Well, It’s Over.... Leg 5 That Is

After 40 + days, everyone in the Volvo Ocean Race has made it to Rio. There were a lot of things that I’ve wanted to comment on as this leg evolved, but in the end, I though it would be fun to reflect back on the highlights (plus I don’t want this blog to be all VOR all the time…I think they have a website for that and actually pay the person that writes that blog).
Here are my top 3 moments of the leg.

Well Crap
Not even to the first scoring gate and Telefonica Blue breaks it’s forestay. What a total burn! I like these guys and I love Bekking’s determination in the VOR (we all recall Movistar 05-06). This man clearly loves this game, and I give him, and the whole team, major props for finding a solution and making it work all the way to Rio. Impressive and quite admirable.

Ballsy Moves
Sure it was calculated, but we’ve all heard, when in the southern ocean, head south. However, the guys on Ericsson 3 and the young navigator, AKSEL MAGDAHL, challenged this age-old philosophy. They hit the scoring gate off New Zealand and TACKED!!! To put it rather bluntly, this took balls. I dig it. All of us who ever have to make critical choices can take a note or two from this situation. It was a big risk that would yield a big reward. At one point heading to Cape Horn, these guys were 300 MILES ahead of the second place boat! How stoked am I that these guys went on to win the leg. I’ve got to say, I was stoked for them at the first scoring gate, being 2nd after starting 7 hours behind, and then I was thrilled when I checked the VOR site and learned that even with them and E4 going into “stealth mode” in tricky and light conditions off Rio, Ericsson 3 managed to pull out a well deserved victory. I loved it…I would like to say it was the balls-ist move of the leg…but then what would I say about my last favorite moment?!?!?

Naked
Spinlock, listen up! Casey Smith is running around NAKED in the Southern Ocean… but he’s still wearing your deck harness….when you only have ONE equipment choice. I’m heading off to Boston in a few weeks for the in-port race and restart, if I only meet ONE person, I want to meet Casey Smith, Bowman on PUMA. Dude rounded Cape Horn naked!!! AND IT’S ON FILM!!! I’ve got to say, this is the kind of footage we need more of in sailing. People doing fun and crazy things (believe it or not, it is relatable! We’ve all done something crazy!) This move took some serious balls…pun totally intended, and I think everyone loved it! It shows what sailing is all about….Fun crazy shit!

The southern ocean leg and rounding of Cape Horn will forever be my favorite part of the Volvo. Something magical seems to happen down there, signs are made, family photo’s are taken, cigars and drinks are had, and sometimes someone even gets naked. It just seems that regardless of if you are first or last, you are happy to get there, and happy that Neptune can give you safe passage. It seems like the most sentimental part of the race, and I think that’s what makes it so cool. Everyone is just stoked to be where they are and be sharing that moment with their friends. That’s epic…and totally what our sport is all about. If you had to ask me why I want to sail the VOR, rounding Cape Horn would be damn near the top, and not because I want to knock it off the list, but quite the opposite! I want to experience it, with an amazing group of people, and just be in that moment, where nothing else matters, it’s just you, your friends, your boat, and the Cape…