Magazine Team Brunel

THE SKIPPER’S WIFE The love and the dread

CHALLENGED IN THE RIGHT WAY Get engineered to move faster

THE YOUNG AND EXPERIENCED In perfect balance

“A SHIP IS ALWAYS SAFE AT SHORE BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IT IS BUILT FOR”

A sudden phone call on a Sunday evening. Speaking Bouwe Bekking, Team Brunel’s captain. He was in Auckland, Monday morning by that time, wishing to update me on the latest race.

Ranking sixth was a major setback for the whole team, but at the same time Bouwe saw progression. We talked about the boat’s increasing speed and the unfortunate strategic choice Team Brunel made during the last few days of the leg. He concluded that the sailing team are real ‘Brunellers’, operationally strong, with winning spirits and capable of taking calculated risks. Risks that do not always turn out favorably, but ultimately do take the team steps ahead.

I told Bouwe, that ‘team Brunel’ supports Team Brunel for one hundred per cent and I wished him a safe and successful next leg. Bouwe did predict a podium finish, but for the team to win the ‘ultimate leg’ from Auckland to Itajai, no one dared dream of. The proof that space and sound support to grow, facilitates a winning team. From Brunel we do our utmost to create an environment for talents to develop themselves, grab opportunities and max out their potential. Be it on water or on the work floor.

Always ride the positive wave, with lots of hard work, celebration and fun. And when getting close to the coast, catch the new ones coming.

Go Team Brunel!

Jilko Andringa (51) succeeded Jan Arie van Barneveld as CEO Brunel last December.

Together with his wife and two youngest sons Jilko lives in a village nearby Amsterdam. In his little spare time you can find him on the

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water, mainly on his sailing boat.

JILKO

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ABOUT THE BOAT

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THE CAPTAIN’S WIFE

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TRUE OR FALSE?

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BENT AND BROKEN BUT NOT BEATEN

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TO DO ONE’S BIT

Marieke Ordelmans (Editorial manager)

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TELLING IT ALL IN ONE SHOT

Translation

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CAPTAIN’S LOG

Martinique Translations Photography Ainhoa Sanchez (cover, page 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 48) Yann Riou (page 1, 2, 12 , 13, 18, 19, 38, 42) Bart Salemans (page 4, 44, 46, 47) Jesus Renedo (page 6, 7) Rob Smalley (page 8, 9) Loepa.nl (page 14)

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Fabiana van de Paverd

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THE LEGEND: PETER BURLING

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ENGINEERED TO MOVE FASTER

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HIGH AS A KITE

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Robbert-Jan van IJzendoorn (Editor)

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Robbert Timmermans (Editor in chief)

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Editors

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Justin van der Moezel (Designer)

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Josine van Berlo (Art director)

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Design

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ZUID Creatives - www.zuid.com

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Concept & creation

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Bibi Rodel

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Steven Biester

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Kim Kruithof (Editor in chief)

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45° is a Brunel production

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BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS

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COLOPHON

Harry Wichers (page 16, 51) Rich Edwards (page 21, 32, 33, 34) Arno Stols (page 24, 25) Jarno Schurgers (page 36, 37) Ugo Fonolla (page 39) Sam Greenfield (page 43) Ydwer van der Heide (page 54, 55) Print Veldhuis Media BV

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DOING WHAT WE DO BEST

© 2018 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

TELLING IT ALL IN ONE SHOT

THE LEGEND: PETER BURLING 5

Being an onshore crew engineer for Team

the crew is a mix of women and men. “Team

Brunel is an all-encompassing job. “Our shoreside

Brunel’s achievements are the greatest recognition

crew consists of only six people, while some of

I can get for my work. If the guys show their

the other teams in the Volvo Ocean Race have

appreciation with a handshake or a nod, that’s fine

a shore crew strength three or four times that

by me. They shouldn’t be doing any more – they

number,” says Ernst-Jan van Housselt, to explain

need to focus on the race.”

his 80-hour working week. “It’s a dedication thing.

As professional maniacs we have no problems

Toothbrush and a clean T-shirt – that’s it

putting our lives on hold to contribute to the

When we meet with Ernst-Jan he’s been in The

success of Team Brunel.”

Netherlands for only two days. Tomorrow he’ll be off again, this time for Newport on the east

Focus on the race

coast of the US. The shore crew have just two

Ernst-Jan doesn’t mind that his long days play out

days to get everything ready for the boat to arrive.

behind the scenes. “Second place? I’d be equally

“In that time we need to get the maintenance

happy with third or fourth place. I am a facilitator.

facility operational, set up the Team Brunel

The guys on the boat – they are the ones who

display area, prepare the treatment room for the

do the work – they come first.” Ernst-Jan tends

physiotherapist, furbish a personal corner for the

to refer to Team Brunel as ‘the guys’ even though

team and get the RIB into the water,” he says.

When the team comes ashore after a gruelling journey of two to three weeks, they really need some personal space. To keep down weight, they are basically only allowed to bring a toothbrush and a clean T-shirt onboard.

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

45° BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS

Ernst-Jan devoted his whole life to Team Brunel 7

As the shore-side crew, it’s our job to check in all the hotel rooms and make sure their personal belongings are waiting for them. All the sailors should have to do is take a hot shower and lie on a comfortable bed to recuperate.”

Going the extra mile for that one goal There is no rest at the moment for Ernst-Jan who has been seconded from Brunel to the onshore team. “As soon as the boat docks, I’m down at the boatyard working through the maintenance programme ready for the restart. We get advance notice from the boat if any parts have been damaged or broken so we’ve made sure we have all we need to get everything back into perfect race condition. During the festival, I also look after the sponsors. I give them a tour of the site and the Boatyard and take them out for a sail on the boat. I’ve covered a lot of miles on the boat – until recently more than some of the guys now on board. I’m not sure I could take on the whole Volvo Ocean Race though. That’s really tough. After a hardcore leg, you’ve lost weight, your muscle mass has altered and your sleep patterns are upside down.”

Twenty kilometers a day in flip-flops It’s physically challenging for the shore team too.

“During the Volvo Ocean Race you’re following the summer so I tend to wear flip-flops most of the time,” says Ernst-Jan. “But after a month the pair I had were completely worn out. To find out why, I counted the number of steps I was making in a day. Turns out I was walking 20 kilometers just in the one square kilometer around the team base. Not surprising the flip flops didn’t survive the month.”

