The Ocean Race: Childhood dream: Bremen photographer fights for Ocean Race assignment

Eike Schurr has been fascinated by the Ocean Race since he was four years old. Even back then, as a youngster, he was already cheering on his uncle Tim Kröger, who was taking part in his first race around the world with the European team Intrum Justitia. As a primary school child, Schurr was then present in the harbours several times when Kröger raced around the globe for the second time with "Swedish Match". Eike Schurr is now 30 years old and works as a photographer, video reporter and experienced drone pilot in national and international sailing. He works for TV productions, organisers and projects, for example in the 52 Super Series, for the Star Sailors League (SSL), the Kieler Woche or the Lina Rixgens Ocean Racing team and most recently the Baltic 500. Eike Schurr has competed in the Nord Stream Race several times as a sailor and on-board reporter. He started sailing at the age of seven as an opti sailor. Currently based at the Wulsdorf water sports club in Bremerhaven, he has sailed 29ers and pirates at times and is the German U17 champion in pirates. In the meantime, however, Schurr hardly finds the time anymore due to his professional challenges.

Schurr recognised the potential of drones as cameras in sailing early on and familiarised himself with the technology. Thanks to the experience he has gained in the meantime and his various licences, he is also in demand internationally as a drone pilot at major regattas. He now wants to use his skills to realise an old childhood dream: Eike Schurr is competing for a job as an onboard reporter in The Ocean Race. He will be taking the first step on this challenging path from Sunday with the Austrian Ocean Race Project on "Sisi". Skipper and Sailing Team Manager Gerwin Jansen will lead the crew and their guests on the passage from Scheveningen to Cascais. In Portugal, a two-day regatta supported by the Mirpuri Foundation is on the programme, in which the Austrians will meet sailing superman Charles Caudrelier and his top team on "Racing for the Planet" in the first VO65 duel of the year. Up to 50 boats are expected to take part in the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy. Prize money totalling 30,000 euros is at stake. The regatta is one of the first in Europe to be organised again during the coronavirus pandemic. The organisers have introduced strict hygiene and safety measures for participants and helpers. Here it goes to the regatta information page.

For Eike Schurr, the transfer voyage and the regatta mark a first test run. The on-board reporters (OBRs) for the upcoming The Ocean Race 2021/22 - unless it is postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences - will be chosen by the participating teams themselves. However, the Ocean Race organisers have a right of veto and will monitor whether the designated OBRs have sufficient experience and meet all the necessary conditions. It is also important that the OBRs have sufficient experience of sailing the VO65 yachts. All the more reason for Schurr to accompany the Austrians on their current summer assignment. "You don't stand a chance if you don't have plenty of miles on the VO65 yachts," says Schurr.

Why is the Bremen native fighting so tenaciously for his dream? "The Ocean Race has been with me since I was four years old. There are three highlights in the area in which I work: the Olympic Games, the America's Cup and The Ocean Race. As a photographer and cameraman, you are very limited at the Olympics. The America's Cup is difficult to reach without German participation. For me, the Ocean Race offers the greatest photojournalistic variety. The opportunity to observe this race with cameras and drones and pass on the fascination is simply very appealing to me." The fact that there was a fatality among the sailors in the last Ocean Race does not deter Schurr: "I'm not afraid, but I have maximum respect. You always have to be on a leash, even if it's not always great for a photographer. There's no way round it. Safety has top priority. If something doesn't work, then it just doesn't work."

Schurr, who took eighth place in the Mirabaud photo competition in 2019 as the best German photographer with a drone shot from the 52 Super Series, already knows some of the members of the Austrian Ocean Race project from other regattas or encounters. "The Austrians around team manager Julian Kirchner are a very nice and, above all, highly motivated team. I'm looking forward to the first joint mission, which starts on Sunday. The camera case is packed. Incidentally, it's an interesting situation in Austria, where Candidate not only supports the Olympic team as a sponsor, but also the Austrian Ocean Race Project. There are a lot of synergy effects that you notice positively. It's a lot of fun to work in this environment."