Welcome to Sailing World’s coverage of the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Below you’ll find reports from editor Dave Reed, photos, videos, archived stories, and more.
Vital Links
Course Map and Racing Schedule
Official 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race Page
December 8, 2009
To order your copy of “Spanish Castle to White Knight: The Race Around the World,” the official book of the 2008-’09 Volvo Ocean Race, click here.
To read Chapter 1: Spanish Castle, click here.
To read Chapter 8: White Knight, click here.
June 16, 2009 Blog: Ericsson 4 is pegged as the provisional winner while a heavily damaged Telefonica Blue races its own clock.
June 10, 2009 Blog: Ericsson 4 takes Marstrand and Puma’s miraculous comeback puts them back into riding shotgun.
June 3, 2009 Blog: With the Galway races in the books (going to Puma, finally), the teams set their sights on the final three legs, and pit stop in Marstrand.
June 2, 2009 Photos: Light-air conditions greeted the Volvo Ocean Race fleet for the in-port race on Ireland’s Galway Bay.
May 20, 2009 Blog: More hard breaks from the Atlantic for the unlucky Irish Dragon.
May 19, 2009 Photos: Feeling Its Way out of Boston
May 7, 2009 Photos: Volvo Comes to Boston
May 7, 2009 Blog: Simon Fisher prepares to navigate Telefonica Blue through the Boston in-port race.
April 21, 2009 Blog: Telefonica Blue’s Simon Fisher reports from the midst of Leg 6
April 15, 2009 Blog: Ken Read talks about Puma’s plans for Leg 6
April 12, 2009 Photos: Volvo Slips Out of Rio
March 17, 2009 Photos: Volvo Rounds Cape Horn
Jan. 5, 2008 Blog: Ericsson Racing Team gives the International Jury a full plate in Singapore.
Dec. 23, 2008 Blog: The Russians run out of money and pull out. See you in St. Petersburg.
Dec. 22, 2008 Blog: Telefonica Blue slips through the Strait of Malacca to nab a few necessary points.
Dec. 17, 2008 Blog: With Sri Lanka in the rear-view mirror, Ken Read pleads for spoon.
Dec. 17, 2008 Story: Olympian-turned-ocean-racer Jonathan McKee breaks down the key differences between the Volvo Ocean Race and the Vendee Globe.
Dec. 16, 2008 Blog: Where did the time go? No time to ponder. There’s a strange boat race happening in an even stranger stretch of water.
Dec. 5, 2008 Blog: From the comfort of land, Simon Fisher recounts a bizarre end to a bizarre leg.
Dec. 2, 2008 Photo Gallery: Ericsson 4 Wins Leg 2
Nov. 24, 2008 Blog: Now showing on the Si-Fi channel: Hard Knocks On The Blue.
Nov. 21, 2008 Blog: Here’s video proof that the the race is extreme–at times.
Nov. 19, 2008 Story: Fazisi Pioneer Sizes Up Team Russia
Nov. 18, 2008 Blog: Being a media crew member ain’t as easy as you may think.
Nov. 17, 2008 Blog: They’re off on the Orient Express, and who knows what this leg will dish out?
Nov. 17, 2008 Photo Gallery: Following the start of Leg 2, the fleet speeds away from Cape Town, South Africa, bound for Cochin, India.
Nov. 4, 2008 Blog: Green Dragon’s damage keel sees the light of day; Puma’s Rob Salthouse sums up the team’s opening leg.
Nov. 3, 2008 Blog: While you and I were away from our computers this weekend, the Ericsson 4 versus Puma saga came to a close.
Nov. 2, 2008 Blog: Simon Fisher checks in from Telefonica Blue on the home stretch of Leg 1.
Oct. 30, 2008 Blog: It was a 594-mile record…then it became 602.
Oct. 29, 2008 Blog: Ericsson 4, off like a prom dress, and a 594-mile record. Video included.
Oct. 27, 2008 Blog: Big breeze around the corner. Or rather, separating the men from the boys.
