Thursday cover: A look at sailing’s ‘most demanding’ task in the Volvo Ocean Race

The National's Sport cover for the Thursday, March 12 issue, featuring Osman Samiuddin's preview of Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Osman takes note of the stretch, from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai, Brazil, for its reputation as one of the most demanding feats in all of sailing.

Already, the leg start has been delayed due to a major storm system churning up the waters around New Zealand.

Writes Osman:

“All those scare stories about the Volvo Ocean Race being the toughest of examinations for the participants and how it is the Everest of sailing, or an extreme sport only in long form, are about to be tested.

“It is the next leg from Auckland to Itajai in Brazil ... on which those tales were based.

“At 6,776 nautical miles and traversing the Southern Ocean, it is the longest and most volatile leg, the one that terrifies sailors as much as it excites them.”

Read his full preview of the treacherous task here.

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