her sights set on the 2028 Vendée Globe.
Today in Kiel, they joined the Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water positive team, alongside William Thomas, managing director of 18K Sport, the delivery partner leading the Auckland Stopover for The Ocean Race 2027.
On returning to shore, Jo Aleh reflected on how these IMOCAs are different to her previous experience: "I did a bit of Volvo 65 sailing, and these IMOCAs are really different. The number of ropes has escalated - there's a lot of ropes! I like the covered cabin - great for the Southern Ocean. You'll still get wet, but not all the time. There's a lot of great improvements and these boats look like they're going to absolutely send it. You've got to love foiling."
Susann Beucke transitioned to becoming an offshore sailor in 2022 and remembers the expectations she had back then: "I thought at the time I only needed to learn a few things, but I was hit by the fact I had to learn everything again. A lot of stuff is new. The IMOCA boats are bigger and there's way more technique required."
Canada Ocean Racing's Be Water Positive campaign uses the platform of elite offshore sailing to raise awareness of global freshwater challenges and inspire action towards responsible water stewardship. The team collaborates with partners to highlight solutions, share knowledge, and encourage positive change for the planet's most vital resource.
"It's really important to keep the oceans from warming and to keep them clean. It's something I can identify with as a sailor. We've seen a lot of heavily polluted venues, and this is a good message to support and race for, " said Susann.
"It's something every sailor is aware of. We live on the ocean. We're there every day. In New Zealand, we think we have no issues with water, but we do, of course. Everything that can be done to spread the message and make people more aware is a positive thing. It's life, we need it. We need to look after the oceans otherwise we're not going to survive," said Jo.
Nick Moloney, CEO of Canada Ocean Racing, said: "We're honoured to welcome athletes of Jo and Susann's calibre on board. It's a shame the winds were on the light side, but having their energy and passion on board for the Pro-Am was fantastic, and being out on the water with the other teams was an exciting preview of what's to come on Sunday."
The Kiel event continues through the weekend, with the main race starting Sunday, 10 August, where Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water Positive will compete against an international field in a showcase of speed, skill, and teamwork.