Annemiek Bekkering & Annette Duetz

Annemiek Bekkering was born on August 5, 1991 in Veghel, Netherlands. She teamed up with Annette Duetz in the 49erFX and the pair became one of the strongest duos in the class, taking world titles in 2018 and 2019 before capping their partnership with an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. She made her Olympic debut earlier at Rio 2016. Bekkering retired from professional sailing in November 2021.

Annette Duetz was born on June 29, 1993 in Bergh, Netherlands, into a sailing family. Her mother, Marion Bultman, competed at the 1988 Olympics, and her father, Hans Duetz, became world champion in 1982. She grew up spending summers on the water in Friesland and joined the national 29er training program at age 13, where she first crossed paths with Annemiek Bekkering and coach Kaj Böcker.

Duetz and Bekkering teamed up in the 49erFX in 2014 and quickly became one of the strongest pairings in the class. They made their Olympic debut together at Rio 2016, finishing seventh, then went on to win back to back world titles in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first crew to do so twice in the class. Their partnership peaked at Tokyo 2020 with an Olympic bronze medal.

After Bekkering's retirement, Duetz teamed up with Odile van Aanholt. The new partnership picked up right where the old one left off, winning world titles in 2022 and 2024 and capping it off with Olympic gold at Paris 2024, sailed in Marseille.

Alongside her sailing career, Duetz studied Applied Physics at Delft University of Technology, graduating in 2022 with a thesis on wind forecasting in Marseille, the very venue where she'd go on to win gold. She was knighted in the Order of Orange Nassau in August 2024 in recognition of her achievements.

In October 2025, after twelve years at the top level, Duetz announced her retirement from Olympic sailing. She leaves the sport as one of the most decorated skiff sailors in the world: three Olympic Games, one gold and one bronze, and four 49erFX world titles.