I knew nothing about the Volvo Ocean Race before accepting this job, so it makes me happy that I'm learning something new. The first couple days were spent with me pretty much dilly-dallying around, as you can see from the photo above. Yesterday I started playing ping pong with this adorable girl, must have been around 7 years old, who wouldn't stop talking about the race. I had nothing to say about it... tres embarrassing. So I made an effort to learn a bit more. Yesterday the boats came in around 4pm, with the following scores: Team Telefonica 66, Camper with Emirates Team 58, Groupama Sailing Team 42, Puma Ocean Racing 28, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 19, Team Sanya 4.
A little info for those of you are just as confused as I was. Each team is made up of 11 professional crew members. As for the scoring, for each leg, the winner is awarded 30 points - number of entries (six) multiplied by five. Then there's also the scoring of the in-port races which is number of entries by one (the image on the left makes more sense). The race takes nine months with nine legs, starting in Alicante, Spain in October 2011 and ending in Galway, Ireland early July 2012. The teams sail over 39,000 nautical miles via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient.
Sounds exciting and fun doesn't it! I'd love to see all those places. Then I read this description: "During the race the crews will experience life at the extreme: no fresh food is taken onboard so they live off freeze dried fare, they will experience temperature variations from -5 to +40 degrees Celsius and will only take one change of clothes. They will trust their lives to the boat and the skipper and experience hunger and sleep deprivation."
That sounds just as bad as the worst experience I can think of. I'm sure though that despite it all, it's invigorating, worth every minute, and a life changing experience.
For more information click here.
Everyone waiting for the Team Telefonica!
I wonder what that high feels like to be in the lead of this specific race.
Creepy men on stilts.
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