Volvo Ocean Race - A video so real, you can almost feel the splash!

by Volvo Ocean Race on 30 May 2015 2014 - 15 Volvo Ocean Race - The first time Team SCA skipper Sam Davies watched the new Volvo Ocean Race-Team SCA 360º/virtual reality video, she recoiled instinctively as her boat nose-dived into a giant wave in the Southern Ocean.

That’s how realistic the ground-breaking new video gets as it focuses on the epic Leg 5 crossing between Auckland (New Zealand) and Itajaí (Brazil).

The production has been launched today on littlstar.com. It is not only the first Virtual Reality offshore sailing video ever, but also the first time Cape Horn and the treacherous Southern Ocean are captured in this technique.

This has been made possible thanks to the joint efforts of Volvo Ocean Race, Team SCA, and the 360-degree/virtual reality Dutch production company, Scopic.

“Cape Horn has never been shot in 360 and this production was so unique as most people thought it would never work out in these rough conditions. Anna Lena (Elled, Team SCA onboard reporter) had to work with six independent cameras,” said Scopic co-founder Yori van Gerven.

This ground-breaking technique puts viewers at the centre of the sailing experience by being able to look around in 360 degrees, using the arrows, the click and drag mouse button, or dragging the screen on mobile devices.

The 360-degree experience is enabled for both Chrome browsers and Android.

Google Cardboard, Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear VR, among other VR devices, bring the experience to the level of virtual reality.

Scopic is a Virtual Reality Production Company based in Amsterdam, specialising in productions at the highest end of 360-degree video for online, smartphone/tablet, Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.