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“A WELL-OILED MACHINE TAKES BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS”

45° BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS

Right experience in the right place “Because we are a small team we have the advantage that we are enormously flexible, like a small business,” says Ernst-Jan. “Our shore crew of six can get everything done because we have people with the right experience in the right place. My biggest weakness is that I’m too much of a perfectionist, but I’m forced to set that aside once in a while. Being part of a small team, I have to make compromises all day. The start of the Lisbon leg was really tough. Team Brunel began preparations very late and it took blood, sweat and tears to get everything up and running together.

It was a learning curve for both the on-board and shoreside teams but we’re a well-oiled machine now.”

Life on a roller coaster During the race, Ernst-Jan is in constant contact with the other Volvo Ocean Race team members and was quick to realise they all had something in common: “Each of us had turned what was a hobby into full-time work. I’ve never lost my passion though. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to carry on. During the Volvo Ocean Race, I put my life on hold. When it’s over, I’ll hit play again. But until then I’ll ride this roller coaster.”

Ernst-Jan van Housselt is 44 years old, lives in Rotterdam and works as Shore Crew Engineer for Team Brunel

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Brunel – official human resources partner to the Volvo Ocean Race

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45° DOING WHAT WE DO BEST

A handful of sailors on a boat braving some of the worst conditions nature can dish up. On shore,

Official partner

a phalanx of highly skilled people stepping up

Antonio Bolaños Lopez, managing director of the

to and sometimes beyond the limits of what is

Volvo Ocean Race: “Brunel has been a valued and

possible on the water. Attaining the pinnacle of

consistent partner for teams in this event, dating

success in the Volvo Ocean Race is not down only

back to the final Whitbread Round the World Race

to those on board. Without the shoreside crew,

in 1997. For this edition, it is the title partner of

the boat could easily wind up bobbing helplessly

Team Brunel, supporting skipper Bouwe Bekking

in the middle of a lonely ocean.

in his incredible eighth participation in the race.

Now we are pleased to have it join us as an official

Added value

partner of the event, with a focus on supplying us

You couldn’t imagine help from outside the race

with specialised human resources services.”

falling short, not just for Team Brunel but also for the other participants. Brunel provides business

Services and expertise

services specialising in flexible deployment

“Over the past 20 years the Volvo Ocean Race

of professionals in the field of Engineering,

has given us the opportunity to promote our

Aerospace, Automotive, ICT, Finance & Risk,

specialised personnel services to a global audience

Marketing & Communication, Legal, Insurance &

through our partnership with teams in the event,”

Banking and all disciplines in the Oil & Gas industry.

says Jilko Andringa, chief executive of Brunel.

Brunel’s HR support to the Volvo Ocean Race is

“Today, we are forging stronger ties with the event

of added value. Recruitment and Operations staff

by becoming an official partner of the Volvo Ocean

are experts in their fields with access to the best

Race so we can provide our services and expertise

available network systems and are managed by

to the race organisation ashore, as well as provide

experienced professionals.

our professionals and contractors with exciting work opportunities.”

Long-term backer Since 1997 Brunel has been involved with four subsequent team entries, including Team Brunel in the current edition of the race. But 2017-2018 is special in that it marks the first time Brunel has partnered with the event organisers.

“BRUNEL HAS BEEN A VALUED PARTNER FOR TEAMS IN THIS EVENT” 11

Why is it that difficult to break through behavioral patterns? Why do we so often choose fast success, which in the long term only results in disadvantage? How do you make sure that together, you bring out the best in each other? To what level can you compare life on the Brunel boat to corporate life? According to Organisational Psychologist Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel and HRM Manager Ellen Schouten it’s a substantial metaphor.

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45° THROUGH STORM AND RAIN

Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel Organisational Psychologist She is praised as the spin doctor who - prior to the intense leg from Auckland to Itajaí – provided Team Brunel with the strength to give it everything they had. To bring out the best in each other.

Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel coaches Team Brunel and has been a fan from the start. In her opinion, diversity should empower and not limit.

Ellen Schouten HR Manager Brunel Netherlands The right balance, that’s what it’s all about. Work and private life go hand in hand, but if there’s no harmony, that’s where things go wrong. As HR Manager, Ellen offers employees an insight into their own balance in order to safeguard the balance between people and organisation. 

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“We live in a vuca world. Volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Rapid developments in technology and globalization require a large agility in our responses. We must be able to anticipate on situations we cannot predict. Change is the new constant. This means that we must keep developing until we are in our coffins. Continuing to learn, renew, adapt and most of all, be ridiculously good at what we do.”

It boils down to the team “This isn’t any different on the boat. There, the context is vuca as well. What are smart choices when it is difficult to predict what’s going to happen next? What should you do when the weather can change any second? The complexity is enormous.

It’s an intelligent game, where various scenarios must be thought-out constantly, and choices of what seems best must be made all the time. As with many companies, the boat crew has to work with the same hardware. The differences aren’t in the one-design boats and the competition is equally brilliant. That is when it boils down to the team. Developing during the race and bringing out the best in yourself and in the team, continuing to improve. Creativity to come up with innovative solutions and using those to make the boat sail

“WE MUST KEEP DEVELOPING UNTIL WE ARE IN OUR COFFINS”

that tiny bit faster time and time again. Diversity in this case is an opportunity. And this isn’t limited to gender and ethnicity. On the boat we are immensely diverse: millennials and baby boomers,

Anje-Marijcke van Boxtel is Organisational Psychologist, Executive (team) Coach and Speaker

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specialized in leadership, team and organisational development

45° THROUGH STORM AND RAIN

professionals and rookies, different personalities,

Bouwe Bekking. Leadership behavior is contagious,

behavioral styles, backgrounds and of course the

it determines the culture to a great extent. ‘If I stop

various expertise. People often have the tendency

learning, I should go and find another profession’,

to surround themselves with people with a similar

Bouwe told me during the last race. That sets the

character. Yes, this works more easily, but I abso-

bar. In the second circle are the individual crew

lutely wouldn’t recommend it; different people give

members. They also want to make optimal use of

different perspectives and you create more pos-

their potential. In the third circle we find the team

sibilities that way. In addition, sailors in the Volvo

that needs to grow as a whole. As a coach I am

Ocean Race need to be able to fulfil multiple roles,

turning all these wheels, as much as it is needed to

for a small team needs to do a lot of work. As you

optimally finetune the complete picture together.”

can see: it’s a beautiful metaphor for the corporate life.”

