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MSE‑FORKS Sailing Team in Schuttevaer Race


MSE‑FORKS Sailing Team in Schuttevaer RaceYachtsmen, runners and cyclists have been pitting themselves against one another as part of the Schuttevaer Race since 1983. The race is one of the toughest in the Netherlands and this year, it was held for the 29th year on 28/29 May 2011. MSE-FORKS participated for the first time ever in Yellow, a Hanse 375 with owner Hendrik Meijer at the helm.

After an exciting start in Stavoren at 8 a.m. involving all participants running a distance of 2 km [1¼ miles] to their yachts, they then set sail to Kornwerderzand with a full crew on board including a cyclist and a runner. Next, a course should have been set for Texel where the cyclists would have disembarked to head off on a 60-km [37¼-mile] time trial. After Texel, the intention was to head on to Vlieland and Terschelling for the continuation of the race, but on exiting the locks at Kornwerderzand the race turned into a battlefield. Of the forty-eight yachts that started, fifteen had already dropped out by about 3 p.m. Due to bad weather, gusting winds, rain and the chance of storms, the organizers decided that the race to Vlieland and Terschelling would be cancelled meaning that participants instead had to run a distance of 20 km [12½ miles] across Texel.

The next day, once the weather had calmed down somewhat, participants were permitted to cast off from Texel charting a course for Harlingen where the cyclists once again had to pit it out over a distance of approximately 70 km [43½ miles]. The last leg was held between Harlingen and Stavoren with only eighteen teams remaining. This non-stop, sporting trial makes the Schuttevaer Race an unrivalled test of endurance for yacht crews, runners and cyclists.

This year was particularly arduous due to torrential weather forcing the MSE-FORKS team to set out to sea on the first leg without a jib. This was due to a tear caused by extreme weather conditions and winds gusting up to 40 knots [74 km/h]. It meant that the team entered Texel harbour in last place. This set back was disastrous for the remainder of the race with the MSE-FORKS team ultimately finishing third in the open class consisting of seven yachts. In addition to Captain Meijer, the MSE-FORKS team consisted of Wilma van Dijk (second helmswoman), Rein Schiphof (cyclist), Mark Peereboom (runner) and Johan Brunia (yachtsman).

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