The Race:

Previously known as the Whitbread Around the World Race, this was the first edition under new title ownership as the Volvo Ocean Race. Though Whitbread 60 class yachts were used in their 3rd race they were renamed the Volvo Ocean 60 for the 2001-2002 go around the world. This was the last year this yacht design was used in this particular ocean race; this race edition also marked the last time the race allowed the fleet to sail through the notorious Southern Ocean ice fields.

Despite reportedly taking the lead for a time in the 3rd leg and taking a slide out of 2nd during leg 4 amidst an ice field in narly Southern Ocean conditions, Amer Sports One came in 3rd place over all. Amer Sport Team One interestingly took a podium place despite not winning any leg of the race; Amer Sports One came in behind the The Winner: illbruck and ASSA ABLOY in 2nd.

See some Amer Sport One Team changes and the inside of the 2001-2002 state of the art VO60 yacht at the time of this race in the video below.

The Challenges:

From troubles with their watermaker at times to their infamous broach spectacle within the entrance of Sydney Heads hours from the finish, and finding iceburgs just feet off the bow during a southern ocean wipeout- this race was memorable to those onboard. The broach turned hazardous as Skipper Grant Dalton reportedly had broken several ribs. This incident occurred just after having a crew excavated due to a medical emergency.

“On Leg 2, the southern ocean leg from Cape Town to Sydney, crewman Keith Kilpatrick was taken seriously ill with an internal blockage. Navigator Roger Nilsson, who was also a qualified medical doctor and surgeon, fitted a drip while the boat was leaping off waves, and the Royal Australian Air force dropped additional medical supplies to the boat as the team was not within helicopter range. Luckily, the race organisers had made Eclipse Island, near the coast of Albany, Western Australia, a mark of the course, and Kilpatrick was evacuated by RIB as the boat passed close by. Without having to round Eclipse Island, the boat would very likely to have been much further south and the outcome could have been very different.” (www.archive.theoceanrace.com)

The southern latitudes proved challenging in one way or another for Amer Sport One; underway in in leg 4 while holding second place went without trial, this particular predicament inevitably slid them back 20nm and into 3rd. The team in the tough Southern Ocean conditions lended only three helmsmen up to the task of driving the yacht confidently, making the conditions that much more demanding. Shortly after one particular change in shift at the helm the boat went into a wipeout in 40+kts winds. At the same time Amer Sport One noticed that the yacht was coming up on icebergs! For the whole dramatic account of pushing the boat as sea conditions worsened, see Paul Cayard’s update from the race here.

Where the Yacht is Today:

After the race about a half a decade later, she was brought to Canada and raced in Europe and North America, in 2016 she was purchased by Atlas Ocean Racing, headquartered in Montreal where she was raced between Canada and the Caribbean. Her final destiny was sadly involved becoming shipwrecked mid 2019 off of Nova Scotia, Canada on Cross Island. More information and photos of the sad event are here.

The Team:

Phil Airey, Bouwe Bekking, Jeff Brock, Paul Cayard, Claudio Celon, Grant Dalton, Keith Kilpatrick, Fredrik Loof, Chris Nicholson, Roger Nilson, Peter Pendleton, Pepe Ribes, Stefano Rizzi, Dee Smith

The Route:

Leg 1 Southampton - Cape Town
Leg 2 Cape Town - Sydney
Leg 3 Sydney/Hobart - Auckland
Leg 4  Auckland - Rio de Janeiro
Leg 5 Rio de Janeiro - Miami
Leg 6  Miami - Baltimore
Leg 7 Baltimore/Annapolis - La Rochelle
Leg 8 La Rochelle - Gothenburg
Leg 9 Gothenburg - Kiel
Distance 32,250 nm
Entries 8 boats