The Dakar “It’s simple: with everyone on their own little islands

Team compass

with their own expertise, you are not going to win.

“How do you bring out the best in yourself and

Take Peter Burling, he is a great driver, eager in

in each other? How do you grow together on the

pushing the boat. He is the master of Formula 1,

boat? In a vuca world, diversity is an opportunity,

but the Ocean Race is the Dakar. I’ve let him join

let it work for you. When people find a connection

the strategic sessions with the captain and the

with each other, a team compass comes about.

navigator, so he started to take the lead as well.

Such a team compass gives your team an iden-

The next step for him and Bouwe; building innova-

tity and this helps you realize your ambition. The

tion on experience. It was the horrific leg between

personal drives need to be connected in this team

Auckland and Itajaí. On the absolute cutting edge,

identity. The collective question is: How are we at

diversity was optimally used: the young Burling

our best? That is the dot on the horizon.”

kept pushing the boat, Bekking kept monitoring and estimating the risks. A challenging interaction

Dot on the horizon

in the team came about. It became a huge suc-

“In a sailing team, you need each other. Optimal

cess.”

performance requires ultimate cooperation. All participants in the race have the same

When the going gets tough ...

hardware, they are all top of the bill sailors. How

“It’s about finding the right way to align with each

do you make sure that your compass points in

other when the going gets tough. Because then

such a way that the inner drive makes the diffe-

you will start creating steep development curves.

rence between winning and losing? That all egos

And when the tough get going, you know that

navigate on potential-development and that the

you’ve created the perfect window for cooperation.

team’s optimal performance forms the dot on the

The ultimate designed alliance for which all talents

horizon? Imagine three circles that overlap. They

have been trained and strengthen each other from

influence each other. In the first one sits the leader:

diversity."



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“Just like most of us at Brunel, I enjoy watching the Volvo Ocean Race on the big screen in our office hall. Especially when the Brunel boat takes the lead and nears the end of a leg. It’s with good reason that in our organisation, the boat is often invoked as a metaphor for our company culture.

Both on the boat and within the organisation it is of vital importance that everyone knows their part and knows what to expect from each other.

Also, for the crew aboard the ship as well as for the Brunel employees, the work comes with many unpredictable variables. Team work and the level of flexibility in this case are all-decisive.”

Strengthening, not limiting “A good team empowers each other. Diversity within a group is important. Too many of the same personalities result in a one-dimensionality.

However, a group of completely different people will definitely not reach a consensus. In a successful team, every member has its own strength and those qualities complement each other. To come to such a successful team, I use an assessment.

Although in the end, my gut feeling has the final say. You could call this my talent. Even if someone has an outstanding profile on paper, if I don’t feel that click during a conversation, I won’t proceed.”

Ellen Schouten works for Brunel Netherlands as HR Manager Brunel Netherlands.

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45° THROUGH STORM AND RAIN

A-culture

find out the reason. An environment in which you

“My job also means providing the right balance

can be open about your worries or problems is

between people and organisation within Brunel.

an absolute necessity. Talk about your personal

I think employees should be willing to expect

development with people you trust. Find a job that

something of themselves as opposed to merely

really suits you. This might sound like an adverti-

companies having these of employees. I don’t think

sing phrase, but it is most important. Everyone can

that a C-culture is the right fit, but a ‘not even an A+

have a bad day, but if you are not in the right place,

is good enough’-culture doesn’t work either. I prefer

you will never find the balance.”

an ‘A-culture’, that represents a workplace where everyone can be themselves, develop their talent

Take your own space

and finds a wonderful balance between their work

“It is recommendable for employers to provide

and personal life. In the HR philosophy of Brunel,

an environment where people feel free to express

it’s all about people. No wonder that our HR team

what goes on in their lives. HR should possess a

is bigger than that of most other companies. HR

sound level of sensitivity for noticing colleagues

is a dynamic discipline, constantly in developing.

who don’t feel comfortable with their situation. In

So, there is no time to lean back. Brunel not only

cases like this, at Brunel we will intervene in a way

wants to move with the time, we want to be ahead

that suits the situation. Walking coaching is a good

of time.”

example. The best thing for me is when people take their own space to develop initiatives that let

Start by setting the right goals

them feel good. At Brunel, a spontaneous boot

“‘Focus on the people’ is often said, but you don’t

camp is taking place, and groups of colleagues are

really achieve that until you know what makes

running or cycling together. Those are fantastic

those people tick. Every person needs a goal. We

initiatives for a wonderful balance between work

will start the conversation to retrieve and concreti-

and relaxation.”

ze that goal. That way you will soon find out where and in which team someone feels at home. It’s a combination of work related and personal short term and long term goals. What does someone wish to accomplish in the next few years, and what do we need to get there? The company’s and people’s objectives must synchronize.”

Find the balance “To our employees I would say: it is important to ensure you that your life is in balance. Make sure you have a fun personal life and a nice job. Beware of a disbalance and should it still arise; try to

“MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A FUN LIFE AND A NICE JOB” 17

Abby Ehler: a conscientious and determined mum

There is no stronger bond than the one between parent and child.

It involves immense sacrifices from both when far apart. At one of her stops Abby skypes her six-year-old son Harley:

Abby: “Hey Hey, Harley don’t hide. Are you good?

Did you have your breakfast this morning? Can you talk? Is this the goodie ship?”

Harley: “Baddie.”

“It’s the baddie ship?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Darth Vader at the helm?”

“When are you coming back?”

“In 22 sleeps, Harley, mummy will be home. I love you and I miss you very much.”

“I love you.”

I love you too Harley, to the moon and back.”

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Abby Ehler was born on August 5th 1976 and lives in Great Britain. She works as a professional sailor and is mother of son Harley

45° NOT AS GUNG-HO AS BEFORE

Abby, currently participating in the Volvo Ocean

mother and doing things like this seems too risky.

Race for the third time, was introduced to sailing

I’ve been sailing all my life. I’ve been travelling all

by her father at the age of six. “At first I hated it,”

my life. And I was determined not to diverge too

she says. The turning point came a few months

much from that when I became a parent. I’ve been

later, when she was sailing a small boat, alone, in

lucky for having been able to involve my son in the

strong winds. “I had the feeling I could control

work I do and have him travel with me for part of

the elements. A moment of happiness I will never

The Volvo Ocean Race – I’ve saw him at some of

forget.”

the stops. I am happy to have been pursuing the life I have always led, and being able to include

You are the mother of a six-year old now. How

him.”

does it affect you being a sailor?

