CORE

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Chris Kobusch // FALKEN Skipper (GER)

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Chris Kobusch // FALKEN Skipper (GER)

Chris has been working professionally on yachts ever since completing his Yachtmaster in 2009. Having logged more than 165,000 nautical miles since, Chris has sailed and raced all around the world on a variety of yachts from small, modern Cape31s to big classic 50m schooners.

During the 2017-18 Clipper Round The World Race Chris skippered the Chinese entry Qingdao and his team achieved a 3rd overall. After the Clipper Race Chris spent two years in the high latitudes skippering Skip Novak's sailing expedition yacht Pelagic Australis. Chris skippered ICEBEAR in 2022 and is returning in 2023 to skipper FALKEN.

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Alex Laline // FALKEN Chief Mate (ESP)

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Alex Laline // FALKEN Chief Mate (ESP)

Alex’ experiences vary from light high performance racing yachts to big heavy expedition yachts. Alex started sailing at the young age of 4 and he's been hooked to the Ocean ever since, either sailing or surfing.

He has accumulated over 115,000 nautical miles over the past years as a professional sailor, racing all over the world as part of a team in the Clipper Round the World race, working on an expedition yacht in the Arctic Circle and doing a variety of deliveries.

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Jon Amtrup // ISBJØRN Skipper (NOR)

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Jon Amtrup // ISBJØRN Skipper (NOR)

Jon Amtrup is a Norwegian sailor, captain, author, and Arctic explorer. Of his sailing accomplishments, Jon has sailed the entire coast of Norway several times in both winter and summer, circumnavigated Svalbard, crossed the Atlantic, explored Greenland, crossed the North Sea many times, and raced in several national and international double-handed and single-handed regattas. Jon runs his own business consulting with high latitude sailing expeditions on planning, weather, and routing assistance. A member of the The Explorers Club, Jon is the author of several maritime books. Encouraged by Andy, he also hosts his own sailing podcast in Norway. Jon skippered ISBJØRN in the high latitudes in 2022, and returns for more in 2023.

Laura Parent // Shore Support (USA)

Laura Parent // Shore Support (USA)

Laura grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with an insatiable wanderlust and the influence of the ocean, boats and waterways of her hometown. Her father’s career as a Port Everglades Pilot gave her early exposure to working on the water and a love for the culture of the sea. Her first boat job was on a tourist boat at age 17 when she started to realize that working on boats could be her ticket to see the world.

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Adam Browne // BOSUN (UK)

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Adam Browne // BOSUN (UK)

Adam is the latest member of the 59º North full-time team and joins us as BOSUN. Traditionally the ‘boatswain’ (bosun) was a ship's officer responsible for maintenance of the ship and its equipment. Which is exactly what Adam will be doing for both FALKEN & ISBJØRN. Adam is a keen sailor as well and will also be sailing as mate aboard our boats.

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Nikki Henderson // Offshore Racing Skipper (UK)

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Nikki Henderson // Offshore Racing Skipper (UK)

Nikki has been sailing professionally since she was 18, skippering three trans-Atlantic ARC races (twice as youngest skipper in the fleet), and later becoming the youngest-ever skipper of the Clipper Round the World Race, coming 2nd in 2018. Nikki met Andy in the fall of 2020 and first sailed ICEBEAR in Antigua, then raced with us aboard SPICA in Gotland Runt in Sweden, July 2021. Nikki skippered ICEBEAR with Emma for the fall 2021 season, and with Mia for the winter 2022 season.