life at the extreme: july 2014

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Big screen to big seas

Meet Charlie Enright and Mark Towill

Dutch determinationA proud race legacy continues

Extreme engineeringThe Volvo Ocean 65 era begins

volvooceanrace.com

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Download your freeVisitAbuDhabi mobile app now! (Available in 9 languages)

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Your Abu Dhabi trip

Published by: Volvo Ocean Race, S.L.U., Muelle nº 10 de Levante, Puerto de Alicante, 03001 Alicante, Spain. Tel. +34 966 011 100

Editor Björn Alberts Contributors Riath Al-Samarrai, Fabian Bengtsson, Will Carson, Mark Chisnell, Marcus Hutchinson, Tony Lawrence, Robert Penner, Nynke Plaatsman Image – cover Gilles Martin-Raget/Team Alvimedica Images – this page Stefan Coppers/Team Brunel, ThMartinez/Sea&Co/Moth Class, Alex Palmer/Team Alvimedica, Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race Volvo Ocean Race photographers Marc Bow, Sam Greenfield, Carmen Hidalgo, Oscar Kihlborg, Dave Kneale, Ian Roman, Ainhoa Sanchez, Tim Stonton, Paul Todd, Rick Tomlinson Print Jimenez Godoy, S.A. Advertising sales Gavin Brown, [email protected], +34 666 593 868.

© 2014 Volvo Ocean Race, S.L.U. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, without permission. Permission must also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature. Whilst every care is taken with submitted material to ensure factual accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted by Volvo Ocean Race, S.L.U., the Volvo companies or any editor or contributor for any loss or damage arising as a result of information contained in this publication. The views expressed by individual contributors are not necessarily those of Volvo Ocean Race, S.L.U. or the Volvo companies. All rights reserved.Published July 2014

Bright lights to big horizonsFrom the set of a Disney movie to the wheel of a Volvo Ocean 65, Mark Chisnell meets Team Alvimedica’s Young Americans

Engineering the extreme Since its announcement in June 2012, the Volvo Ocean 65 has gone from drawing board to impressive reality

Dutch destiny Nynke Plaatsman looks into the past and present of Dutch involvement in the race

New challenges at Race HQ Volvo’s race plans Shop window

Race map and dates

Pro-am racing

Race hospitality

The race in the media

Where are they now?

AlicanteCape TownAbu Dhabi

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Welcome to the new, revamped Life At The Extreme.

Since our last issue, we’ve been on a bit of a sabbatical. But at Race HQ, things have been anything but quiet. As Race CEO Knut Frostad explains overleaf, the event’s bold move to the next-generation Volvo Ocean 65 boat class has radically transformed the role of the race organisers.

Meanwhile, on the water, it’s been transforming lives too – smashing waves, bruising bodies and turning heads. In under two years the Volvo Ocean 65 has gone from a vision to reality. Now it’s the sailors’ turn to show how far their determination can take them in fulfilling their dreams.

To date, six teams from Sweden, China, Abu Dhabi, Turkey/USA, the Netherlands and Spain have set out their plans to take the Volvo Ocean Race trophy home. With the fleet now sailing identical boats, every crewmember knows that now the margin between winning and losing is purely down to them.

Racing around the world will be a huge accomplishment for all of the sailors. Teamwork, craftsmanship and tactics are crucial to cope with this adventure in a race against time and the forces of nature. Who will be best prepared to deal with life at the extreme? It’s the ultimate test of sailor vs. sailor on the longest and toughest racetrack of them all.

Life At The Extreme aims to take you beneath the surface of the Volvo Ocean Race and the people who choose to take on one of the toughest assignments in world sport. We hope you like our new approach and invite you follow us as we count down to October 4.

Download the official race app to your smartphone to have the best stories at your fingertips. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the full picture, interact with the adventure on our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram to catch our inspirational images from the sailors in the midst of the adventure.

You’ll be amazed what happens 1,000 miles from the comfort zone.

Björn Alberts Editor and Race Marketing/Communications Director

Contents

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Port updates:

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FIND YOUR OWN CHALLENGE. We designed the XC60 to make your world bigger. This vehicle gives you the the rugged functionality of a capable SUV and the stylish looks and great drive you expect from a sophisticated road car. It’s the perfect car for demanding drivers in search of adventure – both in town and beyond.

Volvo XC60 Ocean Race Edition with AWD

volvocars.comProduct models and specifications may vary in different markets.

Please ask your Volvo dealer for the actual offer in your market.

5

FIND YOUR OWN CHALLENGE. We designed the XC60 to make your world bigger. This vehicle gives you the the rugged functionality of a capable SUV and the stylish looks and great drive you expect from a sophisticated road car. It’s the perfect car for demanding drivers in search of adventure – both in town and beyond.

Volvo XC60 Ocean Race Edition with AWD

volvocars.comProduct models and specifications may vary in different markets.

Please ask your Volvo dealer for the actual offer in your market.

4

WITH THE ALICANTE START LINE LOOMING EVER NEARER, CEO KNUT FROSTAD AND HIS TEAM AT RACE HQ ARE PREPARING TO STAGE THE MOST AMBITIOUS VOLVO OCEAN RACE EVER. MARCuS HuTCHINSON WENT BEHIND THE SCENES TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EVENT

ORGANISERS AND THEIR VASTLY ExPANDED ROLE

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It’s never revolution, it’s all about evolution. The Volvo Ocean Race is the oldest, the toughest and the best known of the round-the-world races. The start of the 12th edition is fast approach-ing in October 2014.

The first event in 1973 (then known as the Whitbread) was a bold, pioneering step. Every race since has seen the model evolve to match the needs of the competition, the teams and the fans. The past 40 years - with the development of new technologies, tech-niques and safety standards, the discovery of new routes and ports - have also been about defining the standards of best practice and dictating the agenda for the offshore racing world.

The one constant as the race has pro-gressed has been the ever-increasing level of professionalism at sea and ashore within both the teams and the race management. Cutting-edge racing yacht design and the biggest sailing names on the planet have re-placed the myriad boat types and sizes and the amateurs, adventurers and characters of the past. The Volvo Ocean Race organisation has increased in size and professionalism too in the battle to remain relevant in an ever-changing commercial world.

Overcoming barriersOver time, the operational model for teams has became more and more refined and the path for new teams was becoming overly complicated. Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad explains:

“To the outside world a Volvo entry was a mysterious and complex project. How do I start? Where do I start? How much does it cost? Who should I get to design my boat? Who should build it?”

The solution the Volvo Ocean Race came up with was to commission the design and build of a fleet of identical (‘one-design’) 25 metre yachts and then sell them to the en-tries.

“If we hadn’t found ways to remove excus-es for new teams to compete we would have been in trouble with entry numbers,” Frostad continues. “We needed to make it easier for teams to become established and remove the constant excuses for not competing.”

The brave decision to commit to the Volvo Ocean 65 means that teams approaching the Volvo Ocean Race now face fewer hur-dles. They now only have to worry about the choice of sailors on board, their preparation SE

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“Our staff works with the teams every single day on all levels now…this is the ultimate partnership”Knut FrostadRace CEO

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and ultimately the strategy and tactics they employ once the start gun has been fired.