“It makes me question risks more often. I’ve beco-

With age comes knowledge and experience. Is

me a more conscious sailor, not as gung-ho as I

it fair to assume you are mentally stronger but

was before. At the same time it hasn’t stopped me.

physically weaker than at the beginning of your

It’s important to do what I love, otherwise I’d be a

career?

very grumpy mother back home. I have a wonder-

“It comes and goes in waves, physically. Certainly

ful family supporting me – we have found a perfect

the Volvo Ocean Race is a marathon.



balance. I understand people who say that being a

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Your body definitely deteriorates caused by limited

and mentally.”

food and sleep during the race.

Maintaining a certain level of health onshore and

How will life be when you get back?

staying fit and healthy when you’re out there on

“I have to say, It’s going to be a great feeling to go

the sea is not just a physical issue – it’s also a

to the toilet and not have to worry someone will

huge mental challenge. The living conditions are

walk in. On these boats, toilets are pretty much an

pretty awful on board. There are times you wonder

open plan. In fact the living conditions in general

why you’re doing it. But the highs of the race make

are pretty insane. Our cooking, sleeping and toilet

up for the lows. We get to go to some incredible

facilities are all on top of each other. When you’ve

places. The teamwork is tremendous – we support

lived in such an underprivileged environment, you

each other. “Mentally it pushes you to the extreme,

appreciate simple things ashore much more and

but you come out as a better and stronger person.

see them as luxury. But most of all, I’ll be able to

There’s so much to learn about the environment

enjoy my family to the fullest. There will definitely

and about yourself.”

be some Harley-mummy quality time.”

What was the hardest leg so far?

“Leg seven stands out – it was the hardest leg ever for me. The conditions were relentless. Lots of low-pressure systems coming through the Southern Ocean, resulting in high speeds on the boat, which kind of feels like you’re on the edge all the time. It’s a constant rollercoaster ride, the speed and the noise down below and the constant acceleration make the boat extremely hard to live in. It’s also soaking from condensation. Outside it’s cold and wet. You‘re constantly putting on and taking off a lot of clothes to survive on deck. And of course, there’s the mental side from trying to cope with all of this. And sadly the loss of another team member overboard from one of the competitors. It was by far the hardest leg, both physically

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“ALL IN ALL THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU QUESTION WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS, BUT THE HIGHS OF THE RACE MAKE UP FOR THE LOWS”

45° NOT AS GUNG-HO AS BEFORE

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TOTAL AMOUNT OF LIFE JACKETS ON BOARD

340

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350

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TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME AT SEA TILL NEWPORT

111 DAYS

290

30 0

31 0

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2

270

31 MIN 37 SEC

280

1 HOUR

260

FOOD IS FREEZE-DRIED FOR PRESERVATION AND TO SAVE WEIGHT

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250

7000

CALORIES

Sail what?

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24

5

6

7

8

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22

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190

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45° ABOUT THE BOAT

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30 40 50

60 70

80

1

30,3 METERS HIGH

2

THE MAIN SAIL IS 163 M²

3

THE JIB SAIL IS 133 M²

4

22,14 METERS LONG

90

5 100

3

6 110

0

12

4

7 8

0

13

9

9

9 CREW MEMBERS (7 MEN, 2 WOMEN)

TYPE: V065 MONOHULL RACING YACHT

THE MONOHULL IS 100% CARBON FIBER

THE KEEL IS 4,78 METERS

BOAT WEIGHT (EMPTY) 12.500 KG

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0 160

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170

1

Racing in the Volvo Ocean Race means leaving your loved ones behind. In the case of Team Brunel’s captain Bouwe Bekking, that means the cornerstone of his life – his wife. Rikke Bekking knows about the torments of the sea. Hubby Bouwe has been a participant of the Volvo Ocean Race for eight times in a row now: “When they’re on the Southern Ocean I check the race tracker at least every two hours,” Rikke says. “When it’s over, I can finally breathe again.”

The impact “For as long as Bouwe and I have been together, the Volvo Ocean Race has been a central part of our life. It was his adventure, it became ours. It’s intense, exciting and thrilling: I love to travel, meeting new people and new cultures. I am very happy to have the race in my life. I will never get bored with it.”

The worries “I fear the Southern Ocean legs the most. He tries to send me an email once a day to keep me updated on what life is like aboard – that helps tremendously. I always have my phone close by when Bouwe is at sea, and I live in dread of receiving that call. When the Southern Ocean is over, I can breathe again. It’s a turning point. It’s halfway.

After that it feels like they’re coming home. All that anxiety is really tough. But I will never hold him back. He loves it too much – we both do. And he is Rikke Bekking was born on 20th August 1968 and lives in

excellent at what he does. The Volvo Ocean Race is in our blood.”

Gilleleje, Denmark. She married Bouwe Bekking on the 4th of February 1994 and is mother of Laura and surrogate mother of Hannibal and Jimbo (dogs, but none the less part of the family)

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The nightmare “The worst possible scenario – just thinking about it I get emotional. It is normally not a place I let my

45° THE SKIPPER’S WIFE

thoughts wander to. It’s a painful place. I support Bouwe hundred percent in what he is doing and I try not to think about it. Bouwe has lost several friends at sea and that’s a huge blow to him. There is always a small but horrific risk lurking on the horizon. But that’s part of the race.”

The husband “Bouwe is the kindest person I’ve ever met. The kind of person that will go the extra mile to help friends and family. He’ll drive 10 hours straight without hesitation to help someone in need. He’s both tough and thoughtful. He’s mentally strong and calm, he never freaks out. He is also very good at involving and sharing. He’s the man I love and he holds my heart.”

The absence “Being apart can be a gift. After 26 years together, we are still counting the days until we see each other again. But being part of the Volvo Ocean Race sometimes means we have to make hard choices. At such moments, the interests of the team prevail. When Bouwe’s father died, I went back for the funeral on my own. The same happened with his mother’s funeral during the previous race.

Can you imagine not going to your parents’ funeral? That’s a tough one. I remember Bouwe saying goodbye to his father on the phone two days before he died. It was a really peaceful conversation. He said to his father: ‘I am proud of you, you made me who I am and I love you.’ ” The dream “I am living it. I am with the most gorgeous and fantastic man in the world. We have a beautiful daughter. In some ways, the race has shaped her into the person she is now. She’s a gift. We are all in good health and enjoying life. What more could you ask for?

