They all knew the history of an event that had been derailed from its original objectives on both previous occasions by the weather. And all of them knew that the tactical challenges would push them hard.
Yet no one had predicted the emotional roller coaster that the entire fleet found itself enduring. From the front to the back there were highs and lows, storms, flat calms, penalties and heartbreak, all in just eight days.
The racing went down to the wire in one of the most dramatic finishes the IMOCA fleet has seen. As he stepped ashore Macif Santé Prévoyance skipper Sam Goodchild described the race as the most intense he had done.
In PlanetSail's third feature on this outstanding race, Matt Sheahan takes us through how the second half of the 3,500nm race played out.
