Time And Tide

This is the first year the Ocean Race has been attempted since 2018, with 11 boats taking part in a journey expected to last six months, finishing early July. During the Ocean Race stop in Cape Town, South Africa, recently, French sailor Kevin Escoffier spoke about how you discover more about yourself in the high seas than in any other sport.

- Nick Said

The Ocean Race has long caught the imagination of many a sailor, a chance to traverse the high seas in a battle of physical and mental strength that pushes those who take part to the very limit of their endurance. 

First attempted in 1973, it is in essence a race across the globe, making various ports of call along the way, with the quickest to navigate the various legs the winner.

This is the first year the event has been attempted since 2018, with 11 boats taking part in a race that is expected to last all of six months, finishing in early July.

The boats will cover 32,000 nautical miles (59,200 kilometers) and there are seven legs, starting in the Spanish port of Alicante, before stops in Praia (Cape Verde), Cape Town, Itajaí (Brazil), Rhode Island (United States) and Aarhus (Denmark), the first of three In-Port races along with The Hague (Netherlands) and Genoa (Italy).

Although shorter than previous races (which have lasted up to nine months), the 2023 edition is certainly still very challenging and the real danger of upset in, at times, treacherous conditions is always there.

Frenchman Kevin Escoffier, who is skipper of the boat Holcim PRB, is in his third Ocean Race, having finished third in 2014 and won in 2018. He admits it is hard graft but says you discover more about yourself in these conditions on the sea than in almost any other sport.