Okay, winning would be nice. Please let them win! Go, go, go Team Brunel!”

25

26

45° TRUE OR FALSE?

MY AGE SAYS NOTHING ABOUT MY ABILITIES AS A CREW MEMBER ON THE BRUNEL BOAT. “I agree. Age is not a factor. Experience is a factor. I am older than some of the guys on board, but they have more experience than me.”

PARTICIPATING IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE IS A MENTAL RATHER THAN A PHYSICAL CHALLENGE. “Yes, I would say it’s still physical, but by far the biggest challenge is the mental part of it. It comes down to how uncomfortable it is and on top of that you throw in sleep deprivation. And also getting on with a team in those close quarters 24 hours a day for such a time span. The mental aspect of it is by far the biggest hurdle. And also: I don’t think not showering for seventeen days straight is for everyone.”

JOINING THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE MEANS THAT THE REST OF MY LIFE IS COMPLETELY ON HOLD. “Absolutely. There is no room for distraction on the boat. Obviously you have no internet and there is no way of staying in touch with people off the boat.

It’s eat, sleep and sail and that’s it." 

Nina Curtis

27

PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE WHAT IT MEANS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE. “It’s really hard to capture how intense and how hard this race is. Before I started I hadn’t done any offshore, but I watched every single video I could find online. I spoke to a lot of people about it, so I felt I was reasonably well prepared. And then – when I got out there – I was shocked of how hard it was. It really blew me away.”

I’VE SEEN THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY THE VIEW FOR A SECOND. “I disagree with that. The race takes us to some amazing places and no matter how hard you race you always grab a moment for taking in the amazing sunsets and rounding the most magnificent landmarks in the world.”

I MUST AND WILL WIN. “Finishing second or having a good result isn’t good enough. I have to win.”

Kyle Langford 28

45° TRUE OR FALSE?

ANY REASONABLY TRAINED SAILOR COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE. “Rubbish. It’s a bloody tough event. You may be the best sailor in the world but you still have to compete twenty-four seven in a team for sometimes twenty or thirty days in a row. When you’re not mentally strong enough, there is no place for you on board.”

MY AGE SAYS NOTHING ABOUT MY ABILITIES AS A CREW MEMBER ON THE BRUNEL BOAT. “That’s correct. I’m here. I’m competing and we’re doing very well. It’s just one of those things that work out great together.

Me as one of the experienced and the eager, young crew dogs who still have a lot to learn.”

SAILING IS NUMBER 1 IN MY LIFE “Not correct, my family is the abolute number one.”



Bouwe Bekking 29

JOINING THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE MEANS THAT THE REST OF MY LIFE IS COMPLETELY ON HOLD. “I agree up to a certain point. You have to take a break from your life and dedicate all your time and energy to the race. The good point is that the race is so tough, it gives you a lot of insight that enables you to enjoy your private life much more than you ever did before.”

I WAS SCARED DURING THE RACE “I am always scared. It’s good to have a certain amount of fear. It keeps you aware. Especially when conditions are rough, it is very important to keep your feet on the ground. And with ground I mean boat.”

I HAVE SEEN THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY THE VIEW FOR A SECOND. “I don’t agree. I am fully focused on the legs and getting to the finish, but I would be crazy if I didn’t enjoy the journey. I absorb the experience to the fullest, which also means embracing the views.”

Alberto Bolzan 30

45° TRUE OR FALSE?

JOINING THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE MEANS THAT THE REST OF MY LIFE IS COMPLETELY ON HOLD. “Not entirely true. When you join a team for such a period of time you are committed to it. But I don’t give up my family, I don’t give up my life. I am, though, committed to the team – they become a big part of my life. It’s a professional game and that’s just the way it is. It’s a very long race and you have to concentrate on your job.”

PARTICIPATING IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE IS A MENTAL RATHER THAN A PHYSICAL CHALLENGE. “False. It’s obviously both. It’s a mental game. It’s a sport and there are winners and losers so it’s mental and physical as well.”

I WAS SCARED DURING THE RACE “Negative. I don’t think that I have ever been scared in my sailing career. I have confidence in the people around me and the boat I’m on – I always have had. If I were to reach the level of being scared on a boat, I wouldn’t be anywhere near it. Have I been concerned? Sure. Scared? No.”

Andrew Cape 31

Her father wanted a “proper career” for his daughter but tough-minded Annie Lush (now 38) had other plans. After rowing for the winning Cambridge team in the Oxford-Cambridge university boat race, she decided her professional future lay in sport. With a 12-year Olympic sailing career and one previous Volvo Ocean Race under her belt, Annie was having the time of her life – until fate struck.

32

One big sailing family

far south as we dared. At one point, in a

Annie: “At the start of the season, I found myself

remote place where the wind and waves

among a group of strangers on the Team Brunel

raged unhindered by any frontier, we were

boat. Contact with anyone at home is virtually

so far from civilisation the nearest other

non-existent and other than the racing itself, there

human soul was on the International Space

are no other distractions. All you have is each other

Station. Nobody in their right minds would

so it doesn’t take long before the team becomes

dream of sailing there. Nobody but ‘foolish’

one big family.”

Volvo Ocean Racers.”

A long way from civilisation

Rogue wave

“The third leg of this edition of the Volvo Ocean

“On the sixth day of the leg, when there

Race was from Cape Town to Melbourne. The leg

was no turning back, a big wave crashed

is infamous as it takes you through the Southern

on to the ship. It hit me full on and the

Ocean, among the most treacherous waters on

enormous force of the water swept me

the planet. The fastest route is not a straight line

against the rear guard line. When I found

from A to B and from Cape Town we pushed as

myself struggling to get up, it was

45° NOT BEATEN

immediately clear something was wrong. The team needed me off deck as quickly as possible not only to get me to safety but also because we were approaching the ice gate – the virtual line that marks the southern edge of where we were allowed to sail. If we crossed that boundary we risked a heavy penalty. And hitting an iceberg.”

Rigid in extreme weather conditions “There was no time to get a backboard to help stabilise me. Keeping my back as straight as they could, the team got me to the cabin hatch and down on to my bunk. The boat was at 30 degrees heel and being thrown up and down by metres-high waves so it was not an easy feat.Through satellite phone we called the medical team and we were constantly in touch for the first hours and days after the incident. A break or two isn’t a catastrophe, but we needed to know there were no internal injuries.”

