Your adventure begins at the bustling start line of the famous Royal Squadron in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England. In a field of hundreds, you and your crew will follow the course westward down the English Channel, along the southern coast of England to Land’s End, where the raw nature of open water awaits. The adventurous passage across the Celtic Sea will take you to the Fastnet Rock off the southern tip of Ireland, where you circle back to cross the Channel to Cherbourg, France.

Sisi was drawn at Farr Yacht Design in the USA especially for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15. The strict one-design VO65 follows the basic concept of a planing hull with a wide stern, double rudders, sharp edges, a swivel keel, a reverse bow to extend the waterline and reduce pounding in short waves and a lift profile to counteract the drift. The rig is made by New Zealand manufacturer Southern Spars, which has been equipping the most successful Ocean Race teams for 25 years and were pioneers with the carbon mast in the 1990s. The sails are produced by North Sails, using patented 3Di technology and made from RAW760 Ultra PE / Aramid.