When Two Olympians Walked Onto an IMOCA

You get one seriously fun day in Kiel.

On 9 August, Jo Aleh (NZL) and Susann Beucke (GER) – two powerhouse Olympic sailors – jumped on board with Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive for the Pro-Am racing ahead of The Ocean Race Europe kick-off this Sunday. They were joined on board by William Thomas, Managing Director of 18K Sport, the team delivering the Auckland Stopover for The Ocean Race 2027.

Jo’s Gold came from London 2012, and her Silver from Rio 2016, and she has sailed everything from SailGP to the America’s Cup. Susann’s an Olympic Silver medallist, European champion and aiming for the 2028 Vendée Globe.

Out on the water, they took on some of the sport’s toughest teams in a light-wind speed trial – but with plenty of laughs, a lot of ropes, and the kind of energy only Olympians bring.

“These boats look like they’re going to absolutely send it. You’ve got to love foiling,” said Jo.

She’s not wrong.

For Susann, the shift to offshore racing started in 2022: “When I started, I thought I only had to learn a few things – turns out I had to learn everything again. These boats are bigger, and there’s so much more technique involved.”

Both connected instantly with our Be Water Positive mission: protecting the planet’s most precious resource

“We live on the ocean. It’s life. We need to look after it,” said Jo.

The main race starts Sunday, 10 August – and yes, Jo, we’re ready to send it.