If you’re a fan of the race, it’s easy to get drawn towards the action at the front.
After all, the leading boats are only separated by a few miles after more than a week of sailing, and every position report brings a new indication of who might grab the glory arriving into Cape Town.
But don’t forget those who find themselves at the back of the fleet are just as competitively-minded. You don’t sign up for this if you’re not off-the-charts on the fight scale. And that just makes being at the back more soul-destroying.
© Konrad Frost/Volvo Ocean Race
Konrad Frost, the on board reporter on Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag captures the mood on the seventh place boat perfectly in this short post.
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The crew have been suffering loses to the fleet over the past few days and it’s clear that this evening was not the time to be having an equator ceremony.
‘These numbers that flash up on the screen in the position reports are like torture sometimes’ Steve Hayles tells me. ‘ In a six hour period to work all the way for six hours, trim hard, work hard, watch systems, people driving, grinding and to lose three or four miles is gut wrenching’.
As they continue to tweak the sails in the hope of finding any more boat speed the time is nearly upon us for another report. I sat with David this evening as the latest report came in. It was clearly not what anyone had hoped for and he looked at me and asked ‘explain to me how I go on deck and say this’?
