Photos: L ©Jon Nash R ©Luke Molloy
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Thu, 18 May 2006 15:45:00
In an heartfelt display of sympathy and solidarity with the ABN AMRO team, and to pass their condolences to Hans Horrevoets’ family, a continuing stream of messages have been posted in the ABN AMRO website condolence book. In addition, a number of marks of respect for ABN AMRO TWO’s crewman have been made.
Messages to the book of condolences, the link is below, are being posted five or six every a minute. From, among others, Canada, Brasil, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Belgium, France, the UK and of course from the Netherlands, the messages express shock at the loss, sympathy with the family and the team, and in many cases the realisation that all open water sailors have in the back of their minds, that a human on the ocean is a very small and insignificant being in a massively powerful, alien world.
Photos: L ©Sally Collison
R ©Oskar Kihlborg
A particularly poignant message comes from a 12 year-old girl who has a close affinity with the race, “I am only 12 and very, very sorry to hear about this tragedy. My dad is very involved with the Pirates and I would be devastated if anything was to happen to him. I just wish Hans’ wife and daughter the best of luck to get over this ordeal.”
To send your own message, use this link to the Team ABN AMRO guest book.
Other sailing websites and forums across the world have carried their own tributes and are crammed with messages of sympathy.
The loss of Hans has brought home to everyone who might have been lulled into a false sense of security about the sport of ocean sailing, that it can be a lethal business. In past races from 1973 there have been four fatalities. Three occurred in the first race, Paul Waterhouse, Dominique Guillet and Bernie Hosking, with Anthony Philips lost in 1989.
In Valencia, Spain, at the team compounds for the 32nd America’s Cup, the national flags of all the teams have been flying at half mast to recognise the loss of a fellow sailor.
Messages too have come from all the teams.
This afternoon Ericsson Racing Team issued this press release: The Ericsson Racing Team's thoughts are with his family and friends, his fellow crewmembers and the ABN AMRO team. The sailors on Ericsson have learnt of the tragedy and are all heartbroken. They wrote in a brief email from the boat today that they will race on in his honour.
Bouwe Bekking had this to say early this morning, “Our feelings go out to the family of Hans, the crew of ABN AMRO TWO and all the other ABN AMRO team members. It doesn't make sense to write a daily on such a sad day, but just to let you know we are hanging in.”
One of the people most affected by the tragic loss of Hans Horrevoets must be Mike Sanderson, skipper of the senior boat in the ABN AMRO team. He sent an email this afternoon on behalf of his whole crew, “Today it is very hard to write. What a terrible ,terrible 12 hours we have just had, hearing the news that Hans had gone over the side and that one of our sailing team was in the water just gave you a very sickening feeling, it is a sailor’s worst nightmare.
“Over the past two years we have grown as a very big family at Team ABN AMRO, and those of you out there that knew Hans will agree with me that he was just the most lovely team player and family man, all we can do here is think of Petra his wife, Bobbi his little girl, and the rest of Han's family, that were so supportive of him being in the race.
“We have backed off another level, we have gone with a fractional gennaker and a reef, and we will just monitor the pace. For sure we need to be very careful on board as emotions are very close to the surface. I feel the pressure more then ever to get the husbands the dads and the fiancés and boyfriends in to their families in one piece, and that's all good for Black Betty as well.
“We have to keep racing though, as otherwise all that Hans has worked for over the last couple of years will be wasted, and we know that he wouldn't want that.
“It's not really possible to deal with it personally out here, so that will have to wait a few days until we get in. We need to now get all the boats safely tied up to the dock after these next few days of windy running and give ourselves time to grieve the loss of a very good friend.
“To Petra, Bobbi and all of Han's Family, I can't say enough how very, very sorry and sad we are, our thoughts and prayers go out to you.”
Related stories: ABN AMRO TWO - latest statement
Hans Horrevoets - 1974 - 2006
Listen to tributes from the skippers:
Bouwe Bekking - movistar
Mike Sanderson - ABN AMRO ONE
Matt Humphries - Brunel
Torben Grael - Brasil 1
Neal McDonald - Ericsson
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