Until now, Jena Mai Hansen's sports equipment was a small high-performance dinghy called the 49erFX. She became European champion with it in 2016 and won bronze in Rio de Janeiro alongside her foresailor Katja Salskov. For many years, the Dane was one of the best helmswomen in the Olympic discipline and was a constant rival to the strong Berliners Vicky Jurczok and Anika Lorenz, who started their second Olympic campaign this year. Jena Mai Hansen has other things on her mind and has now switched to the Volvo Ocean Race. After the 28-year-old beat off a number of competitors in the tests, Hansen is now starting for Charlie Enright and Mark Towill's team Vestas 11th Hour Racing. She said after the first training sessions: "Sailing a Volvo Ocean 65 in the middle of the Atlantic on a pitch black night in 40 knots of wind is undoubtedly one of the craziest things I've ever done. I'm hungry for more and I'm delighted to be part of such a competent and international team. So bring it on!"
Like Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team before it, Vestas is also relying on two women in the male-dominated team following the rule changes by Volvo Ocean Race Director Mark Turner, who nominated a total of ten sailors for his squad, of which only a maximum of "7 plus 2" may be in action at any one time. Sailor number two in the team is Hannah Diamond from the British sailing stronghold of Hamble, who last competed in the Olympic Nacra 17 and qualified for the 2015 Pre-Olympics before missing out on a nomination for the British Rio team. Like her Danish team-mate, the 27-year-old proved her worth during a transatlantic crossing.
On Friday, 100 days before the start of the 13th Volvo Ocean Race, Vestas announced the complete crew with sailors from six countries who have a total of six previous victories in the Volvo Ocean Race. The British navigator Simon "Sifi" Fisher is starting his fifth race around the world after winning the last edition alongside Ian Walker with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Australian Phil Harmer will be looking to complete the hat-trick with Vestas after two wins in a row. He will be joined by the experienced Irishman Damien Foxhall (winner with "Ericsson 4" in 2008/2009) and two-time New Zealand winner Tony Mutter for his sixth outing. Australian Tom Johnson returns to the Volvo Ocean Race from the America's Cup (Oracle Team USA). Charlie Enright will skipper the crew. His companion Mark Towill is team manager. American Nick Dana completes the team as Boat Captain, which is preparing for the start of the race on 22 October in Alicante in Gosport, UK.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