Gone are the big, risky decisions about design and build. Gone are the elements of uncertainty over which sails to build. Gone is the army of shore crew that each team had to move around the world just to main-tain their custom-built machines.

“With a new project there were just too many risks. With the one-design solution it is just about finding the people to sail around the world with.” Frostad is confident the solution responds well to the current climate. “This has opened up opportunities for teams to challenge that may not have wanted the level of project complexity that the race represented in the past.”

Expanded roleThe first phase of the project has been a success. Collectively the first five yachts to be unveiled had already sailed tens of thousands of miles more than six months before the start. There have been very, very few issues.

In previous races, the race organisers have supplied standardised communica-tions and safety packages to all the com-peting teams. Now, with the advent of this new era, boats and sails too count as sup-plied equipment.

“Selling the boats was the first project; managing their maintenance is the second part.”

Frostad explains the move to the Volvo Ocean 65 has meant a massive change of responsibilities. The maintenance pro-gramme for every boat is a core part of the race organiser’s service pledge.

“As an organization we are doing so much more than in the past. And we are so much closer to the teams.”

Frostad’s race management team has had to add yacht brokerage and mainte-nance servicing to its skill set. No longer are the staff uniquely media, marketing, monitoring and administration. Some of them wield power tools and paint brushes too.

Closer relationships“Our staff works with the teams every sin-gle day on all levels now. This was never the case before and this has made it so much more efficient on so many fronts. We are totally joined up with the teams. This is the ultimate partnership.”

But if Frostad is happy with how things have gone, he’s not getting complacent. “Our monster Shared Services project will be the ultimate test of the one-design prin-ciple.

“We haven’t delivered it all yet. But get-ting all the teams to agree that pooling re-sources was the way ahead has been such a positive. The race is now an infinitely more engaging proposition for potential teams. And the proof is in the number of new teams attracted to this next race.”

Setting the new standard

Dongfeng Race Team

Dongfeng became the first team to officially qualify for the next race - completing 2,000 non-stop miles at sea. An Atlantic crossing in June will be followed by the Round Britain and Ireland race in August.

“This training is a big step on the learning curve for our Chinese crew. The more we sail with them the more we see their potential and feel convinced that Chinese sailors have a great future”

Bruno Dubois (BEL) Team Director

Team SCA

While recruiting the best team of female offshore sailors, Team SCA has spent the longest time training together aboard the new Volvo Ocean 65.

“We now have the full team more or less in place, the crew have their roles. The first transatlantic and the return gave us the opportunity to test the crew and boat in conditions that are most like the race itself”

Joca Signorini (BRA) Coach

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Team Alvimedica

Recipients of the fifth Volvo Ocean 65, the Turkish-backed crew follows up its maiden Atlantic crossing in June by racing Abu Dhabi back to Europe in July before starting the Round Britain and Ireland Race.

“Most of our crew training will be in Europe. The final team won’t be determined until later in the summer after a number of training sessions. Our plan is to have our final crew ready by August”

Charlie Enright (USA)Skipper (1st race)

Abu DhabiOcean Racing

Second time around as a skipper for Abu Dhabi, this entry stands to benefit from Ian Walker’s huge Olympic one-design experience.

“We’ll be based in Cascais for as long as possible. The best place to train with big winds and seas just nearby and a pleasant environment ashore. We’ll do the Round Britain and Ireland Race against several of the other teams in August”

Ian Walker (GBR)Skipper (3rd race)

Team Brunel

Almost on its first sail the team gave a hint of the blistering pace we can expect from the new Volvo Ocean 65. The Dutch project, with their huge experience in this race, will train around Europe.

“If I didn’t have my heart in it I wouldn’t do it. I do it because I enjoy the racing, the people and the whole spirit of the race”

Andrew Cape (AUS)Navigator (6th race)

Spanish Team

Following months of speculation, the Spanish confirmed their intentions to be on the start line in 2014-15 – their fourth consecutive appearance in the race. Hopes for the still-unnamed team will be high following their domination of the early stages of the 2011-12 race.

“We know that it will be a very difficult edition, with all the boats identical but as always we’ll try to raise the Spanish flag at its highest”

Pedro Campos (ESP)Team Director

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Engineering the

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BY RIATH AL-SAMARRAI

“I wouldn’t have delivered it if I wasn’t confident it would take the sailors safely around the world. There is a lot of scrutiny on the quality. I know it’s a good boat”Connell DainoConstruction Project Manager at Green Marine

The Volvo Ocean Race is about to undergo a seismic change. For the first time in its history, new rules ensure that all boats will be identical. The arms race is over. Let the sailors' race begin!

The brand new, state-of-the-art Volvo Ocean 65 promises to level the playing field - as much as can be possible when the play-ing field is a landscape of huge waves.

Designed specifically for this race by Farr Yacht Design and built by a multinational consortium of high-performance boatyards, it replaces the Volvo Open 70 yacht used in the past three editions.

It will, in the wide estimation of sailors, designers and experts, ensure the tightest race in the event's history. More than ever before, the race will be determined by tactics, navigation and boat handling, rather than in-vestment in equipment.

Make no mistake, early trials show this boat is fast and brutally hard on the bodies of those who sail it. It has already racked up a distance of 540 nautical miles (1,000 km) in a day, sending a signal that the monohull distance world record set by Ericsson 4 in 2008, may be under threat.

extreme

"This is a stunning looking boat. It has an iconic look that really marks it out as special. The build quality is stunning"Patrick ShaughnessyPresident of Farr Yacht Design

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“The feeling after a leg won’t change because of the new boats – you will feel like your body has been destroyed. These are big, powerful boats raced with huge intensity”Shannon FalconeRace veteran and America's Cup winner

2005

21.50 m (70.5 ft)

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Volvo Open 70

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Volvo Ocean 65

First raced

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Engineering the extreme

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”You always have a bit of an apprehension when testing a new boat, because you wait for something to go bang. But there's been no problem”Liz WardleyRace veteran and crew member on Team SCA

In the lobby of a Portsmouth hotel in 2006, two sailors from the same team summed up the curious and conflicting relationship of sailors and their boats.

In one corner sat Chris Nicholson, a Volvo Ocean Race veteran, whose yacht, Movistar, had just gone to the bottom of the Atlantic. “I like to put my hands on a boat,” he said. “I like to feel a boat, get to know her and see how she flexes in certain situations. All boats are slightly different and I like to know what I am dealing with. You get a kind of emotional comfort from that.”

His skipper, Bouwe Bekking, now leading Team Brunel, was and continues to be more detached. “I never get emotionally attached to a boat,'” he said. “I learn the characteristics, what it can take and what it cannot take.”

To all sailors, though, there is a relationship. It comes from the subtleties of noise and

feel, knowing what sounds like stress and what feels like a boat under control, sailing fast on the edge of its limits. Constantly.

“The race is often a journey of learning your boat,” Bekking says. “You learn what makes it go fast, you know what breaks it. You become sensitive to what you can and can't do – it’s like riding a horse or racing a finely-tuned sports car.”

Except, in the Volvo Ocean Race, your race craft is also your home. Winning is about more than boat speed and miles covered; it is synonymous with physical hardship, extreme endurance and the challenge of living for weeks at a time in a vehicle that was not built for comfort.

