The Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02 Official Film
by The Ocean Race 9 May 2020 08:46 PDT
SEB battles towards Hobart on Leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02 © Oskar Kihlborg
The 2001-02 race was the first to be run as The Volvo Ocean Race, with the Swedish company taking ownership of the event for a tenure that would extend through the 2017-18 edition. It would also be the last race to start in the UK.
Eight highly prepared and professional teams took the start in Southampton, and there was drama nearly immediately, with the highly touted Assa Abloy team changing skippers in Cape Town after a disappointing fifth place result on the first leg. Neal MacDonald would take over for Roy Heiner.
American John Kostecki led the Illbruck Challenge to victory with Assa Abloy making a late charge.
Grant Dalton was at the head of the two-boat effort of Amer Sports, and his team rounded out the podium, an impressive result given the late start to the campaign. The second boat in stable, Amer Sports Too was an all female effort skippered by Lisa MacDonald, who, along with husband Neal, made for a unique husband/wife skipper duo in the race.