In those rare moments when I am not thinking of potentially great adventures to take on, I am a very regular lad that likes to travel and experience living in different places around the globe. I have recently finished my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in the Netherlands and would like to become a mental coach for extreme athletes one day.

Oddly enough, I had never actually rowed on water before coming up with the idea to row across the Atlantic. Ever since stepping into a rowing boat for the first time a year ago, however, I have fallen in love with this incredible sport. While ocean rowing is quite different from river rowing, rowing technique and fitness are invaluable assets for being able to row an ocean for such extended periods of time.

My passion for any type of sports really goes back to childhood days, however. I have been playing football all my life, my favorite sport is ice hockey and I have played tennis for many years. As a teenager I started focusing on Calisthenics and high-intensity body-weight training, until I was stopped by illness two years ago. After overcoming this difficult time period, I have dedicated myself to rowing and weight lifting in order to get into the shape of my life and to embark on this expedition.

Frankly, in my opinion it seems like an amazing thing to do.

Rowing an ocean also brings together many things that I am passionate about:
1) learning by experience about mental resilience and the psychological factors that help achieve incredible feats
2) Using my love for sports to explore the world
3) The opportunity to raise awareness for the necessity to create a more sustainable future and to protect wildlife and nature
4) The chance to inspire other people to take on their ‘Atlantic Oceans’ or ‘impossible projects’

– Physical training (weight lifting, bicycling, swimming, yoga)
– Rowing training (indoor and on-water)
– Nutrition plans (daily calorie tracking and clean eating)
– Mental preparation (sport psychologist, courses and meditation)
– Navigation-, Sea Survival- and Seamanship Courses

and much more…

I’ve always had a special affection for Pittsburgh and it probably helped that I love their ice hockey team, the Penguins.
What makes Pittsburgh special to me, however, is its hard-working, blue-collar nature and that after being a polluted steel-city in the 20th century, Pittsburgh managed to reinvent itself in the 21st century as an environmental-friendly and sustainable community.

Pittsburgh didn’t let its past determine its future and I believe that this approach could be the key to creating more sustainable living conditions on our planet, too.

I’ve always seen life in terms of opportunities, not problems.
I hope to inspire a person or two to approach life in a similar way and to face their own ‘impossible challenges’.

Taking a mid-Atlantic swim.

Gaining an appreciation for the force and magnitude of the Atlantic Ocean. Experiencing marine wildlife first-hand and experiencing a perspective-shift on life from constantly being outside your comfort zone.

Not being able to complete the crossing due to factors outside of my control, such as weather, injury or seasickness.

Family and friends.