“You love it and you hate it.” Nicholson explains. “You love it because it is what you depend on in the middle of the ocean. You hate it because it's a hard place to live.

“If it was easy we wouldn't do this race.”

Sailors and

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With a new Race Village Pavilion concept, Volvo aims to use compelling stories and a first-class hospitality programme to make followers feel part of the adventure – all the way to the finish.

The Volvo Ocean Race tells a different kind of story from other global events. Be-neath the sporting contest, many race-goers feel drawn in by the spirit of adventure at the heart of the race.

In the centre of a race village buzzing with activity and emotion, the two-level Volvo Pavilion is a gateway to adventure and new experiences. As well as providing a perfect vantage point for world-class sailing, the pa-vilion is a showcase for the very best that Volvo has to offer.

The pavilion’s ground floor and outdoor exhibition space function as a showroom for the senses – giving visitors an immersive path of discovery into the Volvo brand and its

THE RACE VILLAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL PLACE TO VISIT. AT THE WATER’S EDGE, VISITORS CAN ESCAPE THEIR DAILY ROUTINES AND FEEL A WHOLE NEW SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH THE WORLD. WITH THE RACE SET TO FINISH IN GOTHENBURG FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS, FABIAN BENgTSSON SET OUT TO DISCOVER HOW VOLVO PLANS TO USE THE COMING RACE TO GIVE VISITORS A MORE SPECIAL ExPERIENCE THAN EVER.

impact on everyday life. It’s an ideal forum for Volvo to build brand

awareness and strengthen customer rela-tionships. “We want guests to enter our pa-vilion and think ‘Wow, I didn’t know this was what Volvo was about,’” says Karin Bäcklund, Director of Sponsorship Events & Exhibi-tions at Volvo Cars. “We want them to get a rush from watching the race up-close and by letting them see our brand from a new perspective.”

For the 2014-15 race, the spotlight will be firmly on the competing sailors and their stories. The pavilion will provide a popular setting for crews to share and interact with the public.

Right balanceThe race village’s vibrant atmosphere is a perfect backdrop for developing business relationships. An exclusive hospitality pro-gramme at stopovers around the world offers

global race

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“Interacting with customers has always been vital to our involvement in the race. As a platform for combining business and hospitality, it’s exceptional”ulrika PerssonDirector of Volvo Ocean Race Utilization, Volvo Group

connecting it to the business we do locally,” explains Volvo Group’s Ulrika Persson.

An extensive programme of seminars will introduce local business audiences to topics aligned with Volvo’s values. The pa-vilion’s upper level is dedicated to hospital-ity with capacity to host up to 200 seated guests. Demonstrations of products used in local markets and site visits to key local customers provide additional touch points.

Home gameWhat promises to be the most exciting Volvo Ocean Race yet will be decided in Gothen-burg in June 2015. For Volvo it’s an added opportunity to once again invite fans and guests to Sweden and show the full poten-tial of the Volvo brand.

“Gothenburg is the place where Volvo started and a city where we have many em-ployees. To have the race finish here is an opportunity for us to do even more than at other stopovers,” enthuses Bäcklund.

“Among other things we will be opening all our own test-driving tracks for both cor-porate guests and the public. It means a lot for us to welcome the race and its followers to our hometown and it’s vital for us to be able to utilise the race to the max.”

Volvo’s corporate guests a relaxed environ-ment where social activities balance a clear business focus.

“Our objective is to provide a programme of activities that entertains as well as of-fering interesting business insights,” says Christina Magnusson, Director of Global Sponsorship at Volvo Trucks. “We want our guests to experience the full excitement of the race, get a better understanding of what we do and have a good time.”

The race’s high profile and the attractive-ness of the race village as a meeting point make it possible for Volvo to use stopovers as a platform for special activities or as a backdrop for campaign launches.

As well as showcasing the brand’s global reach, Volvo will use the race to highlight their business in the regions that the race passes through.

“We are bringing a piece of Volvo’s hub in Gothenburg with us around the world,

global showcase

Many people now use their vacations to visit

several ports. There is a growing

community of frequent stopover visitors.

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As the clock counts down to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, Adolfo Rodriguez and his team in Alicante are busily putting the finishing touches on what they hope to be the biggest and best race start ever.

Rodriguez, director of the Alicante start port, is behind a raft of new features never before seen at a race village site. With just four months to go, excitement is already mounting in the sun-drenched Spanish city.

“We plan to place three giant wooden crates in 11 locations around the city, with each of the kits representing the cities on the race route,” Rodriguez explains. “The crates will be opened during the weekends to offer activities and information to the locals.”

The event managers used the high visibility of Alicante's 'Hogueras' festival in June to promote the race to the thousands of revellers crowding the city.

Spread over 40,000m2, the race village will host a 10-day long carnival of sailing in the lead-up to the first in-port race, continuing right through to the eagerly-awaited start of Leg 1 to Cape Town.

In addition to the race’s touring pavilions and entertainment activities, Alicante Race Village will have a special activity area featuring a variety of watersports and children's games to entertain young ones.

Other enhancements include a helipad installed to allow helicopter flights over the race village and city and a state-of-the-art iPavement, offering free WiFi within the village perimeter as well as pushing event updates to visitors' mobile phones and tablets.

Visitors to Alicante have the special bonus of the Volvo Ocean Race museum, an installation that has become an important local attraction since its inauguration in 2011.

At the entrance, visitors will be welcomed by the sight of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean yacht. The star entry from the 2005-06 race has been returned to its original livery especially for the race start.

Rodriguez adds: “Soon we will have the Brasil 1 boat too so everybody will have the opportunity to see inside a Volvo Ocean Race boat.”

Race village opens2 Oct 2014

Pro-am racing:3, 5, 10 Oct 2014

In-port race:4 Oct 2014

Leg start:11 Oct 2014

Portside inAlicante

Dates

global race, global showcase

Programme highlightsSeminarsA series of seminars will explore subjects aligned with Volvo’s brand values like safety, quality and the environment.

Fuel efficiency and alternative fuels— Future trends and innovations at Volvo Trucks— On the way to zero accidents for Volvo Trucks— Volvo Construction Equipment future plans — Sustainable construction industry

Engine technology— Collaborations with preferred NgOs

Local projects that Volvo is involved in will also round out the programme to be provided in each stopover port.

Volvo SailabrationShowThe Volvo Sailabration Show is an evening filled with entertainment, celebrating the spirit of human endeavour throughout the history of the Volvo Ocean Race. The show takes place in the

Volvo Pavilion and includes a spectacular meal catered by One by Jamie Oliver.

XC90 launchVolvo Cars will be launching the new xC90 during the race, with full test-drives available at stopovers from the midpoint of the race onwards. Just like the Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo’s new design philosophy is all about putting the human experience front and centre.

Demo sitesVolvo Construction Equipment will be showcasing their

products at demo sites at selected stopovers. The start in Alicante will feature an exciting twist, with a contest for construction equipment operators to test their skills against the best. More than 15,000 operators have the chance to qualify for the event.

Volvo customers - round the worldTo show the Volvo brand in action on both a global and local level, Volvo invites guests to local factories and businesses connected to the brand – dealerships,

component warehouses or a Volvo factory.