Oct. 24, 2008 Blog: How does Ken Read keep on top of the competition when they’re swarming him like flies? I asked. He tells.
Oct. 23, 2008 Blog: How about a four-way point tie for the lead after nearly 3,000 miles? Now that’s an ocean race folks.
Oct. 22, 2008 Blog: Simon Fisher finally reports in with an exclusive from Telefonica Blue, now making its charge to the front.
Oct. 22, 2008 Photos: As the fleet drifts through the Doldrums, racers start acting nutty.
Oct. 20, 2008 Blog: SW editor Dave Reed marvels at the dramatic position changes that took place in the Volvo Ocean Race over the weekend.
Oct. 17, 2008 Blog: Ericsson’s Tony Mutter Evacuated in Cape Verde as Puma legs out
Oct. 16, 2008 Blog: The cats out of the bag. il mostro is no dog. Cat and mouse in the Canaries…How many more puns can come of this?
Oct. 15, 2008 Blog: What happened to the Green Dragon? Have they vanished?
Oct. 14, 2008 Blog: Dave Reed wonders, “It’s 6,500 miles from Alicante to Cape Town: How will the VOR’s opening leg playout?”
Oct. 8, 2008
Blog: Jonathan McKee, trimmer/driver for Puma Ocean Racing, tells of his team’s ups and downs in last weekend’s inshore races.
Oct. 6, 2008 Video: Virtual Volvo: Ride on deck with skipper Anders Lewander and the crew of Ericsson 3
Blog: SW community member Jennifer Langille (aka SailTrim) is on location in Alicante, Spain, following all the action. In her latest entry, she scopes out the Volvo Ocean Race Game.
SW Archive
**2008-2009**** VOR **
Photo Gallery: Inside Kosatka: A tour through the belly of Team Russia’s Volvo Open 70 reveals spartan accomodations, electronics galore, and yes, a carbon head.
Photo Gallery: Jacks in the Box-The Volvo Open 70: Each of the seven new boats for the upcoming edition of the Volvo Ocean Race have been revealed and while they may all be from the same rule, no one hull is anything like the other.
Feature Story: Possessed By The Speedo: Fast boats need fast drivers. The Volvo 70 is no exception, and in this upcoming round-the-world endurance contest, a different breed of helmsmen are stepping in to deliver the “mail.”
Editorial: A Wet and Wild Armchair: SW editor Dave Reed previews the Volvo Ocean Race.
**2005-2006 VOR **
Pirates Close By Snatching the Lead From ABN 2 The 2005-’06 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race draws to a close with a dramatic, close finish.
For ABN One, It’s Icing on the Cake In Monday’s In-Port Race, Pirates of the Caribbean held the advantage, but one jibe gone bad cost them the race win they do so dearly wanted.
Movistar Abandoned, Crew Aboard ABN AMRO 2 The Transatlantic phase of the Volvo Race has taken a heavy toll on the fleet of Volvo 70s and their crews. Three days after ABN AMRO 2 lost crewmember Hans Horrevoets, they rescue the entire crew of Movistar from their sinking vessel.
Movistar Abandoned, Timeline From Headquarters An account of Movistar’s tragedy from Volvo Ocean Race Headquarters highlights the details.
Volvo Sailor Dies After Being Swept Overboard Despite being recovered by the crew of ABN AMRO TWO after being swept overboard, Dutch sailor Hans Horrevoets never regained consciousness.
Off and Running The Volvo Ocean Race’s Chesapeake stopover came to a close a brilliant display of sailing from the Brazilian squad.
Waiting for the Big Send-Off The Volvo Ocean Race’s long Chesapeake stopover comes to an end tomorrow, May 7, with the lap in the Bay and then off to New York. The crews are itching to go.
Much to Lose and Much to Gain Baltimore’s In-port race was Movistar’s moment to make a move, and move they did.
