During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2011 and ends in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, the teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajaí, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient.
Each entry has an 11-strong professional crew and the race requires their utmost skill, physical endurance and competitive spirit as they race continuously for more than 20 days at a time on some of the legs. On board they will each take on different jobs, two will have had medical training, and there’ll be a sailmaker, an engineer and a dedicated media crew member.
The race is the ultimate mix of world class sporting competition and on-the-edge adventure, a unique blend of onshore glamour with offshore drama and endurance.
It is undeniably the world’s premier global race and one of the world’s most demanding team sporting events.