Ocean racingup-closeThe openness of the race village makes it easy to get among the sailors and boats and get a taste of what real ocean racing is about. Corporate guests can expect a thrilling front row view of in-port races and leg starts, both on land and at sea. Special guests have the opportunity to experience first-hand the thrill of grand prix sailing aboard a Volvo Ocean 65 in the pro-am racing.

THE PAVILION'S UPPER LEVEL HOSTS AN ExTENSIVE BUSINESS SEMINAR PROGRAMME SPECIAL EDITION FH AND FH16 TRUCKS

ADOLFO RODRIQUEZ, ALICANTE START PORT CHIEF

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Official Souvenir ProgrammeThe fascination, the photography, the facts of the world’s premiere ocean race.

All will be captured in the Official Souvenir Programme - the definitive preview to Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. For companies participating in the race, it’s the perfect race companion and memento for guests, customers and employees.

104 pages, 200 x 280 mm

All the personalities, teams, locations Exquisite layout and design

Informative and entertaining Available in multiplelanguage editions

Deluxe, FSC-certified paper

Race stakeholder advertising

Now accepting advance orders for bulk worldwide delivery from September.

01gothenburg Jacket by MUSTO. Gore-Tex®. €450 Alicante Jacket by MUSTO. Showerproof, fleece-lined. €150

02-03Alicante gilet FW by MUSTO. Showerproof, fleece-lined. €120Ladies Hoodie by MUSTO. Cotton. €90Ladies Premium Polo by MUSTO. Cotton. €50

04Volvo 65 T-Shirt by MUSTO. Cotton. €30

04-05Alicante Jacket by MUSTO. Showerproof, fleece-lined. €150Volvo Ocean Race Sunglasses. Floating. With case + cloth. €60Volvo Ocean Race iPad Case. Carbon effect. €35

The Volvo Ocean Race collection was kindly modelled by members of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing: Ian Walker (GBR), Adil Khalid (UAE), Simon Fisher (GBR), Luke Parkinson (AUS), Kate Ashley and Alexandra Wardall.

All items available at: www.musto.com/volvo-ocean-race

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Whether out chasing your own adventures or tied to a desk, there are plenty of ways to take the Volvo Ocean Race with you wherever you go.

Check out these product highlights from the official race collection.

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Contact [email protected]

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6,487 nm

6,125 nm

4,670 nm

5,264 nm

IN OCTOBER, THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLEET WILL SET OFF ON A COURSE OF NEARLY 39,000 NAUTICAL MILES (71,750 KM) BEFORE ARRIVING IN GOTHENBURG IN THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE 2015. FULLY CREWED (8 MEN/11 WOMEN), THE VOLVO OCEAN 65 IS OPTIMISED TO RACE AT FULL SPEED AROUND THE WORLD, AROUND THE CLOCK

MILES OF

6,776 nm

5,010 nm

2,800 nm

647 nm

960 nm

2014

2 October

1 November

12 December

2015

24 January

27 February

4 April

5 May

25 May

9 June

19 June

21 June

Dates may be subject to changeThere will be a 24 hour pit-stop in The Hague en route to Gothenburg In-port race Leg start

IPR LS

Race village opening dates

Alicante

Cape Town

Abu Dhabi

Sanya

Auckland

Itajaí

Newport

Lisbon

Lorient

The Hague

gothenburg

ADVENTURE

“As a child I wanted to be Conny van Rietschoten”. It’s a sentence any ran-dom Dutch sailor will say if asked about their heroes.

Their eyes go dreamy and big ocean waves fill their heads. Every child growing up around sailing in the Netherlands dreamed of being Cornelis van Rietschoten. He was that legend you just wanted to be.

But he was more than a remarkable skipper who twice entered and twice won the Whit-bread Round the World Race – the forerunner to the Volvo Ocean Race. With his legendary Flyer campaigns in 1977-78 and 1981-82, ‘Conny’ introduced professionalism to sailing.

“I had to actually try out!” the sailors would say. It was something unique in its time. Sailing had never heard of training schedules, routines or selection trials based on more than charac-ter and hearsay.

Van Rietschoten’s methods proved them-selves on the racecourse, his emphatic victo-ries helping to plant the seeds of a revolution in sailing while inspiring generations of sailors to come. His exploits were the launchpad for a Dutch legacy which has few rivals in the 41- year history of the race.

When the fleet lines up for the start of Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, the Netherlands’ ties to the race will be as strong as ever.

Chasing the dreamBouwe Bekking is in Port Rubicon, Lanzarote. He is skipper on board Team Brunel and about to embark on the Volvo Ocean Race for the seventh time. If you’d ask him why he is going to win this edition, he gets a strange smile on his face: “We are a great team”.

Bekking is well known as one of Holland’s greatest skippers. His record is as long as it is distinguished. Over a professional career of more than 20 years he has won many, many races. But he has never won the Volvo Ocean Race.

“The race has been decided at the design stage one too many times.” He is fond of the new one-design Volvo Ocean 65. “It is a good design, properly built.” It differs from the old Volvo Open 70: “it’s solid, doesn’t crackle too much and been put together at the best boat-yards by the most skilled builders in the world.”

Bekking is pretty sure he has the right cards to win this edition. The new, level playing field makes it possible for the Netherlands to com-pete again. Besides that, he has managed to get a team around him that he trusts and can rely on. Bekking is a team player and is deeply entwined in Team Brunel’s selection trials. If

The Dutch legacy in the history of this race has

few rivals

FLYER. TWO-TIME WINNER OF THE WHITBREAD ROUND THE WORLD RACE

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THROUGHOUT THE RACE'S 40-PLUS YEARS, FEW NATIONS HAVE MADE A STRONGER SAILING STATEMENT THAN THE

NETHERLANDS. NYNKE PLAATSMAN LOOKS INTO HER COUNTRY'S RICH LEGACY AND AHEAD TO ITS STAKE IN

THE FORTHCOMING RACE

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A“We are lucky to compete, but I really fancy a win” Carolijn BrouwerTeam SCA

you are in, you are really in. He selects with great care and vision.

The central pillar of his campaign is to in-spire youth. Bouwe Bekking wants young peo-ple to close their eyes and dream about sail-ing. He wants big ocean waves at the centre of their attention. He wants them to aspire to new milestones, channel the spirit of their he-roes and become one themselves some day. As torchbearers for the Dutch legacy in ocean sailing, Team Brunel have their sights fixed on creating new heroes, now and in the future.

They call her 'gyro'She is long and sinewy. Her eyes focus on the computer while she is navigating. She is sitting next to Sam Davies, her knees drawn up just to fit in. They are changing course and both women get a sparkle in their eyes. This is what they have lived their lives for.

They call her Gyro, an abbreviation of Gi-raffe, because of her long body. Her real name is Carolijn Brouwer. She is the last Dutch girl standing and certain of a place on board Team SCA. She is about to sail in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. It will be her second time.

She is a three-time Olympic sailor and for-mer ISAF world sailor of the year. She was a crewmember on Amer Sports Too in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2001-02. Her modesty belies her track record in sailing in a way that is typi-cally Dutch.

