Volvo Ocean Race

Gone are the days when the Whitbread Race, as it was then know, was a giant adventure, where simply to complete the race was an achievement in itself. No more sitting down to dinner or roast lunch from the deep-freeze. No more cabins or a bunk for each crewman. No more calculating the handicaps days after the first boat has finished. The Volvo Ocean race is a starkly simple contest. The first boat home wins each leg and when the points are tallied up at the end we have a winner.

Attracting crews from the America’s Cup, Olympics and past Ocean Races, this event is set to be the most competitive ever. There may only be eight boats but in contrast to previous races, every single one of them is capable of wining legs. Each if sailed to her maximum potential can win the race.

And what a race it promises to be for those of us left ashore. Modern technology and especially the Internet is set to provide an unrivalled view of the race. Just as we had become used to six-hourly position reports and a few grainy pictures from the boats, the whole game moves on again. Not only will the boats be reporting their position, but sophisticated technology will be relaying back information direct from the boat’s own onboard instrumentation systems together with comprehensive weather data from each boat. For the first time in any race anywhere, there will be also be wave-height data. Fascinating viewing.

See page two for where and when....