About Team Lowlands Racing
Our Story
Lennard Bal
My name is Lennard Bal and I am the skipper and driver of Team Lowlands Racing. 29 years ago I was born in Amersfoort, right in the hearth of the Netherlands. Not growing up close to water, I have been sailing since the age of 10 and started racing yachts when I joined the Team Heiner Talents academy program back in 2014. After this program I transitioned into the professional side of the sport, mainly sailing larger yachts and besides the sailing working as a rigger.
As the desire grew to develop my sailing skills in competitive environment, we started the match racing campaign with Team Lowlands Racing late 2023. What I love most about matchracing is the intensity of the one-on-one battle and to be able to sail on a wide variety of boats on many places around the world. When I am not sailing I love to be cycling, wingfoiling or watching matchracing on Youtube. During office hours you will find me designing boats as I’m working as a naval architect.
Thomas Roggekamp
I am Thomas, your mainsail trimmer at Team Lowlands Racing. I started sailing at the age of 11, when we went on a sailing holiday with a Lemsteraak, a traditional Dutch sailing vessel. The next year I took sailing lessons and soon after I was hooked on sailing dinghy’s at club level and national level. During college I was part of a youth squad training program the Team Heiner Talents. This gave me a solid foundation for my future in sailing.
The moments that I do not sail I love to cycle or play board games with friends! I work as a Computational Fluid Dynamic specialist at Van Oossanen Naval Architects. Here I work on fluid flow simulations for a multitude of vessels, aiming to make each vessel a little bit more efficient. I love to learn and be able to visualize how a flow behaves! And be able to use that for the sailing as well!
Tijn van der Gullik
Hi there! I’m Tijn, the jib and spinaker trimmer of Team Lowlands Racing. Together with Thomas, I am responsible for the speed of the boat. Like my fellow teammates, I have been sailing for almost my entire life. Having mostly singlehanded sailing experience, it is really refreshing to be part of a group of experienced guys and work together to beat the other boat. I enjoy being responsible for my piece of the puzzle and am always ready to give my opinion when asked. In between matches, I take on the role as chief hydration officer, preparation for the next match is very important!
Ferens Kraakman
Hi! I’m Ferens, the bowmen of Team Lowlands Racing. Born in a sailing family, I love to be out on the water. Throughout my life I have been racing sailboats, especially loving matchracing and the high intensity racing that comes with it.
I really like that no match is the same, especially on the foredeck where sudden changes in strategy can lead to challenging manoeuvres on the bow.
Besides racing with Lowlands Racing, I can be found on the water kitesurfing, sailing on my boat or even on large cargo vessels as my job is being an nautical officer.
Jelle Lourens
Hi everyone! I’m Jelle, and I’m in charge of pit, strategy, and tactics for Team Lowlands Racing. My primary role is to be the eyes outside the boat, constantly scanning for wind shifts and small puffs, but I also step in to assist Ferens on the bow whenever needed. I started racing in the Optimist as a kid and later moved to the Laser. Like Thomas and Lennard, I was part of Team Heiner Talents, where we sailed larger boats like the SB20 and ORC/IRC boats, where I mainly focussed on navigation and tactics. Now, I’m combining this big-boat racing with the excitement of match racing!
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