As the crews sail towards the showdown in the hot final phase of leg two, we let "Holcim - PRB" skipper Kevin Escoffier and Susann Beucke talk about their experiences so far. The following interviews with the experienced Ocean Race winner and his apprentice were conducted two days before the stage finale. They provide a good insight into the experiences of Olympic silver medallist and offshore high-flyer Susann Beucke at her Ocean Race premiere. Kevin Escoffier reports on the keys to Team Holcim - PRB's performance to date and Sanni Beucke's achievements. The interviews can be read in extracts and watched in full length in the video clip.
Susann Beucke: "I had prepared myself for the toughest. That was surpassed in every case"
Sanni, did the Ocean Race premiere fulfil your expectations after the first outing on stage two?
When I went into the stage, I had no expectations at all because I had no idea what to expect. That's why it's difficult to say whether my expectations were met or not. In any case, it's interesting to see how much joy and sorrow lie side by side out here on the ocean. The human challenge is incredible. I had prepared myself for the toughest and that has definitely been surpassed.
Have you experienced any surprises?
It surprises me every day how much the head makes up this race, how much tiredness influences my thoughts, how much my mood can be transferred to the mood of the crew and how much you have to be careful. How close together beautiful and devastating moments are, when it's cold and wet and you just can't do any more. It's incredibly beautiful, but also very hard in a very special way. The boat surprises me every day. It's incredibly fast and it's great fun to sail it.
How does a watch work for you?
On my watch, which is three hours long, I come out and spend the first quarter of an hour talking to the person who was on deck before me. We talk about how the wind was and what the positions are. Then the sails are usually trimmed for the next two hours. I often have to change the sails before my watch is over. This means putting on all my oilskins again, going up on the bow, getting completely wet and repacking all my bags below deck. That means moving them from A to B so that we can trim the weight of the boat differently.
Do you have sleeping problems like many other sailors who have to deal with the harsh movements of the boats and the very loud acoustics?
I'm really lucky and have no sleep problems at all. I struggled more when it was so hot. I found it difficult to fall asleep and had problems cooling my body down in the heat. The rumble of the boat doesn't really bother me at all.
What do you particularly enjoy and what don't you enjoy at all?
There are incredibly beautiful moments out here on the water. But there are also an incredible number of moments when you can't take any more. When it's cold, when your head says: "I don't want any more." I can't pin that down to a specific moment. I can only say that these moments are extremely close together. And this game in my head between "Everything is great and I'm even happy about a little ray of sunshine falling on my face" and "I realise how tired I am and how bad my mood is, so I'm having a bad moment" - that's super interesting. It all happens every day in ten-minute intervals.
How did you experience your equatorial baptism?
Our equatorial baptism - that of our on-board reporter Georgia Schofield and mine, as we were the two newcomers - was quite unspectacular. To be honest, it was something that had to be done on board anyway. The boys found fish in the tunnel that leads the halyards from the mast to the cockpit. This relatively unpleasant task was quickly turned into an equatorial baptism (laughs). As it was such an unpleasant task, it was naturally assigned to both of us. I could understand that and accepted the challenge with a grim smile. It was done quickly. At least the boat doesn't stink any more.
How do you like the close battle in the finale of stage two? As an Olympic athlete, you probably know such situations well?
The boats are extremely close together. I think it's mega cool because I'm so used to it in Olympic sailing that everything is decided quickly and it's only clear who has won or who is last before the home straight. That makes it more exciting. I think some team members would like to have the results more finalised by now. But I enjoy the fact that it's still so close.
Some teams had to ration their provisions a little because the first two stages took several days longer than planned. Do you still have reserves?
At the beginning, we had packed far too much food. That worked in our favour in the end. The bad thing is that we've run out of chocolate. That makes some team members a bit nervous on board. But I still packed my own liquorice from home. I keep it safe in my bag and always have it to hand for those tough moments.
How did you find your new skipper Kevin Escoffier during your first Ocean Race leg? Did he live up to his nickname "Positive Kevin"?
Kevin is a very experienced skipper and simply knows what to do in every situation. That's why I trust him so much. He's a great leader because he always lends a hand and always puts his heart and soul into it. It's fun to sail with him.
"It's going to be so damn hard!"
You also want to take on the queen stage of this Ocean Race edition from Cape Town to Itajaí for Team Holcim - PRB. It's non-stop past all three legendary capes. Do you feel ready for it?
I've also wondered how it's bearable for five weeks. But Kevin always says that a person can get used to any situation. I think he's right about that. The conditions that I perceived as tough here at the beginning are now easy for me. It's going to be so damn hard. I don't know how I'm going to manage it, but somehow it will work out. That's the honest answer.
Do you believe that your team can win the Ocean Race?
I am firmly convinced that Team Holcim - PRB can win the Ocean Race. For one simple reason: because we are really good. Because we have the boat. Because we have the team. Because we have the motivation. And because our song is "Unstoppable" by Sia. If you listened to the lyrics - "I am a Porsche with no breaks": That's Team Holcim - PRB!
Kevin Escoffier: "The key to our position is that we have people who work hard and bring experience from the Ocean Race"
Can you name the keys to your successes in this Ocean Race so far?
We are very happy to be in the game here. And we are happy to be competing against four other boats and fighting with them. I think the whole Holcim - PRB team has worked very hard to make sure we have such a good boat to sail. It is fast and reliable. The key to our position is that we have hard-working people who have Ocean Race experience. That has helped us to be ready to go in Alicante. Point two is the crew. We haven't sailed much together before, but we have a very talented crew. For example, we have someone ashore who only looks after the boat at its berth. For me, the Ocean Race means that you have to be a bit better on each new leg than on the previous one. This applies in particular to the speed of the boat.
You race solo, double-handed and with crews - what do you like best?
I don't think they are different sports, because it's always sailing. But they are different exercises. I enjoy what we're doing right now. It's less stressful than single-handed sailing. You have more time to enjoy sailing than when you're sailing solo. I'm very happy to be taking part in the Ocean Race again.
Are you happy with your crew?
I am very happy with the crew. Both in terms of performance and on the human side. We know that the Ocean Race is a very long race. We have seen many crews that have started well before it became difficult on the human side. When that happens, you can do as much as you want ... For me, both sides are important. And I think we have both on the two stages so far. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it stays that way.
How would you rate your team member Susann Beucke on her first Ocean Race leg?
Susann has worked hard. We know that she wants to become an offshore sailor. She competed in the Figaro Circuit last year. Of course, she still has a lot of work ahead of her, but she is working hard. There is nothing like the Ocean Race to complete a vertical learning curve and one day be one of the best offshore sailors. At the moment Susann has the skills and the feeling of an Olympic sailor, but still has a lot to learn. But it's also nice to have someone in the crew who is very motivated to learn and asks good questions. I'm looking forward to pushing her further as she learns quickly.
