Name; Rik Op het Veld

Nickname; Sappie, Big Rik (in Australia)

DOB; January 23th 1986

Club; RB Echt

Contact; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

National team representations (Netherlands);

Seniors, 21 caps; WG 2005, WC 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and EC 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011, German Cup 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010, DLRG Cup (Nivea Cup) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011

Juniors, 5 caps; (EYC) from 2001 untill 2004, Coppa Italia 2002

Interests; (Surf) Lifesaving, swimming and surfing (or anything in the waves)

Occupation; Athlete, Student, currently doing a Master course in Organization Studies and Entrepreneur

Favourite event; Ironman/Oceanman in the Surf and the 50m manikin carry in the pool.

Goals; Finishing Coollangatta Gold and Graduating (Master of Science in Organization Studies).

Important results;

World Championships: 2006, 1st in Line throw and 2010, 3rd on 4x 50 rescue medley relay.

European Championships: 2011, 3rd on the Surf Ski race.

DLRG Cup 2010, Overall winner, taking out the Board race and Oceanman, while finishing second at the Surf Ski race.
Until now, never been beaten by any Dutch competitor on the Ironman or Board race on the Dutch Surf/Ocean championships. At the German Nivea/DLRG trophy series in 2006 and 2007, I won the overall Ironman and Board race ranking, in 2009 I won the the overall Board race, Surf race and Ski race ranking (3rth on the Ironman, because I missed 1 event) and in 2010 came 3rd on Surf Ski Race and Oceanman, 4rth on Surf Race and 5th on the Board Race (I raced 2 out of 3 events, never lost an Oceanman or finished outside the top 3 on Surf Ski and Surf race).

Holder of 2 Dutch National records in the Pool:
50m Maniken carry in 31.76 and
100m Rescue medley in 1.08.49

Since 2003, made every Ironman, Surf race and Board final at the Europeans.

In the Australian surf season from 2007-2008, trained and raced for BMD Northcliffe SLSC, the current world champion lifesaving club and it has been the Australian surf lifesaving champion club for the last years.

2011;
3rd on the Surf Ski race at the European LifeSaving Championships. Winner of the Oceanman and the Run-Swim-Run at the Dutch National Championships, due to a tragic accident in the family these were all the events I did, so over a best of 4 events I finished 4rth. At the Dutch Pool Championships I finished 3rd overall. And during the Oxbow series in Belgium I won all the Oceanman events and during the FILCOW I won all the water events (Ski, Board, Swim and Oceanman) and at Baywatch (my home event, hosted by RB Echt), I won the Swim, Ski and Oceanman. During the German Cup in Warendorf I improved the Dutch national record on the Rescue Medley by almost a second to 1.08.49.

2010;
Won the overall ranking at the DLRG Cup in Warnemunde, also taking out the Oceanman and the Board race, while finishing second in the Surf Ski race. Won the Surf Ski Race and the Board Race at the Dutch National Championships and came 2nd at the Run-Swim-Run, but due to family obligation had to leave the event, not being able to defend my Oceanman title and losing the overall ranking (finished 3rd). Finished 3rd on the Dutch Pool Lifesaving Championships.
And competed at the World Lifesaving Championships, finishing 7th with the complete team. Making 2 individual finals (Surf Ski race and the Superlifesaver) and when I was in the relay team we made the finals. With this achievement I am the first Dutch competitor to ever reach into a individual final in a craft event during the Ocean/Surf part of the championship and we won a bronze medal on the 4x 50 medley relay.
Slashed 2 Dutch records during the German Cup in Warendorf, improving the 50m Manikin Carry by nearly 0.8 of a second to 31.76 and improving the old Rescue Medley record by almost 3 seconds to 1.09.46

2009;
Second at the overall ranking at the DLRG Cup in Warnemunde, Second on the Ski and Oceanman race at the DLRG Cup. Won the overall ranking at the DLRG Trophy on the Board, Ski and Swim (all shared first places) and got third on the Oceanman ranking, these ranking are affected by missing 1 event.

2008;
Winner Oxbow tour, Finalist surf race at Queensland state titles and Finalist in the Surf race at World Champs. Semi-finalist at the Ironman, Board race and Ski race at World Champs. Dutch Surf lifesaving Champion, best Dutch lifesaver at Dutch pool champs finishing 3th. Due to German regulations I wasn’t allowed to start at the Nivea Trophy series.

2007;
Winner Ironman and Board race overall ranking at the Nivea Trophy series, at the Europeans in Tenerife, top 10 finisher in Ironman and Board race, finalist on Ski and Surf. Dutch Surf champ.

2006;
Winner Ironman and Board race overall ranking at the Nivea Trophy series, Semi finalist in the Boardrace, Ski race and Ironman at the World Championships in Australia. Dutch Surf and Pool champ.

2005;
Finalist on the Ironman, Board race and Surf Race at the World Games and at the European championships. Dutch Surf and Pool champ.

2004;
Semi-finalist in the Ironman and Board race at the World Championships in Italy. Finalist and top 10 finisher on the Board and Surf race at the European Junior Championships in Poland. Dutch Surf Champ and Junior Pool champ.

2003;  
Finalist in the Ironman, Board race and Ski race at the European Championships in Sweden. Finalist and top 10 finisher on the Board and Surf race at the European Junior Championships in Italy. Dutch Surf and Junior Pool champ.

2002;
Finalist on the Board and Surf race at the European Junior Championships in Bulgaria. Dutch Junior Pool champ, there where no Surf champs in this year.

2001;
Finalist on the Board and Surf race at the European Junior Championships in France.