Sailor Q&A

Klaartje Zuiderbaan, Rotterdam, Netherlands

In 1996 we started matchracing when we got an invite to the Santa Maria Cup, as we were the top womens team in the J22 scene. We had found our game and actively sailed the matchrace-circuit. It all intensified with the promise of matchracing at the Olympics in Athens 2004. Our top results back then were silver at the Worlds in Dubai 1998 and European Champion in 2000. At that time we were the only matchrace team in the Netherlands (both open and womens). In 2001 the team split up as we were not going to play our game in Athens.
But as we missed the game of matchracing, we continued on a less intense foot. Right now we have a pool of around 10 girls, with whom we sail. In Holland matchracing is not big, people don’t really know it, but now everyone knows us as the girls who beat Dennis Connor at Bermuda Gold Cup. You can learn more about the team at www.womensmatchracing.com

QUESTION: Do you have any nicknames?
ANSWER: Ask my mom.

QUESTION: Are you superstitious?
ANSWER: Not really.

QUESTION: If you were a dog, what kind of dog would you be?
ANSWER: On board Amer Sports too in the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002 it was decided that I would be a Beagle.

QUESTION: Favorite part of match racing?
ANSWER: The intensity of the game.

QUESTION: Name your dream team and who you would like to be racing against in a final series?
ANSWER: Dream team: Our team. Final opponent: any team, as long as not ourselves.

QUESTION: Who has had the most influence on your life?
ANSWER: Probably my mom, as she was one of the first women in Holland doing offshore racing. And having a J24 team when I grew up.

QUESTION: Who is your biggest fan?
ANSWER: My mom, no doubt. Off course because I am her daughter, but also because her generation of women sailors did not get as many opportunities to race as we now get.

QUESTION: Who is your sailing idol?
ANSWER: Wow, that’s a hard one. I guess I don’t have an idol. I really respect people who have it all together, but I don’t have an idol.

QUESTION: If you were going to create a reality TV show what would it be about?
ANSWER: If I just was, that would be something.

QUESTION: If you were a superhero, what power would you have?
ANSWER: Direct the wind.

QUESTION: What was your best subject in school?
ANSWER: No one subject pulling out, all average.

QUESTION: Who taught you to sail and how old were you?
ANSWER: My parents took us out sailing as long as I can remember.

QUESTION: What is your favorite ride at an amusement park?
ANSWER: I’d have to go there to know….

QUESTION: What is your most annoying habit?
ANSWER: My voice tends to be quite loud

QUESTION: Besides sailing what is your favorite sport?
ANSWER: Skiing, but I have not gone forever.

QUESTION: What is the best thing about your home town?
ANSWER: The river flowing through and the hands-on mentality.

QUESTION: If you could travel to anywhere in the world where would it be?
ANSWER: I guess I’d like to see New-Zealand again.

QUESTION: What is the most important item in your ditty bag?
ANSWER: The flight schedule (who races whom when), I keep checking it over and over.

QUESTION: What is one thing that you feel WIMRA could do for you?
ANSWER: Be a voice for women’s matchracers worldwide.