Holland is following every move she makes. If you tell her, she blushes and starts talking: “We have a lack of experience, you know. The guys are way ahead of us, much more experi-enced. But we are working hard. We have been on the water for over a year now and really get-ting to know the boat. It’s a whole different situation than Amer Sports Too.”

She thinks over her words in silence. She measures every single one of them and nods. Finally she continues: “We are lucky to com-pete, but I really fancy a win.” She blushes again. She doesn’t even know she is about to be a hero.

t the end of 2013, Cornelis ‘Conny’ van Rietschoten passed away, aged 87. The Flying Dutchman’ lived out his re-tirement in the company of his family in Portugal. Never one to seek publicity, every now and then he used to speak up and make his pride for the Dutch sailing community known. Every time he did, the Dutch became a little proud themselves. An icon had spoken. You could imagine his smile. In the weeks preceding his death, Flyer, van Riets-choten’s mighty maxi yacht, was bought by a Dutch foundation with the purpose of bringing her – and her legend – back to The Netherlands. Simeon Tienpont (formerly ABN AMRO Two) tasted vic-tory in the 34th America’s Cup. Bek-king announced his Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015 campaign while Klaartje Zuiderbaan, Annemieke Bes and Caro-lijn Brouwer were trying out with Team SCA. Dutch sailing was in the ascend-ency again.

In van Rietschoten’s wake, The Netherlands is blossoming and getting ready to rediscover its love affair with the ocean.

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27EASY BOATING

ONE LOOK. ONE TOUCH.ONE SYSTEM.

NEW GLASS COCKPIT SYSTEM

Gathers all vital navigation and engine information and displays it all in one place: the easy-to-handle, pinch-to-zoom displays.

A clean dashboard and enhanced overview are awaiting you. And total control – with Volvo Penta’s unique and fully integrated Easy Boating functions.

NEW

EASY BOATING

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If you want to get a true sense of how spectacular the Volvo Ocean Race is as a global sporting extravaganza, just ask Vol-vo Trucks customer and sailing enthusiast Jimmy Edvardsson.

In 2009, he was invited to Boston to take part in an inshore pro-am race during the world’s premier ocean racing event. And he’s barely stopped talking about the experience ever since.

“It was the opportunity of a lifetime, an in-credible thrill,” he says. “I got to sail with legend-ary skipper Torben Grael, and I found myself on the fastest monohull in the world. Oh, and I also met another rather special guest – the King of Sweden!”

Royal treatmentEdvardsson is Operations Manager with Swedish distribution company Flygfrakt, man-aging a fleet of 60 Volvo trucks and vehicles

THE CHANCE TO RACE ABOARD A REAL VOLVO OCEAN RACE BOAT IS A GRAND PRIx ExPERIENCE THAT FEW OTHER SPORTS CAN MATCH. THE WILDLY POPULAR PRO-AM RACING IS SET TO MAKE A RETURN TO VOLVO OCEAN RACE HOST PORTS, THIS TIME IN AN ExTENDED FORMAT AND ABOARD THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED VOLVO OCEAN 65. TONY LAWRENCE TAKES A LOOK AT A SIDE OF THE RACE WHERE EVERYBODY WINS

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at Gothenburg Landvetter airport. He remem-bers the stretch limo which took him to Boston harbour, the cheering crowds, the butterflies in his stomach as he joined his crew and the extraordinary speed and power of the boats as they came within centimetres of each other during the race.

He also remembers visiting the team work-shops, the simulators and exhibitions at the Boston stop-over – “it was all perfectly organ-ised”. He recalls being shown around by Carl-Henric Svanberg (then head of Ericsson) and, of course, he remembers desperately grasp-ing for the correct protocol for addressing his monarch.

“Actually, it was very relaxed and we had a very nice chat,” he recalls. “It was fantastic. Even today, whenever I go sailing, my friends still joke: ‘Will King Gustaf be joining you?’”

Powerful experienceAround the world, guests of the race have

enjoyed similarly unforgettable days, whether invited personally or as the result of winning a coveted guest spot in contests or charity auctions. In London, for example, Volvo Trucks auctioned off four exclusive stopover pack-ages, raising £18,000 (€22,400) for Cancer Research.

In Cape Town, journalists were among the lucky recipients in 2011, as Michelle Naude, Marketing and PR Manager with Volvo Cars SA, explains.

“Sailing is not a mainstream sport in South Africa where rugby, soccer and cricket are the big attractions, so the issue was how to get people excited about the event,” Naude says. “We decided to spread the word through mo-tor industry journalists and lifestyle media. We immersed them in the brand and the event to such an extent that they simply could not help following the race after that!”

All were given tours of the stopover facili-ties, including the Volvo Pavilion and the yachts

Whenever I go sailing, my friends still joke: “Will King gustaf be

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In amongst the action

themselves. While some took part in pro-am races, a select few were invited aboard the boats in the real in-port race itself – not helping to sail, of course, just watching and holding on. Others followed in speedboats or in a catama-ran which shadowed the fleet out of Cape Town for the Leg start to Abu Dhabi.

Huge reaction“The reaction – and the resulting coverage - was huge. The journalists who took part re-lated to the race for the first time. They were gushing non-stop about the experience after-wards. Once you experience the Volvo Ocean Race, see how challenging and extreme it is for competitors, it’s impossible not to fall in

love with it. It’s overwhelming,” Naude contin-ues.

“There are a lot of synergies between Vol-vo Cars and the race – we’re both all about people, about human-centric innovation and about world-class performance, precision and safety.

“The more the journalists 'got' the event, the more they got the brand. Our customers, of course, already know all about what Volvo stands for, but being there added something to their sense of ownership as well.

“I’m not saying our guests have stopped watching rugby or soccer – but I know they adopted their favourites and made a point of following the race for the first time.”

Tasting the saltwater spray

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With five Volvo Ocean Race stopovers already under his belt, Cape Town's Steyn Momberg has a new challenge for the 2014-15 edition – to entice as many of the city's 12 million yearly visitors to the race village.

It will be the 10th time the race has visited the beautiful South African city in 12 editions, and Momberg, the stopover's Operations Director, has grand plans to add to the city’s lengthy race history by showcasing what the city – and Africa – have to offer.

“We’ll have more local content this time around,” he says. “We want visitors to sense they are in Africa and in South Africa.

The race village will again be located among Cape Town's bustling V&A Waterfront.

“While they experience the Volvo Ocean Race, we want to make them feel what makes Cape Town different through food, retail and

local produce. There will be a very strong local tourism flavour to our village.”

The host port’s new partnership with the V&A Waterfront means that locals, competitors and visitors will be assured of a first-class experience.

Cape Town's 20,000m2 race village will be home to the Volvo Ocean Race for 19 days, from the start of November to the fleet’s departure on Leg 2 to Abu Dhabi.

“The big change in Cape Town this time is that V&A Waterfront is now a joint-venture partner for the stopover,” explains Momberg, who has helped organise the Cape Town stopover since the 1997-98 race.

“They used to be a host venue but they are now a full commercial and delivery partner for the event.

“12 million people come to the V&A Waterfront every year. Our challenge is, how many of them can we reach and teach about the race and bring to the race village?”

