Volvo Ocean Race 2017- Field announces campaign for 2017 Volvo Race

by Rebecca Hayter, Boating NZ on 1 Apr 2015 Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race veteran Ross Field has announced he will skipper a team in the 2017 VOR. Field has raced around the world five times, including as crew on the victorious Steinlager in 1990 and as skipper of the winning Whitbread 60 Yamaha in 1994.

But while Field has extensive experience in the race, the key to winning in the new one-design format, he says, is the huge depth of experience of his crew. He is yet to confirm names until contracts are signed, but inside speculation is that Field has secured many of those who have sailed with him in the past, giving him combined VOR experience of more than 600 years.

“We’ll be a crew almost entirely of pensioners,” he says. “The average age will be around 68, although we’ll take a nominal three under-50 crew to give the younger generation a chance to gain experience.”

The Whitbread/VOR has a reputation for being tough on its crew, so how will men in their sixties cope with the conditions?
“We’ll be fine,” Field says. “We’ll have a hot chocolate machine on deck, onboard heating so our slippers are dry and granny rails around the mast to keep our crew safe.

“You see videos of the yachts in the current race and they’re under a constant firehose. When you’ve done as much sailing as we’ve done, you learn how to sail around weather systems so you stay dry.”

As for what challenges he may face as skipper, Field says pensioners are way easier to lead. “In the past, I had problems with younger guys in port. They want to go and party all night. Pensioners are easy. We’ll all be in bed by 10pm, Facebooking our grandchildren, and asleep by 1030.”

Field hasn’t lost his touch in procuring good sponsorship. It is understood that a major manufacturer of a recliner-rocking chair has come to the party as primary sponsor, with a retirement home brand in a supporting role.

An anti-inflammatory manufacturer will also support the pensioners’ campaign.

“The key to sailing competitively in your sixties is to minimise manoeuvres,” Field says. “These younger crews are sailing all over the bloody ocean, as though they can’t make up their mind, but basically you’re going around the world, so you don’t need to tack or gybe much at all. Keep the South Pole on your right and the land masses on your left. It’s not too difficult, is it?”

So realistically, how confident is he of bringing the trophy back to New Zealand?

“Totally confident, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.”

Prospective crew should contact Ross Field by clicking here