Reigning world champions of the 49erFX – our sponsored Dutch sailing duo have just returned home with a silver trophy in their first competition of the year.
The event 52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia was held on the Spanish island of Mallorca and was contested by 60 of the world’s top sailing teams.
What makes this super Dutch win even more remarkable is the obstacles which had to be overcome in order to achieve it!
Top level athletes in every discipline spend their winters following intense training schedules. The Dutch national sailing team who compete in the 49erFX class are no different, of course, but this winter skipper Odile van Aanholt had to take a month off when she contracted Covid with an underlying condition of asthma; whilst Annette Duetz fell from her bicycle during an icy spell in the Netherlands leaving her with hip and back injuries.
Trouble set in again during the competition when both Annette and team coach Kaj Böcker contracted a stomach infection which meant that Kaj was absent for one of the competition days and Annette, under medication, was hardly feeling at her best. However – conscious that the team ‘one and half members down’ Annette and Odile rose to the occasion and ended that particular day having produced some of their best results of the whole competition!
52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
The breeze during the four day event was fairly stable blowing onshore with the result that – owing to local topography – a ‘lift’ in the wind favoured vessels starting with a left hand tack. However, with 60 boats all wishing to occupy the same piece of water on the start line the competition begins way before the gun is fired.
But if you get a good start and if you can sail close to the wind keeping all other competitors downwind of you, and clean air upwind. you’ll gain a lead as you tack to the first mark.
52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
Alas, as a result of breaks in their winter training programme the Dutch vessel NED1 were not able to practice their starts. The result in this competition was that they frequently lost out to other competitors, struggling to get clean away from the start line – and even beginning one race in ‘last’ position …from where, climbing up the fleet is challenging in the extreme.
Never-the-less, from among a fleet of 60 competitors the Dutch duo finished all but four of their thirteen races in the top ten. That solid performance pitched them high on the leader board and set up a dramatic final day.
52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
Fierce competition from two-time Olympic Champions – Brazil’s Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze who were performing well throughout the event – placed them with an 11 point lead in advance of the final ‘Medal’ race. The other hot contenders – the Argentinian team featuring Maria Sol and Cecilia Carranza – were punching above their weight with consistently great results and came to the medal race firing on all cylinders.
52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
At the medal race it was (theoretically) possible for the Dutch pair to secure Gold …but of course it was far more likely that a minor error or plain bad luck would catch them out and send them tumbling down the board. In fact that final race proved to be the most closely-fought of the entire competition with the lead constantly changing hands between first, second and third.
52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
Odile and Annette did what they do best – they never give up and fight for every inch. They were delighted to take silver – even more so after all the difficulties they had overcome! And so are we delighted, who only cheer them on!
Gold went to the Brazilian team, the Netherlands got silver, and the bronze medal went to Argentina.
Many congratulations to our sponsored sailors and to their coach for securing another brilliant result.
We’re really proud of the team’s consistently thrilling performances and achievements. Racing amongst the best in the world their winning spirit brings triumph.