Sailing with broken bones “Luckily, we’d prepared for this kind of scenario before the race and it all went exactly as we’d been trained. It speaks buckets about how well we functioned as a team. The first two days I was confined to my bunk unable to move. The guilt was immense, watching the ice cold winds and freezing temperatures grind everyone further and further down. I was occupying a bunk and robbing them all of sleep.



ANNIE LUSH

from Poole, United Kingdom was born on 11th April 1980 and is Trimmer with Team Brunel and participates in the Volvo Ocean Race for the 2nd time.

33

Eventually, I recovered enough to play a part in the team and even ventured on deck. Not perhaps the wisest thing to do, but at the time I still didn’t know I’d broken multiple bones in my back and foot.”

Fight for recovery “After I was taken off the boat, I needed to rest and let my bones heal. But I’m recovering slowly and hope to be back out on the water soon. Sailing can be a dangerous business and you have to be 100% fit. But I’m working hard on my recovery.”

34

45° BRUNEL FOUNDATION

While extreme sailing is undoubtedly the biggest

technology. ”Our in-house professionals are

part of the Volvo Ocean Race festival in June, the

fantastic at helping children uncover talents they

Brunel Foundation, Brunel’s employee community

are unaware of,” says Maritska, who works for

involvement arm will also have a huge presence.

the foundation. “They teach children to dream.”

The type of sport is an ideal medium for the

Femke adds: “It’s so rewarding to see volunteering

foundation’s goal – inspiring people today to

Brunel colleagues being inspired by the children’s

discover and develop their hidden talents, ready

enthusiasm and their stories.”

for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.

Tech Playgrounds The foundation aims to give Brunel employees –

One of the projects sponsored by the foundation

having a wealth of knowledge and experience – the

is a new learning technique developed by Tech

opportunity to apply their expertise in addressing

Playgrounds that enables young people to develop

society’s key issues. In this way, Brunel hopes to

a passion for technology. The young technicians’

play an active role in building better communities

playground can be found at the Volvo Ocean Race

wherever it operates. Focus is on projects that

Kids Day to get a taste of what this field would be

promote education, demonstrate innovation and

like.

raise social awareness.

A real validation It works both ways

“Change happens in small increments,” says Femke.

Maritska Aarts and Femke Dijkstra, who set up the

“But hopefully in 15 years’ time we’ll look around and

foundation, regularly organise activities for children

see that our initiative had a real impact on the lives

and they say that while young people clearly are

of the children and our volunteers.” Maritska adds:

the future, they are often underexposed due to

“A real validation for our work would be for Brunel to

high-quality teaching in mathematics, science,

receive a job application from someone who cites

engineering, and

a visit to one of the foundation’s events as their inspiration.”

35

36

37

LEG 2 DAY 13

Bouwe uses the doldrums to his advantage. After six days without even washing himself, he grabs the moment to even get rid of his sailor’s beard.

38

Stretch

Lisbon to Cape Town

Current speed

12 kts

Exact location

22°55.35 ‘S 035°12.64 ‘W

45° CAPTAIN’S LOG

LEG 3 DAY 1

With Cape Town in the boats ‘rearview mirror’ Annie Lush is making sure everything is set for a fast lane to Melbourne.

Stretch

Cape Town to Melbourne

Current speed

11 kts

Exact location

39°02.44 ‘S 023°58.10 ‘E

39

GUANGZHOU - CHN HONG KONG - SAR CHN LISBON - POR

ALICANTE - ESP

CAPE TOWN - ZAF

40

MELBOURNE - AUS

45° CAPTAIN’S LOG: 2018 ROUTE MAP

Leg 1 Alicante - Lisbon 6th place

Leg 7 Auckland - Itajaí 1st place

Leg 2 Lisbon - Capetown

4th place

Leg 8 Itajaí - Newport 2nd place

Leg 3 Capetown - Melbourne

4th place

Leg 9 Newport - Cardiff

1st place

Leg 4 Melbourne - Hong Kong

5th place

Leg 10 Cardiff - Göteborg

TBA

Leg 5 Hong Kong - Guangzhou

-

Leg 11 Göteborg - The Hague

TBA

Leg 6 Hong Kong - Auckland

5th place

GÖTEBORG - SWE CARDIFF - GBR NEWPORT- USA

ITAJAÍ - BRA AUCKLAND - NZL

THE HAGUE - NLD

41

LEG 7 DAY 4

Kyle Langford looking at the nav station while Thomas Rouxel is eating his dinner. Neither of them bothered by the condensation on the ceiling.

42

Stretch

Auckland to Itajaí

Current speed

10.8 kts

Exact location

51°29.05 ‘S 131°51.77 ‘W

45° CAPTAIN’S LOG

LEG 9 DAY 2

Louis Balcaen at the helm. The Belgian is determined to grab another win after last two legs’ successes. The catch-up race has started.

Stretch

Newport to Cardiff

Current speed

9.5 kts

Exact location

50°09.58 ‘N 008°43.61 ‘W

43

Trust as the key to success Brunel’s founder Jan Brand standing eye to eye with Brunel International’s CEO Jilko Andringa. Despite the fact that their cooperation had only started in 2017, they trust each other blindly and do not even consider to not say things as they are. In the world of Brunel the men stand next to each other, but today they stand face to face to talk about then, now, the future and anything they possess to make that future as successful as possible.

44

45° MR. PASSION & MR. POWERFUL

How it all started During his studies at TU Delft Jan Brand approa-

The key success factors

ched an employment agency for a temporary job.

Most likely this is not the first time Jilko has liste-

He had been presented a job that did not match his

ned to Jan talking about how Brunel was founded.

background and interests. He came to find a learn-

But he beams with a refreshing pride that undoub-

ing job in the field of architecture, but did not get

tedly equals the first time he heard the story. Jilko

offered a suitable position according to his opinion.

adds: “From the very start we have been talking

Working night shifts cleaning bottles in a major

about our people and customer relations. The

sauce producer’s factory. He did not take this

present organization comprises many talented

for granted. He decided to take matters into his

entrepreneurial colleagues and shows growth in

own hands. Picking up the phone himself. Having

almost any field. We have wonderful systems and

contacted several architectural firms, he found

processes and a strong brand. A brand represents

out that not only were there interesting temporary

an enterprise or a company. The brand Brunel has

projects for himself but there were also many

been built on many entrepreneurial stories with a

possibilities for all other technical students who

high investment. What I think so beautiful is that

either wish to earn extra or wish to gain suitable

a brand’s culture is inside the people. You hear

experience. A quick link found its base: TU Delft full

it back from co-workers and customers: Brunel

of highly educated young engineers and a booming

offers trust. It is a brand that understands you. It is

market. The founding of Multec, later to become

a brand that owns passion to win. And it is a brand

Brunel.

