If you think Formula 1 is a tough race and Le Mans is a grueling motorsports event, then let us share with you our weekend with the toughest racing event in the world. The Volvo Ocean Race. Yes, there are no wheels but this is a sports event that pits man and technology (and some prayer) against mother nature.
It is a sailing race that starts in Alicante Spain and ends in the Hauge and surprisingly not in Sweden (its does stop over in Gothenburg before the Hauge) where its title sponsor and event owner (Volvo) comes from.
Since 1973, the Volvo Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test of a team and a human adventure like no other. Over four decades it has kept an almost mythical hold over some of the greatest ever sailors and the 2017-18 edition is taking the teams 46,000 nautical miles around the world, across four oceans, touching six continents and 12 landmark Host Cities. We met up with the teams in Auckland which is the 6th Leg and had a close and personal encounter with the sail boats and the in-port race which showed us how nature plays an important role. Sail boats need wind….and the sailors need to understand how to manipulate the wind to their advantage for speed and agility over the rough or calm seas.
This is the current position of the sailboats and you can catch if live and direct as it happens on the www.volvooceanrace/tracker.
The Volvo Ocean Race is often described as the longest and toughest professional sporting event in the world, sailing’s toughest team challenge and one of the sport’s Big Three events, along with the Olympics and America’s Cup.
