Photography Pim van der Maden
In the run-up to Dutch Water Week, we put a number of stakeholders in the spotlight. André de Vries is Brand Manager at InFlevoland, the province that dares to express ambitions. “We have a lot to offer. We are going to show that to the world.”
What is Flevoland’s role in Dutch Water Week?
“Flevoland is surrounded by water on all sides. Together with Almere, we offer the space to make the Dutch Water Week the biggest water sports event in the world in the coming years. We have the space and we therefore dare to express this ambition.”
What does the Dutch Water Week mean for Flevoland?
“Through this event we can show what this water-rich area has to offer. Not only for professional water sports enthusiasts, but also for amateurs. Beginner or advanced, young and old, of every level and in every discipline. Whether you want to sail, surf, SUP or foil, you name it. It’s all possible in Flevoland. And together with the Dutch Water Week we are going to show that to the whole world in the coming years.”
Why are the Dutch Water Week and Flevoland a good match?
“The organization of the Dutch Water Week is enormously ambitious and that makes us in Flevoland enthusiastic. Then we will run a little harder than we normally do already. We have a lot of water here and unlimited space, so it’s not for nothing that water sports is one of our core sports. Flevoland’s water experience, that is what we want visitors to experience. This event is not only about the competitions, but also about the pleasure of sport for which the recreational sport in Flevoland offers many opportunities. Not just watching, but also getting out on the water yourself.”
What do we not yet know Flevoland but should know?
“Flevoland and water cannot be seen separately from each other. After all, Flevoland was created from water. Made by human hands. How unique that is! We know that ourselves and we like to tell people about it, that the islands of Urk and Schokland suddenly appeared on dry land after the land was reclaimed. A special history that you can experience and discover in various ways. For example in Batavialand, Schokland Museum or experience it yourself cycling through the polder and along the dikes. Enjoy the panoramic views and the space.”
What are you really looking forward to yourself?
“That would be the windsurfing and foiling races later on at Hoekipa Dijk in Lelystad, with a nice strong wind. It’s been quite a few years since I last surfed under the Urker lighthouse, around the Ommelebommelestien and along the edges of the Vormt, but I still love to watch. Maybe I’ll be inspired to try it again myself.”
Do you have any tips for visitors?
“That tip is an extension of my previous answer. Come to Urk with your surfboard, because it’s not only great fish eating there, but also great (kite)surfing! I can tell.”