Race village opens:1 Nov 2014

Pro-am racing:14, 16 Nov 2014

In-port race:15 Nov 2014

Leg start:19 Nov 2014

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THE UNMISTAKABLE BACKDROP OF CAPE TOWN

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She has spent the last 20 years working at some of the biggest sporting events in the world – but Wendy gray says her big-gest challenge to date is coordinating the Volvo Ocean Race's world-class hospitality programme.

“Working in a sport stadium is an easier en-vironment because it is a purpose-built struc-ture where everything happens inside,” Gray says. “But with the Volvo Ocean Race, every stopover is different and has its own chal-lenges.”

As the race's head of hospitality and pro-tocol, Gray is tasked with ensuring corporate guests and race stakeholders are treated to an unrivalled insider view of the world's premier ocean race.

“Hospitality is a vital part of this event. Our stakeholders need first-class experiences – on water and on land – to entertain their clients.”

With the experience of the 2011-12 race already under her belt, she is back pulling the hospitality strings for 2014-15. She says the race's estimated 25,000 guests are in for an experience never seen before.

First-class experience“This year it's bigger and better, with new el-ements that bring stakeholders closer to the action.”

Landside, guests will be taken inside the machine-room of the race, the Boatyard, a des-ignated zone in each stopover where all boat servicing will take place.

“The Boatyard is a fantastic area to work

with…we’re opening the doors onto a part of the race that has been hidden from view until now.”

It’s a chance for guests to experience first-hand the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep the cutting-edge Volvo Ocean 65 fleet race-ready and equipped to cope with the toughest weather conditions.

“We won't be dressing anything up,” Gray promises. “It's going to be right in the middle of everything.”

On the water, the race’s Guest on Board programme will be sure to provide the highlight of many invited visitors’ experience of the Volvo Ocean Race.

“What we offer is equivalent to not just watching a game of football but being able to run out on to the pitch with a team,” Gray explains.

Larger offeringThe chance to sail aboard the race boats in race conditions has been the must-have guest experience of past races. Now, for 2014-15, the pro-am racing schedule has been expand-ed to two days per stopover, with guests also facing the added prospect of experiencing the brand new Volvo Ocean 65.

“Our guests get a taste of what it's like to race on a state-of-the-art grand prix boat, right alongside the pros and personalities who sail it round the world.”

Still on the water, luxury spectator boats feature expert on-board commentators to pro-vide the ultimate inshore viewing experience.

Guests seeking bigger thrills can now take it one step further with an exclusive rigid inflat-able boat (RIB) ride – another new feature of the hospitality package for 2014-15.

Driven by four-time race veteran Mike Jou-bert, the high-powered RIB promises to take guests within touching distance of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet during pro-am racing, in-port races and leg starts.

“Our RIB will give guests a chance to get right up close and appreciate better the speed and pressure situations on-board. It's unique and it will put guests closer to the action than they have ever been before.”

Exceeding expectationsGray draws on her experience from top events such as the rugby and cricket world cups to tailor the corporate hospitality programme to each of the race's host ports.

“We have to make sure what we offer is unique – and that's where experiences like the Boatyard and the guest sailing programme come in.”

The challenge is to package the unique as-pects of the sport into a corporate hospitality programme unlike any other in world sport.

“No two stops are the same, and we want to showcase the culture of each stopover. It's my biggest ever challenge.”

THE UPCOMING EDITION OF THE RACE PROMISES CORPORATE HOSPITALITY GUESTS ExCITING NEW POSSIBILITIES. WILL CARSON LOOKS INTO THE NEW FEATURES THAT WILL BRING GUESTS CLOSER TO THE ACTION THAN EVER BEFORE

“There are few other sporting events where guests can get so involved as with the Volvo Ocean Race” Wendy grayRace Hospitality and Protocol

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SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF TEAM ALVIMEDICA'S ENTRY IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE AT THE END OF JANUARY, CHARLIE ENRIGHT AND MARK TOWILL FIND THEMSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR PRODUCTION – AGAIN. MARK CHISNELL CATCHES THEM AT THEIR LISBON TRAINING BASE AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE NExT GREAT ADVENTURE OF THEIR LIVES

It was our third attempt when I eventually talked to Team Alvimedica’s skipper, Char-lie Enright and general manager, Mark Towill. Previous appointments to chat had slid by with only the Skype ring tone for company.

Mark was apologetic when we finally got to-gether, but he didn’t have to be. Team Alvimed-ica had just arrived in Lisbon after their debut voyage. The start of the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race was just over five months away, and I’m sure they were feeling the pressure.

I’d caught them between a gym session and a training sail, gathered over a laptop in their office-cum-shipping container. They told me that the water was only a few steps away. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing. I could hear their eagerness to get out there, but it’s quite a trip from high school sailing to running a Volvo Ocean Race team in less than a decade. And I wanted to know what Enright and Towill had got that other ambitious, talent-ed twenty-somethings hadn’t.

Morning LightThe answer begins in Hollywood with Roy Dis-ney’s Morning Light project. It was to be the mogul’s final gift to the sport that he loved.

He bought a 52-foot racing boat, hired some of the best offshore racing coaches available, and then gave the whole package to a group of talented youngsters – picked from 500 ap-plicants. They trained in Hawaii (also Towill’s home) for six months and then competed in the TransPac, a classic yacht race from Los Angeles to Honolulu. All while Disney made a movie about it.

Enright and Towill came to it from very dif-ferent backgrounds. “I got signed up randomly for sailing lessons when I was young,” Towill told me. “My parents aren’t sailors, but I played a number of sports growing up. Sailing was the one that stuck.”

By contrast, Enright’s future seems to have been preordained. “I grew up in a small sailing community, my grandfather was a boat builder, and it was just kind of what you did in Bristol, Rhode Island,” he explained.

They both made it all the way to the fi-nal Morning Light race team, with Towill the youngest on board, still in his senior year at school. Enright was a junior at Brown Univer-sity, on his way to becoming a four-time Col-lege Sailing All-American. Towill joined him at Brown after the TransPac, and they continued to stay in touch when Enright left and started work with North Sails in Rhode Island.

“You gotta let things play out…not getting too high, not getting too low…just focusing on the tasks ahead of you”Charlie Enright (USA)Skipper

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After winning huge accolades for its debut Volvo Ocean Race stopover, the uAE capital, Abu Dhabi, is gearing up for a two-week celebration of sailing when the race makes its return in December.

With its sparkling waters and a rich maritime history, the emirate won the hearts of competitors and visitors in the 2011-12 edition with its heady mix of entertainment, concerts, festivities and sailing.

For 2014-15, plans are in place to make Abu Dhabi's return to the Volvo Ocean Race even more thrilling.

“Abu Dhabi is a beautiful, exciting destination with a completely open piece of flat land to host the race village,” explains Steyn Momberg. Momberg is part of the World Sports management team from Cape Town – also charged with event-managing the third host port on the race’s nine-month itinerary.

“The race village has developed quite a bit since the last race with the presence of a sailing club with a comprehensive sailing programme.”

The Abu Dhabi Race Village is one of the biggest of all 10 stopovers, bringing together a dazzling blend of cultures from all over

the globe. “We call it the ‘destination village’ because Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority’s objective really is to market the stopover as a tourist destination.”

