One of the toughest and longest sporting events in the world will get underway on 11 October as Leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 edition begins in Alicante, Spain at 14:00 CEST.
Seven teams will be pitting their strength and sailing expertise against one another when they depart on the 6,487 nm journey from Alicante to Cape Town. The journey marks the start of a nine-leg, 38,739 nm adventure that will test the crew to the max in their bid to claim the coveted first prize place in Gothenburg, Sweden in June 2015.
Millions of sailing fans around the world will be able to catch all the excitement and the highs and the lows of the race along the way thanks to Inmarsat’s flagship broadband maritime services.
As official Satellite Communications Race Partner for the event, each of the seven Volvo Ocean 65 boats has been equipped with a FleetBroadband 500 and FleetBroadband 250 antenna. This will not only enable cutting-edge tracking capabilities, weather report updates and telemedicine but also allow the Onboard Reporters (OBRs) to stream video footage, access social media and conduct TV interviews, as and when the action happens live from the boat.
The crew’s welfare is paramount throughout the race which is why the boats also carry the only GMDSS (Global Martime Distress and Safety System) approved safety service, Inmarsat C, and carry an IsatPhone 2 handheld satellite phone in the life raft packs.
Large crowds are expected to gather at the port in Alicante to watch the race start and it is also a time for family and friends to say an emotional goodbye to the sailors who will spend approximately the next 23 days at sea.
The line-up of grand prix teams including Olympic medallists, previous Volvo winners and America’s Cup sailors are:
