We are third in the Ocean Race Europe. I see the result differently now than I did immediately after the race. I had really imagined that we would finish second here. We were close. It was disappointing yesterday to lose the duel against "Paprec Arkéa" and finish third. We dropped off far too late and messed up the manoeuvre. That's why we lost. That wasn't so smart.
Ocean Race Europe: a new look the day after
But today, one day later, I see it differently, I see the positive sides of everything and think: Wow, we have achieved so much as a team after the big collision in Kiel and everything that happened. We came back strong. I'm proud of that. It was a long process, about a year of preparation. I've seen everyone grow in their roles and responsibilities. Today I'm happy with the result. We could have been better, there were things in the campaign that could have been done better. We want to learn from this and go into the future stronger.
I'm proud of the team, but also of myself." Rosalin Kuiper
In the end, it was a big job, a big responsibility. It was my first time as a skipper and it was a great journey for me. I have the feeling that we completed it successfully. That's also the feedback from our sponsor. They say it was a successful campaign. I'm happy about how many people we reached. And about the sustainability award we won yesterday.
I think we have inspired people along the way with our stories and shown that we are good at racing, that we have a good boat. So the overall picture makes me happy - it's a nice start for me as a skipper. This will open doors for the future.
To the winners: I think Team Biotherm had a really good campaign. Paul knows the boat so well. They have a very good boat. And they have a simple campaign. There are not too many people involved. The structure is very clear. I think Paul has still been travelling with the performance data from the Vendée Globe. He doesn't attach that much importance to it, doesn't think updates are that important. We updated our performance data at almost every training session.
Super-intensive racing in the Ocean Race Europe
I will miss the race and its people, the people in our team and the beautiful scenery and places we visited. You're not just part of a team, you're also part of the Ocean Race family. But I know we'll all see each other again in a year's time. That's good. I'll probably also miss the fact that there was always something to do in a few weeks' time. We've been so busy over the past year and a half. I was involved in this project for over two years in total. I don't have any plans at the moment and I'm very happy about that. But in a few weeks, I'll start to miss it.
The Ocean Race Europe stands for super-intense racing. That is very positive! You experience a lot of stops in a very short time. I think you can organise a lot of activities in different ports even with a rather small budget. You can connect cities all over Europe. I think that's a big advantage for sponsors and campaigns. I think and hope that it was pretty cool to follow the race. Also from a media point of view.
But it didn't seem to be so easy to get it on the screen. I skipped a stage and almost couldn't see the start. I would like the programme to be communicated to the world a bit more clearly in this respect. And I would also like the boats to be accessible everywhere. Not necessarily below deck, but in such a way that fans and visitors can see the boats in the harbours.
Hope for more opportunities for talents
For example, the dock here in Boka Bay is closed. That's perhaps not so nice for people who come from Austria or other countries and can't get onto the jetty. That could be improved. I have another suggestion for improving the scoring. I wouldn't award so many points at the scoring gates. They carried too much weight. It's very cool to have scoring gates, but I would give them fewer points.
Would I like to sail another Ocean Race Europe in the future? Definitely! It's a really cool event. And it will definitely be my goal to offer talented people opportunities here too. The standard is so high! And when I see what Amaala did - sailing with talent - and then came last by a long way, I'd like to find a solution for how we can give younger people more opportunities without always coming last.
I definitely like the Ocean Race Europe a lot. Compared to the Ocean Race Europe 2021, which I also took part in, this one was a cool event with spectators. Of course, it was also different back then because of Covid.
I think the race is a winning formula, even if it is very intense for the sailors." Rosalin Kuiper
Maybe I would change one more thing: The last stage was quite long. Possibly a little too long compared to the first stages. And we often arrived relatively late. Either early in the morning or in the middle of the night. So next time I would either have no influence at all or plan it even more thoroughly. Which is of course difficult when sailing.
Sharing resources for lower costs and less impact
In order to attract even more teams to the Ocean Race Europe in the future, resources could be shared. For example, having a cook for everyone. A physiotherapist and a chiropractor who are on site. So that we simply share more logistical and technical resources, thereby reducing costs and impact. I also hope that in future there will be more boats and sponsors with European interests, including in the sustainability sector.
When I look back on the Ocean Race Europe one day after the final, it was six weeks that felt like three intense months. Every day was super intense, physically and mentally. I can't remember a moment when I just sat down on a chair with my own thoughts. I was constantly surrounded by people and slept very little. Almost every hour was filled with activities. In a good way, but there were no breaks.
You're on a rollercoaster ride with your team." Rosalin Kuiper
The team dynamic changes, you learn, you see so many places, you pack, you unpack, you pack again. Logistically, there's a lot going on when you change locations so often. In my case, especially with a baby. On the one hand, there are the team logistics. And then there are the logistics for my own family. But it worked really well.
New ideas for the time after the end of the contract
My husband did a great job. And our daughter took everything so easily, always had a smile on her face and had a lot of fun on the journey. I went into the race and on this journey with a baby. Now she's still a baby, but a different one. I've seen her every few days, even if I haven't spent enough time with her. I'm looking forward to that now in the near future.
We don't yet know whether our project will continue. We'll sail the boat back to Port-la-Fôret, where it will go into the hangar. My contract actually ends tomorrow. This is exciting and has great significance for me. It ends a two-year chapter. It's been an incredible journey where I've learnt and experienced so much. And I have lots of new ideas in my head. I certainly want to take part in the Ocean Race around the world and the Ocean Race Europe again. So when I get back home, I'll be talking to some people to see if I can set up a campaign again. I'm looking forward to that. I will try to find the right people for it.
But first I would like to process everything and come down. I think that's healthy and the right thing to do. It's important to take a break because I'm tired. I'm physically and mentally tired, I know it's time to be home and a mum for a while. I know it will be different again in a few weeks. I'm not very good at doing nothing. But I'm really looking forward to it. I'm happy with what we've achieved as a team. That's what my name stands for now. We will build on that.
New plans - and maybe a holiday
I don't have any concrete holiday plans yet. I'm flying home on Monday. On Tuesday I'll start looking for a new campervan. Unfortunately, the current one is too small. I can officially drive it with four people, but then two of them don't have seatbelts. That's not safe.
So I'm going to try to buy a family campervan. If we can manage it, we might go on holiday to Belgium or the mountains, spend time with family and friends, discover nature and enjoy travelling with our little one. When the time comes, I'll pick up the threads again. One thing I can say for sure: I love regatta sailing and will continue to do so!