Organisers have teamed up with travel agents Kuoni to offer exclusive packages for the 21-day stopover. “Because it’s over Christmas and New Year, it’s very important for us to convince the sailors and their families to spend their holidays in the Emirate.” It’s a welcome the race’s organisers are keen to extend to the wider race family and travelling supporters.

“If the zone’s development follows our planning, it should be double the size of the race village in 2011-12,” Momberg adds.

“The beautiful beach is still there and there will be lots of watersport activities. There will be plenty of local content, from sport events, falcons and camels to local stick-dancers and musicians.”

Visitors to the 2011-12 stopover were treated to a spectacular New Year's Eve concert by British band Coldplay. It’s a highpoint the organisers promise to repeat as race fans and locals gather to see in the New Year. Follow the race online to find out which global superstars will be on site to count us into 2015.

Race village opens:12 Dec 2014

Pro-am racing:31 Dec 2014,1 Jan 2015

In-port race:2 Jan 2015

Leg start:3 Jan 2015

Morning Light might be among the most recent yachting movies to reach theatres, but it adds to a short but colourful archive of sailing cinema.

Captain Ron (1992)Kurt Russell stars in this comedy as the title’s chaotic delivery skipper. Martin Short is the unfortunate man to have entrusted Ron to get his family safely from a Caribbean Island to Miami. On the way there are pirates, a storm, revolutionaries and – less predictably – a great bunch of one-liners.

—All is Lost (2013)Robert Redford takes on the Indian Ocean after his sailboat is holed by a loose shipping container. Redford has almost no dialogue and was widely praised for his performance but knowledgeable sailors will find plenty to pick on thanks to its careless regard for maritime reality.

— Dead Calm (1989)This was one of the films that helped to launch Nicole Kidman to her stellar career. She stars with Sam Neill as a couple who have the misfortune to pick-up Billy Zane, apparently the sole survivor of a sinking ship. Things are not what they seem, and while the sailing sequences boast an

almost admirable disregard for realism, the psychotic Zane takes some forgetting.—

Deep Water (2006)An extraordinary and painful documentary film about the descent into madness and eventual suicide of Donald Crowhurst, a competitor in the first solo, non-stop round the world race. It was based on video found aboard Crowhurst’s abandoned boat, and is a searching enquiry into the motives of those who go to sea.

— Wind (1992)If Dead Calm is the Apollo 13 of sailing movies, then Wind is the genre's Star Wars. This tale of a challenge for the America’s Cup was set in the 1980s era of 12 Metres, but that’s where it parts company with reality.

It remains watchable for fans because of some stunning sailing photography and its utter – but charming – ludicrousness. Long live the whomper!

— Master and Commander (2003)Russell Crowe was the man chosen to bring Patrick O’Brian’s much-loved Captain Jack Aubrey to life on the big screen. Crowe proved to be perfect as the swashbuckling hero of the out-gunned Royal Navy frigate, up against a quicker French privateer in this epic from the Napoleonic Wars.

— Morning Light (2008)Would have… could have… should have… been the best sailing movie ever made. A group of smart, attractive young sailors, bristling with ambition, are set in a situation loaded with competition and tension. The offshore sailing sequences are stunning, the drama less so.

— White Squall (1996)Legendary director Ridley Scott took on the true story of the Albatross, a very early sail training ship that went down with the loss of six people in the 1960s. Jeff Bridges is terrific as the captain, and it has all of Scott’s usual visual style and panache – whatever its relationship to reality.

Sailing on celluloidIn amongst the actionBright lights to big horizons

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Real-life sequelTheir destinies remained intertwined and the next big opportunity was not long coming – an under-30s team for a 2011 Trans-Atlan-tic race. “A guy by the name of Ralf Steitz… contacted both of us individually and asked us to put it together,’” said Towill. And so the All-American Offshore Racing Team was launched.

Good results followed and the next to no-tice the pair was Volvo Ocean Race CEO, Knut Frostad. Frostad invited them to the start of the 2011-12 race, liked what he saw and to-gether they went looking for the right partner. The Turkish-based medical devices company Alvimedica joined the party in January 2014… and the boat was launched three months later.

So, they’ve got what they wished for, but how are they coping? “It’s a lot to take on, for sure,” said Enright. “But I definitely wasn’t blind-sided by it… I think you gotta take one step at a time, let things play out and make de-cisions as they are presented to you… keep-ing everything in perspective, not getting too high, not getting too low and focusing on the tasks ahead of you.”

And the movie that gave them their big break? “The documentary itself was purely just a by-product of the experience,” said Towill. And what did they think? “I think it’ll be a lot cooler in 20 years,’ says Towill, after a slightly tense pause – followed by laughter. So what is their favourite sailing movie? They both pick Captain Ron, a cult comedy with Kurt Russell that I hadn’t previously heard of… I suspect this means I’m showing my age. It promptly made our shortlist.

SPORT AND LEISURE COME TOGETHER IN ABU DHABI

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Where the shore ends, adventure begins.

Crystal shimmering waters whisper

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A secret. A breeze. Set adrift on endless azure dreams.

A liquid haven, where stories of the past

write the verses to the future.

And you think you’ve seen it all?

Abu Dhabi. Travellers welcome.

Let the wind take you places your imagination has not yet been.

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THE WAYS WE CONSUME INFORMATION ARE CHANGING AT AN INCREDIBLE SPEED. WITH GREATER POSSIBILITIES TO ENGAGE AND AMAZE AUDIENCES THAN EVER BEFORE, ROBERT PENNER FINDS OUT HOW RACE HQ'S MEDIA PLANS ARE SHAPING UP

Today’s media delivery platforms are more diverse then ever – and people’s attentions shorter – but the amount of information that intersects with our daily lives could fill a library.

Your alarm sounds in the morning and you quickly grab your smartphone to turn it off. Before putting it down, you scan a few head-lines on your news app, check what your friends have shared on their social media channels, and see what emails have arrived to your inbox.

As you make your way to the kitchen, you turn on the TV, pick up the local paper from your front door and power up your iPad. Within 15 minutes of waking, you have been in contact with more than half a dozen com-munications touch points.

Quality first For 2014-15, the Volvo Ocean Race finds itself squarely in a digital era – one that em-braces social media and content sharing among friends and colleagues, as well as new ways of accessing information: smart-phones, tablets, online streaming and more.

Most importantly, it’s an era awash with competing content. Never before have qual-

ity and relevance been more critical to just being noticed.

“It’s about providing those ‘Wow!’ expe-riences that catch people's attention,” ex-plains Björn Alberts, head of marketing and communications for the race. “We live in such a visual world - pictures and video are key. The wow factor is what makes people stop to look – and then share.”

With a multi-platform approach and in-house news teams, this 12th edition of the race will see content delivered across multi-ple channels like never before.

“On our own channels like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and our own race app, we'll offer an emotional and visual journey that starts before the race and takes you on a roller coaster experience through to June 2015, Alberts continues. “Very few sport narratives can match our race for people, places and scenery.”

Visual storytellingLong-time television partner Sunset+Vine has been hired to help bring the video sto-rytelling to life. With 39 half-hour highlight shows to be produced, for the first time, out of race HQ in Alicante, the race will air worldwide every week from October 2014 to

“It’s about the human stories beneath the surface”Björn AlbertsRace Marketing & Communications Director

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For the third consecutive race, the Volvo Ocean Race will feature a person on-board whose focus will be the story behind the speed.

