The storied Volvo Ocean Race is one of the world’s most formidable extreme global nautical adventures—the ultimate competition of man against the elements. It began on October 2008 in Alicante, Spain, the race covered nearly 39,000 nautical miles and visited 11 ports around the globe over the span of nine months. Fan Pier, Boston’s world-class waterfront destination was the only North American stopover.
The pressure and competition is fierce in ocean racing, but winning racing teams understand that having fun is part of the experience, and a team that can relax and enjoy is one that will perform in a superior way. The race village at Fan Pier was a center of celebration, food, drink, music, and the fun and recreation were essential counterparts to stellar performances. Joining the team members on their in-port moments of respite were Boston residents and visitors, seeking to enjoy the international spectacle and learn much about the sport of ocean racing. Boston’s increasingly vibrant nightlife and its rapidly emerging waterfront, with many new opportunities for dining and leisure, provided a welcome locale for the 10-day stopover, and new friendships were fashioned around Boston’s enthusiastic welcome to the competitors and their followers and fans.