The Show’s in Town The Volvo is in Baltimore and the race for second kicks off tomorrow at 1 p.m. My money’s on Movistar to rack up one and make the race for second even harder.
George Peet’s Volvo Baptism ABN AMRO’s 25-year-old trimmer George Peet, a Michigan native, says the opening night of the Volvo Ocean Race is one he’ll never forget.
Nipping and Tucking in Sanxenxo In the final days, activity at some bases are bustling to cover every last detail “possible.”
Ericsson Wins the Left, And the Race In light-air, the Volvo Ocean Race’s first in-port fleet race was held in the Spanish port of Sanxenxo. As expected, conditions highlighted which boats would excel when winds were down.
To Gothenburg, From Vigo, Via the Southern Ocean On November 5, seven teams square off for the first-ever Volvo Ocean Race in-port race, sure to be a showcase of boathandling and nerves.
Ticket to Ride To get a paying gig in the Volvo Ocean Race often takes years, but for two young Americans, three weeks was all they needed.
Volvo Announces New Boat, Format for 2005-6 Race Boats Will Be Bigger, Carry Less Crew
Bourke Will Head 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race The next VOR will start from Europe in 2005, with new boats, a new course, and a new CEO
2001-2002 VOR
Djuice First into Kiel, But illbruck First Around the World A fitting finish to the Volvo Ocean Race: Frostad’s pink dragons finally win a leg, Amer Sports One upsets “the boys”, and illbruck seals its victory.
Clean Start and Away For illbruck illbruck makes a statement in its final start.
Keeping It Light With a light forecast and a short leg, Volvo teams are shedding pounds everywhere they can.
Volvo Crews Prepare For A “Full-On” Leg Can illbruck hold off the hard-charging Assa Abloy, which has proved to be very strong on the short legs?
illbruck Sets 24-Hour Distance Record After two disappointing legs, Volvo Ocean Race leader illbruck seems to have regained its winning form early in Leg 7.
The Volvo Restart: Baltimore/Annapolis Racing gets underway up Chesapeake Bay against a moderate southerly
Ross Field Uncertain for Fourth Leg Injuries suffered in Leg 2 may sideline the veteran ocean racer.
Sydney-Hobart: Volvo Boats Get Their Own Start The 630-mile classic, starting December 26, is the first half of the third leg of the VOR.
VOR: Crew Changes In Sydney Tony Rey of Newport, R.I., joins SEB
illbruck Makes it Two Straight After staging a long, hard, 6,500-mile comeback, John Kostecki’s illbruck Challenge won Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race, solidifying the Germany entry’s position at the top of the leaderboard.
SEB Flies Without Navigator SEB continues to lead despite the temporarily loss of their navigator.
SEB Slips Ahead of illbruck, Kilpatrick’s Condition Improves Escaping a windless void, the Volvo Ocean Race leaders get underway again
Volvo Ocean Race: Records and Egos Left Behind in the Southern Ocean As the each of the seven Volvo teams still racing Leg 2 approached the Kerguelen Islands, their skippers and navigators faced a critical decision
Volvo Ocean Race: Tyco Breaks Rudder; Assa Takes Lead Luck finally shines on Assa Abloy, when misfortune strikes the Team Tyco.
Volvo Ocean Race: illbruck Skirts Catastrophe John Kostecki’s Illbruck switches from race mode to emergency mode when its forward compartment fills; Tyco Leads on Day 2.
Crew Changes All Around Seven of eight Volvo teams add new crewmembers for Leg 2 start on Saturday
Roy Heiner Pulled From Assa’s Afterguard When the Volvo fleet departs from Cape Town on Saturday for the start of Leg 2.
Illbruck Walks The illbruck Challenge, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race’s opening leg, survived two protest hearings today.
Protests May Spoil illbruck’s Victory Roy Heiner and Mark Rudiger’s Assa Abloy protested John Kostecki’s illbruck Challenge
VOLVO OCEAN RACE illbruck’s Delivers on Its Favorite Status
VOLVO OCEAN RACE Safety in the South