Previously known as the Media Crew Member, for the 2014-15 race, the position has been renamed Onboard Reporter (OBR). But it’s more than a name change. Each team’s OBR is dedicated solely to media and communications duties: sending back updates and

stories, taking photos, shooting video and providing a range of social media updates.

Key to the new OBR programme is a shift in focus away from sailors-turned-media to professional journalists willing – and able – to cover what will surely be the adventure and story of a lifetime.

“We started with nearly 3,000 applications,” says Rick Deppe, who was the media man aboard PUMA

Ocean Racing in 2008-09, and now runs the OBR programme at race HQ. “We narrowed that down to about 150, and then segmented the top candidates based on various skillsets and languages.”

An emphasis has been placed on individuals who can demonstrate 360-degree media ability: from pictures to video, written words to audio.

“We want a mix of different people in the

programme – a good spread of talents and backgrounds,” explains Deppe. “Then we need to trial them: can they manage their positions on board? Can they put up with the unrelenting physical environment on the boat?

“We’re trying out some superb candidates at the moment and we’re very excited about the talent we’ve seen,” says Deppe. “Some brilliantly talented reporters, photojournalists and shooters.”

directly with Sunset+Vine. “We know the multi-layered human story this race offers will attract new viewers and keep them coming back for more.” Skilled media professionals are needed on board to unlock the personali-ties of the often tight-lipped pro sailors. “We need to share their doubts, fears and weak-nesses, as well as their moments of triumph.”

Particularly for television, the renamed and redefined Onboard Reporter (OBR) role will be a key figure in the production. New emphasis went on journalism experience and multimedia skills when the pool of OBR can-didates assembled for recent trials.

Key partnershipsLastly, traditional media will not be left be-hind. The focus on content delivery to news agencies will carry over from the previous race. In 2011-12, more than 120 AFP news pieces, nearly 75 Reuters features and over 30 Associated Press stories gave the race global reach. In addition, the race played to over 1.5 billion viewers on television news via distribution through the major TV news organizations such SNTV/AP, Reuters, EBU/Eurovision, Omnisport, AFP Video and oth-ers.

Several media partners have been brought on board to boost the race’s digital and print presence in markets including Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands and Abu Dhabi.

In today’s digital world, fractured content delivery platforms make for a mosaic of sto-rytelling opportunities across print, digital, photo and video. The Volvo Ocean Race plans to be there… from the sound of your very first morning alarm!

July 2015. Here, Alberts and his team have similar plans.

“It’s about the human stories beneath the surface. We will showcase extraordinary sto-ries of human endeavour. Our narrative fo-cuses on life, and all that it entails aboard the world’s most advanced ocean racing boats as they sail around the world. What are their thoughts? What are their needs?”

Broadcast partners have been confirmed in key stopover countries including South

Africa, France, Brazil, Netherlands and Abu Dhabi, among others. In addition, increased coverage via pan-regional and pan-global broadcasters such as CNBC and Fox Sports International are expected to provide a rise in viewership for dedicated programming.

“Our target in this race is to produce the most engaging programming the event has ever served up, to as wide an audience base as possible,” said Jon Bramley, Director of News and Media for the race, who works

From the racetrack

RICK DEPPE AT WORK, 2008

This race will see content delivered across

multiple channels like never before.

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The most important thing we build is trust

Only The besT On bOard

Overcoming the toughest challengeFor the fourth consecutive time, saIlOr equipment will safeguard the crews and deliver the action from the oceans to the millions of fans following the race worldwide.

Official satellite and radio Communications equipment Partner of the Volvo Ocean race 2014-2015.

For more information visit www.cobham.com/saTCOM

saIlOr 250 Fleetbroadband saIlOr 500 Fleetbroadband

salOr 6150 mini-C distress saIlOr 6217 VhF dsC Class d aIs receiver

saIlOr 6391 naVTeX system saIlOr 6280 aIs system saIlOr sP3510 Portable VhF saIlOr sP3520 Portable VhF GMdss

saIlOr sP3550 Portable UhF

double _v2.indd All Pages 15-05-2014 13:20:55

41

The most important thing we build is trust

Only The besT On bOard

Overcoming the toughest challengeFor the fourth consecutive time, saIlOr equipment will safeguard the crews and deliver the action from the oceans to the millions of fans following the race worldwide.

Official satellite and radio Communications equipment Partner of the Volvo Ocean race 2014-2015.

For more information visit www.cobham.com/saTCOM

saIlOr 250 Fleetbroadband saIlOr 500 Fleetbroadband

salOr 6150 mini-C distress saIlOr 6217 VhF dsC Class d aIs receiver

saIlOr 6391 naVTeX system saIlOr 6280 aIs system saIlOr sP3510 Portable VhF saIlOr sP3520 Portable VhF GMdss

saIlOr sP3550 Portable UhF

double _v2.indd All Pages 15-05-2014 13:20:55

40

Ken Read, two-time Volvo Ocean Race skipper with PUMA, earned high praise for his role as a TV pundit on live America’s Cup coverage late last year. In his spare time, Read has been sailing the new GC 32 catamaran class. But Read hasn’t left the Volvo Ocean Race completely behind. As President of North Sails, his expertise as skipper and sailmaker has been instrumental in the development of the sail programme for the new Volvo Ocean 65 fleet.

Since winning the last Volvo Ocean Race Franck Cammas (Groupama) has been extremely busy. In parallel with his Olympic programme, 2013 saw him win the Tour de France a la Voile and then the Little America’s Cup in a foiling C-Class catamaran. Last December he announced a French challenge for the next America’s Cup, due to be sailed in 62-foot (19m) foiling catamarans in 2017.

Last November Damian Foxall (Groupama, Green Dragon), along with another former race winner, Sidney Gavignet (PUMA, ABN AMRO One) came second in the TJV Transatlantic Race sailing the giant MOD70-trimaran Oman Air. The pair that beat them was none other than Dongfeng Race Team’s Charles Caudrelier and Sebastien Josse (ABN AMRO Two) sailing Gitana (pictured).

SAILING IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE HAS AN INTENSITY THAT IS HARD TO MATCH ELSEWHERE. HERE’S WHAT SOME OF THE RACE'S RECENT ALUMNI HAVE BEEN GETTING UP TO AWAY FROM THE BIG RACETRACK

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Life afterthe extreme

Finally, Rob greenhalgh (Abu Dhabi, PUMA, ABN AMRO One) has been busy racing the amazing foiling Moths, finishing near the top at the World Championships in Hawaii last year. He is now aiming to get on the podium in 2014, while honing his high-speed helming with Oman Air in the Extreme Sailing Series, an event he won in 2007.

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The new VolVo Truck range

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The Volvo Ocean Race is the pinnacle of endurance yacht racing. Since 1981 MUSTO has used the 40,000-mile gruelling race as a laboratory for innovation and a true test of product performance.

OVER 50% OF THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE

2014-15 TEAMS CHOOSE TO BUY

MUSTO

www.musto.com

A0974_VOR_50_O_M.indd 1 23/07/2014 09:18

life at the extreme: july 2014

Documents

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