I can rely on when things go rough. If you realise that, you know you’ve built something nice. It’s in

Inventor of secondment

the people. The reason why Brunel still has to offer

Jan talks about operating an employment agency

a lot in the present tight market. A community with

with paperwork as its main aggravation. Jan: “It is

nice jobs, good salaries, additional compensation,

a system of authorizations that doesn’t make us

equals to spar with and great training.

happy. I wanted to change that and so I customi-

Brunel distinguishes by care and attention for can-

zed the employment agencies’ system. Therefore I

didate and customer.”

dare say that Brunel is the founder of secondment.”



TRUST AS THE KEY TO SUCCES 45

Sailing and enterprising

customer with special needs, the professional who

Sailing is a teamsport and Brunel is one big team.

wants a different contract, and so on. Jilko nods

It is about focusing on results, entrepreneurship

and agrees: “Adaptability in sailing is what you will

and passion. You’re in a winning team, teamwork is

recognize in our company as well.”

key. You need to recognize each other’s talents and acknowledge them to perform well. Jan: “In sailing

Face to face

conditions are constantly changing and are never

“Jilko is powerful”, states Jan when he looks the

the same. You have to deal with variables like wind

CEO in the eyes. “We are an organisation that

force, temperature, waves, current, direction of the

needs to grow and can grow. It needs a captain

wind, sail position and so on. There is no way you

who portrays strength otherwise this won’t hap-

can do things the same way as you did before.

pen,” he explains. “Jan is man full of passion,” Jilko

At Brunel it works likewise. Continuous changes

responds. “That’s actually an understatement. Su-

in the market, law, responding to competitors, a

per passionate. If you have the possibility to have

“BRUNEL IS THE FOUNDER OF SECONDMENT” JAN BRAND

Founder Brunel, from North-Holland, Sailor.

Passion: Entrepreneurship.

46

45° MR. PASSION & MR. POWERFUL

a dialogue, there will always be a story on the com-

Both men are cast from the same mold and see

pany’s growth. Often the story will be of the pain

nothing but increasing possibilities and chances in

of entrepreneurship. In all those stories you hear

the years to come.

the love for the company, the love for the people in the company, but above all the immense love for

The sky is the limit

this entrepreneurship. It shows in the passion he

The horizon stretches far and offers Brunel possi-

radiates on all fronts. This passion is deeply rooted

bilities galore. There is an ocean of untapped areas

in the company’s DNA.” The complementary duo

with numerous hidden pearls for Brunel planning

at the top with Brunel recognizes many similarities

to explore. Whether Brunel will participate in the

in each other: trust in the organisation and in each

Volvo Ocean Race for the fifth time Jilko does not

other, love of the people, the importance of high

exclude: “I prefer making sensible decisions that

quality, sailing spirit and creativity, and the lack of

can only be made the moment such a decision is

stage fright coming from a theatrical background.

appropriate.”

JILKO ANDRINGA CEO Brunel, Frisian, Sailor.

Passion: Getting the maximum out of teams

“BRUNEL OFFERS TRUST. IT IS A BRAND THAT UNDERSTANDS YOU” 47

PETER BURLING was born on the 1st of January

1991 in Tauranga, New Zealand.

He goes by the nickname ‘Pistol Pete’

48

45° THE LEGEND

If Peter Burling can win this season’s Volvo Ocean

as the driver on Emirates Team New Zealand –

Race with Team Brunel, he will become the first

also with Tuke. The pair, who in the 2012 London

holder of the sailing Triple Crown. No one has

Olympics won a silver that was New Zealand’s

yet managed to win the sport’s highest ranking

100th Olympic medal, are now on rival teams,

contests: Olympic gold, the America’s Cup and

fighting each other to become the first to win the

the Volvo Ocean Race. But even without that

sport’s Triple Crown.

accolade, Burling is still a living legend.

Biggest win in any Olympic regatta World Sailor of the Year

Their special partnership went to another level

Peter Burling is one of the most remarkable sailors

after London and they were almost unbeatable

of the modern era. In 2017 he added the America’s

in the four years leading up to Rio. They won four

Cup to his already impressive résumé. Aged 26, he

consecutive world titles and dominated the 49er

was the youngest person to have helmed a winning

racing in the Brazil games. The team-mates won by

America’s Cup team, and that helped him scoop

a mammoth 43 points, the biggest winning margin

up the World Sailor of the Year award. Peter soon

in any Olympics regatta since the modern scoring

identified his next challenge and was picked up by

system was introduced in 1968.

Team Brunel for their Volvo Ocean Race campaign.

A bittersweet victory Burling is sailing as watch captain with Team Brunel on this season’s Volvo Ocean Race – winning the leg from Auckland to Brazil, which the organisers say was the hardest stage in the history of the race. It came at a price, though. “Bittersweet victory in seventh leg of the Volvo Ocean Race,”

WORLD SAILOR OF THE YEAR WAS PICKED UP BY TEAM BRUNEL

Burling wrote on Twitter afterwards. “Extremely tough leg through the Southern Ocean made that

“There’s no place like home”

much harder with the news that there had been

To become such a legend, you have to start sailing

a man over board. RIP Fish – this one’s for you

young. Burling began at the age of six in the

and your Scallywag team. Thoughts are with your

Welcome Bay estuary near his home in Tauranga,

family and friends.”

in an old wooden Optimist dinghy called Jellytip.

At eight, he joined the Tauranga Yacht Club and

Competing against his long-term sailing partner

started competing. It’s no secret where this lead

Kiwi hero Burling came into this season’s Volvo

him less than twenty years down the road today. At

Ocean Race fresh from a whirlwind 12 months in

age 27, with an extremely busy schedule, Burling

which he won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics with

says it’s “amazing” to see parts of the world not

long-term sailing partner Blair Tuke in the 49er

many people do, but “there’s no place like home”.

class, and took the America’s Cup in June 2017 49

Brunel founded Pretty Good Knowledge in the

and may or may not be used,” Arjen explains. “Their

summer of 2017. Using advanced data analysis

goal is often to optimise business processes, and

techniques, the subsidiary offers organisations

this fine-tuning step ensures we don’t waste or

the potential to discover new and valuable in-

miss any opportunities. We almost always try to

sights. Arjen Kamphuis and Lieke Heesink worked

uncover gold nuggets too. Valuable information

together on the sea of data transmitted from the

hidden in the data can provide our clients with

Brunel boat. What did they discover?

unexpected insights. When uncovered, these golden nuggets can inspire new ideas and lead to new

Surprising insights

opportunities.”

