Available for coffee and last minute calls!
Another winter season on the road as floor manager for the IBSF!
Mixed Zone Manager in winter and summer!
Such an amazing day at the office: sailing the practice race with Bessie and Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag
Op zoek naar een communicatie professional?
Our team at the Olympic Sliding Center in PyeongChang 2018
Caught in the act by Getty Image Photographer Alexander Hassenstein
My outdoor office in St. Moritz :-)
Sharing my experience as working nomad!
How to follow the Laser Radial World Championships 2017
Explaining sailing
Communicatie op locatie voor uw watersportevenement
In Barcelona at the Nacra17 European Championships
Available for coffee and last minute calls!
Last Minute Calls! Do you need someone to help you out at an event at the last-minute? Feel free to stalk me, I’m available! I can work from anywhere, even for a few hours a day. This is how I jumped into several events who really needed some extra hands on site. For example at the Olympic Experience in Holland during the Olympic Games in Rio, during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 I did the same for Whisper Films and at the Superyacht Cup 2018 on Palma de Mallorca.
Ad Interim
Do you need more help than just for one event? For example for one or two days a week? Also possible! Feel free to contact me for a coffee and more information!
Another winter season on the road as floor manager for the IBSF!
Normally summer is the season I love the most, but at this point I can say I’m really looking forward to winter as well! The first IBSF Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Cup of this season will be in Sigulda, Letland, in December! A new track for me as IBSF floor manager, so you’ll understand I’m pretty excited! After Sigulda we head to Winterberg and in January I will be at the World Cups in Altenberg, Innsbruck and St. Moritz! In February we’re heading to a place I’ve been dreaming about since I watched speed skating on TV: Calgary!! And the World Championships will be held in Whistler! Love the vibe there as well!
Click here for the schedule with all the dates on the IBSF website.
Are you looking for a communication professional or floor manager for an international sport event? Please contact me at hester@hestag.com and let’s have a coffee (with or without Skype).
Mixed Zone Manager in winter and summer!
Three years after working at the World Championships Nacra17 in Aarhus, I was back in Denmark and I loved it! I kept in touch with the people I worked with in 2015 and they hooked me up for a new event!
I feel really lucky I could be part of the local organisation of the Sailing World Championships. In August 2018 sailors from over 100 nations were racing for world championships medals and the possibility to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
It was the first time in the history of the World Championships Sailing they worked with an official mixed zone. I was asked to help them as mixed zone manager during the event. Pretty exciting challenge since the sport is totally different then bobsleigh. But it all worked out pretty well!
The Communications Manager of the local organisation wrote me this review on Facebook after the event was finished:
Cathrine Bianca Christensen, Communications Manager – Aarhus 2018 – Linkedin Profile Cathrine
“Hester was coordinating the press and the mixed zones at the Sailing World Championships in Aarhus 2018. It was a great pleasure working together with Hester. Her knowledge about sailing and media made a very professional environment and a great experience for the visiting press from all over the world. Hester is flexible, helpful and has a problem solving mindset. Highly recommended
“
Sailing and Mixed Zone Manager experience
The World Championships Sailing in Santander 2014 was the last event I worked for the Dutch Olympic Sailing Team. I started working with their main sponsor in 2012 and worked as press officer for the team in 2013 and 2014. I continued working in the olympic sports industry. In August 2017 I coordinated the media for Laser Radial Worlds in The Netherlands and during the summer of 2018, 4 years later, I was mixed zone manager at the Sailing Worlds 2018 in Aarhus.
Winter worker
In winter I am floor manager/mixed zone manager for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. I travel around the world with the bobsleigh and skeleton winter family to all world cup venues, world championships and Olympics. During the Olympics in Korea I worked for OBS at the Olympic Sliding Center, as floor manager, but also as spotter for luge, bobsleigh and skeleton.
Such an amazing day at the office: sailing the practice race with Bessie and Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag
Not a bad day at the office:-)
Sometimes you get offers you can’t refuse. Like when you receive an email from the Scallywags if you want to come sailing cause you work with Bessie to fix all her media stuff, so cool! And it was way cooler than I could have ever imagined… In the first photo we’re quickly going through the media schedule before the party started, we got second in the practice race in Scheveningen. Thank you Team Sun Hun Kai Scallywag! Smiles for days!
Op zoek naar een communicatie professional?
Op zoek naar een sportieve en energieke (online) communicatie professional met een frisse blik, een flexibele instelling en een hands on mentaliteit? Ik ben beschikbaar voor (online) communicatie activiteiten voor avontuurlijke en sportieve projecten en inzetbaar als floor manager tijdens sport evenementen in binnen- en buitenland. Neem vrijblijvend contact op!
