Team JAJO, sponsored by Janssen de Jong Group and skippered by 27-year-old Jelmer van Beek, is the Dutch participant in The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup. In The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup, 5 VO65s sail stages 1, 6 and 7 of The Ocean Race. This makes The Ocean Race V065 Sprint Cup a fully-fledged part of The Ocean Race. The boats successively call at Alicante, Cape Verdi, Aarhus, The Hague and Genoa.

Trophy for next generation of sailors

“This new trophy enables the next generation of sailors, often supported by some well-known and experienced names, to gain valuable experience within The Ocean Race.” Said Phil Lawrence, Race Director of The Ocean Race.

“The format is the chance to gain competitive experience in The Ocean Race world, with host city to host city races and the well-known harbor races. The participating VO65 teams will certainly also have to deal with significant offshore racing conditions on the relevant stages.”

Team JAJO

Team JAJO consists in any case of the following Dutch people:

• Skipper Jelmer van Beek (27 – The Hague)
• Navigator Max Deckers (29 – Rotterdam)
• Rutger Vos (26 – Utrecht)
• Laura van Veen (28 – Rotterdam) and
• Jorden van Rooijen (24 – The Hague / Curaçao ).
• These five young sailors with more than three years of experience on the boat form the basis of a crew of ten in total. More details about the rest of the crew will be announced in the coming weeks.

Janssen de Jong Group is the main sponsor of Team JAJO. Other partners are Batenburg Techniek and Royal Huisman. Team JAJO will participate in The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup on registration from the KNZ&RV and KRZV De Maas. Sailing Holland takes care of the team management and owns the VO65 boat.

Really nice challenge

“Very happy that we will start in Alicante on January 15. I’m looking forward to 3 amazing stages. With 5 boats on the starting line, it simply means that there is a more than full competition field and it really promises to be an incredibly beautiful battle”, says skipper Jelmer van Beek.

“For me personally it is an amazing challenge to be the skipper of Team JAJO. I think I am one of the youngest skippers ever in the race. A responsibility, but certainly and above all a challenge. A challenge that I am ready for and that I am really looking forward to. Especially with this team.”

“Thanks to the refit at Royal Huisman last summer, our boat, the former Team Brunel, was almost ready for competition. At the moment we are putting the finishing touches to the boat in Barcelona and from next week we will be running a full-time training block. Then we will announce the final selection and then it will be time for the Race.”

Inspire and connect

Janssen de Jong Group is the main sponsor of this Dutch registration under the name Team JAJO. Ivo van der Mark – CEO Janssen de Jong Group: “The sport of sailing, and certainly The Ocean Race, inspires and connects. It is a wonderful platform with and towards our relations and fits in seamlessly with our own circular ambitions. The Ocean Race is one of the most prestigious sailing events in the world with a huge focus on sustainability and circularity. But also internally to our employees, it works as a nice metaphor for the daily routine in the workplace. Through this sponsorship we enable young people like Jelmer, Laura, Jorden, Rutger and Max to make their dreams come true. At the same time, we will also use the boat for team building and in this way build on our brand awareness.”

Race is about technique and teamwork

Ralph van Den Broek, CEO of Batenburg Techniek, emphasizes that Team JAJO touches everything the company stands for at its core. “Sailing goes much further than sailing the right course. This race is all about listening to the technique, working together and dealing with specific circumstances. And giving young people the opportunity to grow and develop is something we at Batenburg recognize like no other.”

Participants and Program

In addition to Team JAJO, Sailing Team Poland and Team Viva México, among others, will participate in The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup. For Team JAJO, The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup will be the main program for 2023.

In Port Race	8 January 2023	Alicante
Start leg 1	15 January2023	Alicante	Kaap Verdi
In Port Race	4 June 2023	Aarhus
Start Leg 6	8 June 2023	Aarhus	Den Haag
In Port race	14 June 2023	Den Haag
Start leg 7	15 June 2023	Den Haag	Genua
In Port race	1 July 2023	Genua

Between the finish of Leg 1 and the start of Leg 6, Team JAJO and other VO65 participants will visit the Caribbean. In the Caribbean, the team will at least participate in the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

About Janssen de Jong Group

Janssen de Jong Group is one of the top 15 construction companies in the Netherlands and operates internationally with subsidiaries in the Caribbean and Poland. They are a partner in the real estate chain with a strong focus on circularity. A partner with knowledge and experience in the entire process: new construction, maintenance, restoration & renovation and redevelopment. A partner that advises financiers and investors. Who collaborates with clients and governments in creating sustainable and integrated solutions. Solutions that fit the renewal assignment that the world demands and what we stand for.