You have to be the adventurous type and enjoy the adrenaline rush; it's certainly not for the lighthearted...
It’s the ultimate physical and mental challenge you can imagine…just when you think ‘how am I going to get back on deck and put my left foot in front of my right foot?’...you have to go back and do it again!
I have done three Olympic campaigns but nothing has ever pushed me so hard as this race and, even so, there is something that keeps calling me back as this is now my third Volvo Ocean Race.
At the end of the day during an Olympic campaign there is a hot shower, nice food and a good massage waiting for you. And at night you jump into a warm, comfortable and dry bed and start your recovery of 8-10 hrs sleep to be ready the next day fresh.
In the Volvo Ocean Race there is no shower, the food is pretty average but as it’s your body fuel, you are constantly trying to get as much into you as possible. There is certainly no massage and your bunk and damp sleeping bag are as close as it gets to a bed….the Volvo Ocean Race is 24/7 hardcore racing lasting nine months.
Then there is the teamwork - it is everything. What keeps you going is that you are not in this alone; you are in it together. And together you are trying to fill the pieces of the puzzle which makes it so rewarding when the result is there at the end.
But above all….I love the competition. The racing is so close and so intense and it gets the best out of you. Whether it’s the close encounters and crosses with other boats during the leg or the nail-biting finishes at the end of the legs. The best is still to come. Racing the final legs of this nine-month race and the competition is closer than ever. One small mistake could be the difference between winning or losing the Volvo Ocean Race.
And this is where we are now, fighting for every inch. It’s nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time. It’s anyone’s game. It’s all to play for and we are in the middle of the action….loving every minute of it.
Jai yo Dongfeng!!!!
Caroline
