Meet the Perseverance Ambassadors!
17 January 2024
Meet Natalie, Sonja, Tom, Marleen and Annick, the first five Perseverance Ambassadors who will be joining Ineke, Joss and the team from Leg 5 onwards as they take on a leg of the race each.
The Perseverance team represents the Dutch initiative ‘Perseverance’, which works in collaboration with the Princess Máxima Center for Paediatric Oncology in the Netherlands. The partnership aims to raise awareness for the centre’s ground-breaking work in its mission to cure every child with cancer, with optimal quality of life, with the term ‘Perseverance’ reinforcing the message that people are capable of doing extraordinary things.
Image: The Perseverance Ambassadors after Level 4 Training
The collaboration has created the possibility for young people impacted by cancer to experience the challenge of the Clipper Race through an Ambassador Programme. The Perseverance team and its Ambassadors will be carrying the perseverant attitude that the Princess Maxima Center inspires and raising awareness for the Princess Maxima Center as they race on Legs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the Clipper 2023-24 Race.
The five new Ambassador crew members, all from the Netherlands, have trained together throughout their four levels of Clipper Race training, and are in for a shared adventure of a lifetime. Meet the crew!
Natalie 't Hoen, 28, Nurse and Trainee Public Administrator, racing on Leg 5:
“I watched some YouTube videos before, but I never thought I would be a sailor myself! In life you really need perseverance I believe.
“Embarking on this adventure means stepping into the unknown and embracing challenges. This definitely aligns with my own guiding philosophy which is that when is the last time you did something for the first time? I’m looking forward to meeting the crew I’ll be sharing the adventure with. It promises stories and experiences that I have read about online. I think learning to sail and learn in general with this crew adds an extra layer to an already amazing journey.”
Sonja Hamhuis, 26, Researcher and PT in training, racing on Leg 5:
“I never thought I would be sailing across an ocean! I feel like with sailing with the other Ambassadors, we have really become friends over the four weeks of training, which is something I didn’t expect to find when I joined this. Perseverance means trusting that we are not the sum of all of our traumas, and we can trade that for knowledge, insight and a lot of joy.
“My participation is all about discovery and adventure. I especially look forward to those moments when you feel that indescribable, profound appreciation for each other, what our bodies and minds are capable of, and for nature in all its beauty and force. I am so excited!”
Tom Neef, 31, working in the maritime industry, racing on Leg 6:
“I believe that the Clipper Race is an opportunity that would propel me forward. I have a strong urge for the sea and feel most relaxed when at sea, or near the water. I have crossed some oceans already with my job, but on much bigger and more stable boats!
“I am feeling a little anxious for the race as it is the crossing of the North Pacific. But I am excited to know the first Ambassadors are joining soon, and I'll be waiting for them at the end of their leg.”
Marleen Bloem, 20, Student, racing on Leg 7:
“We [the Ambassadors] have such a strong connection already, it’s been SO much fun, my abs hurt from laughing all the time.”
“What I’m most looking forward to are the sunrises and seeing the dolphins, and the conversations you have when you are on watch. For me this race means embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and also maybe closing a chapter
Annick Sickinghe, 25, Musician, Filmmaker and Visual Artist, racing on Leg 8:
“Me crossing an ocean? No, I never would have thought of that! The Ambassadors have become so close, like a family. Training was intense- but intense good, with highs and lows and everything.
“Doing the Clipper Race means that I can challenge myself and prove to myself that I can do more than I thought I could. What I am looking forward to the most is being in nature, seeing the face of the earth, meeting new people and creating connections with people from all over the world. I imagine myself doing a night shift with the stars and having long conversations with my fellow crew.”
Sonja and Natalie are the first to join their team for Leg 5. They will take on Race 7 from Airlie Beach to Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, and onwards in Race 8 to Zhuhai in China. Follow the adventure via the Clipper Race social channels.
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