VOR: Are you Ready to Play?

The Virtual Race winner of leg 5 beat the actual winner (Ericsson 3, pictured). Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.

by Volvo Ocean Race media

On Saturday, leg six of the Volvo Ocean Race starts from Rio de Janeiro and that means it’s time to get behind your computer screen to get ready for the start of the Volvo Ocean Race official game.

With nearly 200,000 players currently registered, the game has been a runaway hit with both gamers and sailors from all around the world. It is the biggest global sailing community in the world, with registered players in more than 180 countries.

The virtual skippers compete on the exact same course and receive the same weather information as their real-world counterparts on the Volvo Open 70s, making it a true-to-life experience.

Although the teams in both the game and the Volvo Ocean Race are now more than halfway around the world, there is still plenty of action left. There are five full legs of the race left and plenty of sailing between now and the finish line in St. Petersburg at the end of June.

The overall prize is out of reach for new players. But there are great prizes still available to be won. The winner of the next leg is rewarded with a trip to the following stopover, where they can take in the action of the in-port race.

‘Hedgehog’, the winner of leg five, will be flown to Boston during the next stopover to enjoy the atmosphere of the Volvo Ocean Race and to meet the race crews.

On the last leg, the virtual boats beat the real boats to Rio by days. Can you do the same this time?

Leg six, from Rio to Janeiro to Boston starts at 18:00 GMT on Saturday.

Volvo Ocean Race