These are punishing conditions out here. The upwind slamming, smashing, and thrashing we’re enduring is enough to make anyone hurt bad. It was almost impossible to get any sleep last night (I didn’t), it’s hot, humid, and extremely violent down below. The 20 knots we have right now are supposed to ...

I bet you’re wondering what we’re up to? I bet you’re asking yourself, “Why are they doing what they’re doing? Why are they going where they’re going?” The short answer is we’re doing what we seem to do best so far this race: provide a constant supply of thrills and spills. We’re ...

February special offer: 25% off Rick Tomlinson Portfolio Calendars, now only £11.95 +pp 12 Great photographs of action and art on a useful large format wall calendar, now with 25% discount. Order online at www.rick-tomlinson.com ...

Last night we waved goodbye to the Straits of Malacca and the hustling, bustling Singapore just to its south, and returned to the ocean life (our fourth different body of water this leg: the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Malacca Strait, and now the South China Sea). There remains just one ...

Yesterday I said it was going to be a make or break 24 hours. It appears now – after a full 24 hours – that we were headed for a breaking. PUMA’s Mar Mostro pulled to within a few hundred yards of Groupama and Telefónica late yesterday, and we were able to ...

Today could be the make or break day of this leg. Several major weather features have helped in splitting the fleet, and we find ourselves in a position that could see us go either way. There are so many variables at work, so many unpredictable factors, that even the positive developments of ...

  Spirit of Adventure's asking price has been reduced by 400,000 to 1,100,000 Euro for a quick sale. The yacht is located in the Southern Summer in Cape Town and ready for viewing. Owner will consider part exchange to complete the deal - make an offer before this very special yacht is ...

Phase One, complete. We’ve made it across the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Bengal, still in one piece and very much in the hunt. Telefónica converted on their northerly position and were first to make landfall and lead into the Strait, CAMPER close behind. We were an even closer third ...

The Malacca Strait adventures began last night and we’re still a day out. Notoriously touted as one of the busiest and most congested shipping lanes in the world, we found our fare share of exiting and entering ships to contend (and communicate) with in the dark. There was also distant lightning, ...

Wouldn’t you know it? We’re back on top of each other again. After our first two tacks of Leg 3 last night, everyone’s bunched up and best trying to pick through some unexpectedly shifty winds on the way to Sumatra and the Malacca Strait. At around 2AM UTC we were the most ...

If you’re going to have to go upwind, this is exactly how you’d want to do it. It has been simple sailing: we haven’t tacked or gybed once since leaving Malé, we’ve hardly touched our foul weather gear, the boat is dry, the sea is calm, and with the lighter winds ...

We again find ourselves leading through the early stages of a leg. That makes three for three, and it only helps to reinforce our confidence in the boat, the sails, and the team. Now we just have to make it stick, something we haven’t been able to do so far! The mood ...

Happy Chinese New Year! We are finally headed to China where they are now celebrating 2012, the Year of the Water Dragon. They sound cool, Water Dragons, but I think we lay claim to the king of sea monsters here on the Mar Mostro, so we’ll see who reigns supreme over ...

First entries announced, Ben Ainslie confirms & the Race website gets a makeover Cowes, Isle of Wight: The Island Sailing Club (ISC) is delighted to confirm that the first entry registered by the Race Entries team at 12.04am for this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is Inseyandra, a ...

Marine Blast Multimedia, an offshoot of the well-established UK marine coatings removal business Marine Blast, has launched the first of its kind, a series of 'one stop' Marine Directory Apps for iPhone and Android platforms that enable individuals, businesses and event organisers operating within the leisure marine market to connect smoothly, ...

Congratulations Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon on getting a great fourth. well done on pulling back so many miles. from all of us at RTW Food.  A Belated Happy New Year ...

We have officially finished our first [incomplete] leg to the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012! The sensation is strange. There is nobody here and the leg isn’t technically over, even though we’ve just sailed 4,300 miles and crossed a finish line. Weird, eh? Now we must anchor until customs opens in the ...

First off, happy Boxing Day to the world that needs a day of rest after Christmas; we only wish we could be so lazy! And to everyone (including the rest of the world that’s back at work), we hope you all had a very, very Merry Christmas. There were some of ...