2018
Voor diverse bedrijven in de watersport branche verzorg ik op reguliere basis online content, social media advies, persberichten of organisatorische werkzaamheden op het gebied van communicatie, pr en marketing. Bedrijven die ik momenteel help zijn de Clipper Stad Amsterdam, Magic Marine, Bark EUROPA, North Sails, Watersportcentrum Muiderberg, Stichting Marketing Scheveningen, de Hollandse Helden en Zeilmakerij Muiderberg.
In de wintermaanden ben ik als floor manager voor de World Cups en Wereld Kampioenschappen op pad met de Internationale Bobsleigh en Skeleton Bond en in februari 2018 werkte ik als floor manager / spotter voor OBS tijdens de Olympische Spelen in Korea. Mijn lopende projecten reizen dan (gedeeltelijk) gewoon met mij mee.
Bijzondere projecten in 2017
In 2017 was ik naast de diverse lopende projecten ook betrokken bij de North Sea Regatta als coordinator pr & communicatie en werkte ik als local fixer voor Whisper Films UK tijdens de UEFA Women’s EUROS 2017 in Nederland.
Our team at the Olympic Sliding Center in PyeongChang 2018
At the Olympics in PyeongChang I was spotter and floor manager for OBS at the Olympic Sliding Center, used for all bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events. We worked from early mornings till late at night, sometimes in -26 with strong winds! But what an experience to be part of this international team here at the venue in Korea!
Are you looking for a communication professional or floor manager for an international sport event? Contact me at hester@hestag.com.
Caught in the act by Getty Image Photographer Alexander Hassenstein
When working as floor manager for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation I also coordinate the content for social media on site. When I manage to get the athletes in the winners box in time for the live flower ceremony for the world feed and no unexpected things occur, I’ve got time to take some photos for social media as well. On this picture, taken in Königssee, I was caught in the act by Getty Image photographer Alexander Hassenstein.
My outdoor office in St. Moritz :-)
Arrived in St. Moritz for the penultimate World Cup bobsleigh and skeleton of this season! Nothing better than a sunny day at the outdoor office!
Sharing my experience as working nomad!
In 2012 I started to work as a digital nomad. I quit my job and started my own company. I decided I was going to specialise my business in the watersport, I just loved the sailing scene and the international lifestyle that comes with it. The first six months I booked my own tickets to events because I thought it would be really useful to get to know the (Olympic) sailing scene I was working in at that time.
It didn’t take long though until the companies I worked for needed me on location! Besides work trips to the Olympics in London, sailing events in Palma, Oman and China, I traveled to Malaysia with my laptop, and to Chili and Argentina with just an iPad. the first few years I worked 60-80 hours a week but it was one bit adventure! But I did spend almost all these hours behind my laptop. I’m really an outdoor loving, sporty type who loves to move around in stead of sit behind her laptop all day and night…
From digital nomad to working nomad
In 2016 I was asked to join the IBSF TV Crew as floor manager during the World Cups and World Championships Bobsleigh & Skeleton. Now I travel to the most amazing outdoor offices during the winter season when working for the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. I never travel without my laptop but my work is outside with amazing mountain views most of the time! From digital to working nomad!
Since I found a way of working which suits me even better, the new challenge is to combine best of both worlds. I’ve spent the first few years of my freelance career creating a pretty solid network, projects and companies to work for. Now I can just leave for the winter, be outside in the freezing cold working offline as floor manager for international sports events and talk to people in stead of my laptop! In summer I can enjoy home and combine this with visiting some cool sailing events in sunny countries!
Now I’m away most of the winter, I love spending time in Holland during summer, but I still frequently fly to sailing events like the start and finish of the Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante and Scheveningen. And every year I visit Palma de Mallorca for one or two weeks when the Olympic sailors are having their World Cups or when the Super yacht Cup is on. I love the island, it’s easy to get around and networking is amazing there! My last big summer challenge was to help the local organisation of the Sailing World Championships in Denmark with my mixed zone manager experience. It was pretty special to be part of their team and be part of the succes of the event which was also a qualifier for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020!
Are you dreaming of a life as working nomad? Maybe these tips help!
- Think about the reason why you want to be a working nomad. Do you want to be free to work from anywhere you want? Home, your favourite coffee bar, a friends’ place or a hotel room? Or do you want to be a full time traveler? If it’s definitely the last one, you might be better taking unpaid leave for a few months.
- Fake it till you make it! This doesn’t mean that you need to lie about what you do. But you can tell the world what your dreams are and what you’re doing while you’re busy working on it.
- Be ready to invest time and maybe a little money just to see if the lifestyle fits you and the companies you work for.
- Start redefining the niche you work in and see what international possibilities this gives you.
- If the companies you already work for are okay with you working from home in stead of at their office, they might be also okay with you working somewhere else and call in for a Skype meeting or Google Hangout.
- If you can work from home, you can basically work from anywhere. Take a test week and book yourself a nice room in a hostel on a a relaxed island or a city. Maybe your company organises an international event, or has a foreign establishment. Just spend the week abroad and see if the lifestyle fits you and if they realise you’re actually not at home but abroad. It’s a good way to see if you still have the discipline to work at least 4-6 hours a day.
- Make sure you’ve got your shit sorted. All administration online, all contacts you need and a good working phone (maybe international data bundle) so everyone can reach you.
- An empty inbox helps. It gives you a lot of headspace and freedom to react instantly to requests from the companies you already work for.
- If you don’t have the money to take yourself abroad for a week, try to find friends to stay with. It might even be worth finding a sport event/festival that looks for volunteers and offer them your skills. They might even accommodatie you and sort out your food. But food and a local network are worth something as well! From my own experience I know that this works pretty well!
If you have questions or you need help, feel free to contact me for a coffee, with or without Skype!
How to follow the Laser Radial World Championships 2017
From 21 – 26 August 2017, the world’s best Laser Radial sailors will participate in the first World Championships held in the Netherlands since the Laser Radial became an Olympic-class boat in 2008. The two fleets of 100 women and 64 men representing 45 countries will sail two races back-to-back each day.
The top five world-ranked sailors of the women’s class will be in Medemblik fighting for the title of 2017 Laser Radial World Champion. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist and the last three world champions will be competing as well, setting the stage for high competition.
Marit Bouwmeester (NED), claimed gold in Rio and was named World Champion in Santander in 2014, her second world title after Perth in 2011. In 2015, Anne Marie Rindom (DEN) won the World Championships in Al Musannah, Oman, and in 2016 Alison Young (GBR) won the world title in Nayarit, Mexico.
Evi van Acker (BEL), currently leading the world rankings, and Bouwmeester will both be competing on what for both girls, feels like their home water.
In the Men’s division, returning five-time World Champion, Marcin Rudawski (POL) will be competing in the Laser Radial, along with Nik Pletikos (SLO) who placed second in the 2016 World Championship in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland.
Current World Ranking Women’s Laser Radial Class
1. Evi van Acker (BEL)
2. Mathilde de Kerangat (FRA)
3. Emma Plasschaert (BEL)
4. Mamami Doi (JPN)
5. Silvia Zennaro (ITA)
Schedule
19 & 20 August: Registration and Measurement
21 – 24 August: Qualifying Races – 2 races per day
25 & 26 August: Finals – 2 races per day
The time of the first warning signal on 21-26 August will be 10:55. Each day succeeding races will be started as soon as possible after the finish of the previous race. Any race whose warning signal is not made by 15:00 on the last day of the championship will be abandoned and not resailed.
If you have any questions about the organisation please send an email to info@laserradialworlds.com. When you would like to receive hi res photos for publication please contact Hester Ozinga.
Entry Lists
Laser Radial Women’s World Championschips
Laser Radial Men’s World Championsips
Results, photos and short videos from the water will be published on:
Twitter account of the International Laser Class
Photography
The photographer on site will be Thom Touw
Social Media
* Instagram International Laser Class
* Facebook ILCA
* Facebook Dutch Laser Association
* Event Facebook page
* The event hashtag is #radialworlds
Explaining sailing
For the 4th year in a row I organised all communication and media activities for the North Sea Regatta in The Hague – Scheveningen. These photos were taken at the North Sea Regatta by Jasper van Staveren, our event photographer in 2017.
All North Sea Regatta photos are published at the North Sea Regatta Facebook page, photos in high resolution and without credits and logo can be ordered at Sailshoot.com.
Communicatie op locatie voor uw watersportevenement
Met Hestag verzorg ik voor diverse watersportevenementen zoals Swim to Fight Cancer Haarlem en diverse zeilregattas de communicatie op locatie. Daarnaast ben ik tijdens sport evenementen in te zetten als floor manager. Heb je hulp of advies nodig bij het organiseren van de communicatie voor een zeilregatta of watersport evenement? Neem contact met me op voor de mogelijkheden of lees meer over de projecten en zeilevenementen waar ik voor mocht werken de afgelopen jaren.
In Barcelona at the Nacra17 European Championships
Working in Denmark at the Nacra17 World Championships 2015 and the Nacra17 European Championships in Barcelona as pr and communication professional to do research about the Nacra17 events and how to improve communication and pr activities for future events.