“What are we trying to achieve? What are we allowed to analyse? What is wise?” These are key

Man vs. machine

questions to answer for Arjen and Lieke. “All

There is a big difference between collecting data

data-analytics projects start with us figuring out

from humans and harvesting data from

with the company and their legal department pre-

machines. 

cisely what their goal is and which data is suitable

50

45° TOP SECRET

Arjen Kamphuis is founder of Pretty Good Knowledge and works as Technology & Security Director specialised in informatiion security and privacy compliance

Lieke Heesink works for Pretty

About Arjen

Good Knowledge

Arjen Kamphuis worked in the latter part of

as Data Scientist specialised in data-analysis

the last century as an information technology architect for IBM. Since 2006, he has been working on information security challenges for private companies, national governments

About Lieke

and non-governmental organisations. Arjen’s

Lieke Heesink obtained her doctorate in 2017

work covers the entire information security

in neuroscience. Her research focused on the

spectrum – from regulatory privacy compli-

effect of anger and aggression in the brains

ance and security-awareness to the preven-

of military personnel on deployment. From

tion of cyber attacks against businesses,

that she went to Pretty Good Knowledge

journalists and national authorities. Working

to work as data scientist. She focuses on

on the frontline of the battle against cyber

gathering knowledge for companies by

crime, he collaborates with former intelligen-

means of data-analysis.

ce service operatives, technical experts and other IT professionals to keep critical information infrastructures secure.

51

Data about natural persons, medical or financial

Saving time

information, for example, is often sensitive and has

Using the right analytical techniques allows Arjen

to be handled with care. Security is very important.

and Lieke to remove the background clutter from

“When machines talk to each other, it’s quicker”

the data and get to the heart of the underlying in-

says Arjen. “There are no privacy regulations to

formation. That can give new insights – and allow

take into account so we can move much faster.

the crew to make key decisions at critical points.

In the case of the Brunel boat, we’re analysing the

“How does the boat reach its top speed, for exam-

data as it arrives.”

ple. If we know the key speed ingredients,” says Lieke, “we can act on them. Say, we were to unco-

Dive in the deep end

ver a mismatch between the real-time boat data

Brunel was already providing support to its team

and the specifications provided by the manufactu-

when Pretty Good Knowledge was launched. But

rer. The crew could use this insight to fine-tune the

the subsidiary provides an extra layer of under-

boat and save precious time.”

standing. “We hope that by analysing the mountain of data we will uncover some insight the Brunel

Making their own luck

crew can act on”. Lieke says. “But that’s not up to

The participating boats are all virtually the same,

us and it’s quite possible they won’t do anything at

and winning or losing depends entirely on the skills

all. The crew are dealing with more than a hundred

of the crew. “And,” says Arjen, “on luck. Or bad luck.”

different things at the same time and our analysis

But if data analysis can provide a little more in-

may not be relevant at that moment. It doesn’t

sight, the crew can make their own luck,” he adds.

matter. We get sent a sea of data and we dive right

“And the more data, the faster and more accurate

into it. Wind direction, position of the boat, speed,

the decisions.”

sail selection, these are all important factors in the boat’s performance. Perhaps somewhere there is opportunity to gain speed.”

Secret success In this profession, it’s highly possible that successes will never be publicised. “It’s sometimes good to keep a secret.” Arjen explains. “Broadcasting our findings and how we got them would be shooting ourselves in the foot. There is little room to show off in this job. Even the things we’re most proud of we have to keep to ourselves.”

52

“I HAVE TO KEEP MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS TO MYSELF”

45° MOVE FASTER

Challenged in the right way At Brunel we allow you to progress faster. We

About making progress

open doors to the biggest employers and their

In any career it is important to be rewarded fairly.

biggest assignments, allowing you to gain and

But far more vital is to make progress, which is

refine skills. Engineering is a fundamental part

done by taking on new challenges and learning

of the Volvo Ocean Race. We provide training

new skills. That is why every employer claims

through extensive traineeships, guiding your

to offer career progression. Some offer training

progress along the way. And you work for a wider

programmes. Others put personal development

range of employers, swiftly broadening your skill-

plans in place.

set and knowledge.

True ambition But for those who are truly ambitious, progress cannot happen fast and often enough. This is especially true for the generation of driven, restless millennials. Their biggest fear is ending up at an employer that claims to be advancing their career but actually prevents them learning and gaining experience. They demand progression but the pace at which it takes place could be either an Brunel has captured the Volvo

attraction or a serious letdown.

Ocean Race from an engineering perspective. In a series of eleven films, we take a look at Team Brunel and how it is ‘”Engineering the Race”. Each shows how a specific engineering subject helps speed up the rate of progress.

Check out the videos on YouTube: Team Brunel Sailing

53

For some people the sight of a set of stairs induces panic. Not Danish kitesurfer Nick Jacobsen. In Cape Town, Nick flew 277 metres above the waves to set a new world record with Team Brunel.

54

45° HIGH AS A KITE

How high?

Safe and sound

To put 277 metres in perspective: that’s almost as

Kyle Langford, trimmer for Team Brunel, controlled

high as the Eiffel Tower, five times as high as the

the line that towed Nick up, and the speed of the

Leaning Tower of Pisa and as high as 55 giraffes

boat supplied the necessary lift. After reaching 277

standing on top of each other. That’s pretty high

metres Nick glided safely back down to the water.

for a kitesurfer.

Adrenaline junkie High expectations

The 30-year-old Dane is no stranger to thrills. In

The previous world record of 244 meters was set

April last year, he launched himself off the Burj Al

by Hawaiian Jesse Richman in 2013. Despite such

Arab in Dubai, the world’s third-tallest building. He

a lofty target, Jacobsen had high expectations of

has also won many big freestyle kite events all

his record attempt.

over the world, including the Red Bull King of the Air 2017. High five, Nick!

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