Student set to circumnavigate the globe

Kees Postma, a 21-year-old student, will circumnavigate the globe during the Clipper 13-14 Round the World Yacht Race.

“I decided to apply as I wanted to prove to myself and to others what I’m capable of; that I will keep going far past the point where others would have given up; and that once I set my mind to something, nothing is ever going to stop me in achieving that no matter how tough things get” reveals the Dutchman.

“The Clipper Race seems like the ultimate way to do that.”

Kees is among around forty per cent of the crew members taking part in the Clipper Race who have no previous sailing experience before starting their Level 1 training.

“On my Level 1 I had a ‘why-on-earth-am-I-doing-this moment’ when we were in a Force 8 on the way to Weymouth. It was about 3 am, raining, cold and we had been up for a good 20 hours.

“I was standing on deck maintaining a lookout while feeling pretty seasick. By only the third day I felt like we had been going for weeks, and I seriously wondered how I could possibly do this for almost a full year. Those thoughts only lasted for a short time though and after they passed I was more confident than ever I wanted to do the race.

“I think that prior to Level 1 I underestimated the importance of the social aspect of life on board. I thought the race would mainly be about the sailing itself, but Level 1 showed me that the people on board, and how they get along and work together, are the foundation of it all. So far that has been really valuable in preparing mentally for the race.

During the world’s longest yacht race, Kees will take on the Atlantic, Southern and Pacific Oceans as well clocking up 40,000 miles in his log book.

“There are a million things I’m looking forward to on the race, like the people I’ll meet and the places I’ll see, but I’m most looking forward to the adrenaline rush of battling through a storm during one of the ocean crossings. If it were needed, the closest help is thousands of miles away, so there is no room for error. I can’t imagine any situation where I will feel more like I’m living life to its fullest.

“I actually think the hardest bit of doing the race for me will come after the finish. Knowing how much I miss the sailing and the people after just one week of training, I think it will be very tough to adjust back to non-Clipper Race life after a full year at sea.”

Click here to find out more and request an application pack for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.