The 10 most impactful youngsters in Volvo Ocean Race history<\/p>\n
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Sam Greenfield\/Dongfeng Race Team\/Volvo Ocean Race<\/p>\n
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Patrick Anderson\/Volvo Ocean Race<\/p>\n
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Pienkawa Archive<\/p>\n
Age is just a number, right? Well, yes \u2013 according to some of the sailors who’ve tackled the world’s toughest ocean test. Here, we look back at some of the most iconic young sailors in the race’s four-and-a-half decade history.<\/p>\n
Age is just a number, right? Well, yes \u2013 according to some of the sailors who’ve tackled the world’s toughest ocean test. They say ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, and this lot certainly proved that. Here, we look back at some of the most iconic young sailors in the race’s four-and-a-half decade history.<\/p>\n
Sir Peter Blake<\/p>\n
When:\u00a01973-74, Burton Cutter<\/p>\n
Age:\u00a024<\/p>\n
He\u2019s known now as one of the Race\u2019s biggest legends, having competed five times and won once, leading Steinlager 2 to an unprecedented clean sweep of line, handicap and overall\u00a0honours\u00a0in 1989-90. But Blake made his first appearance in the race over a decade and a half earlier, as watch captain onboard Burton Cutter \u2013 leading them to a\u00a0first leg\u00a0win into Cape Town.<\/p>\n
Liu Xue (\u2018Black\u2019)<\/p>\n
When: 2014-15, Dongfeng Race Team<\/p>\n
Age: 21<\/p>\n
Dongfeng\u2019s Chinese star almost didn\u2019t make it to the start line \u2013 quitting during training due to homesickness \u2013 and it was only some persuasion from team manager, Bruno Dubois, who convinced him to rejoin the troops a few months before the race began. He captured hearts across China, and went on to win the media war \u2013 ending the race as the most mentioned Chinese sailor online.<\/p>\n
Lionel P\u00e9an<\/p>\n
When: 1985-86, L\u2019Esprit d\u2019Equipe<\/p>\n
Age: 29<\/p>\n
The fourth edition was all about the story of an old boat \u2013 and the youngest winning skipper in the race\u2019s history. With a crew of eight and a 58-foot boat, France\u2019s P\u00e9an saw his team battle with UBS Switzerland all around the world, triumphing on overall handicap to scoop the trophy. A full 25 years later, P\u00e9an would once again skipper L\u2019Esprit d\u2019Equipe to victory in the first Legends Regatta and Renunion, complete with his original crew, on the eve of the race start in 2011-12 from Alicante.<\/p>\n
Simon Le Bon<\/p>\n
When: 1985-86, Drum<\/p>\n
Age: 26<\/p>\n
What do you do when you\u2019re a global popstar looking to change your lifestyle? Well, you could ditch the microphone, and join a Whitbread Round the World Race (Volvo Ocean Race) campaign \u2013 at least that\u2019s what Duran Duran\u2019s frontman Simon Le Bon did during a band hiatus in the mid-80s. But the singer didn\u2019t just hop on for the ride, he was determined to do the race as a full crewmember. \u201cWe work the same, sleep the same, eat the same, and that\u2019s how Simon wants it,\u201d said Drum skipper Skip Novak.<\/p>\n
via The 10 most impactful youngsters in Volvo Ocean Race history| Volvo Ocean Race<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 10 most impactful youngsters in Volvo Ocean Race history Download Sam Greenfield\/Dongfeng Race Team\/Volvo Ocean Race Download Patrick Anderson\/Volvo Ocean Race Download Pienkawa Archive Age is just a number, right? Well, yes \u2013 according to some of the sailors … Continue reading