Armchair experts now have the chance to test their skills against the best offshore sailors in the world with the launch of Virtual Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 - the race's official game.The virtual race will mirror the 37,000 nautical miles of the world's premier ocean race (see map below) and there's a Volvo C30 up for grabs for the winner along with a number of other prizes.
Just like the crews aboard the Volvo Open 70s, virtual racers will compete in real time and real weather conditions on the same race track against the Volvo fleet. They get to use the weather data available to choose their headings and sail plan.
Developed in partnership with UnitedGames, the game is free to play but players can also purchase additional information with a share of the proceeds going to The Save the Albatross Campaign.
According to Marijn Harinck, CEO of UnitedGames, the game has been designed to be as close as possible to the real thing. "We built the game together with our partners from Virtual Regatta who are sailors too," he said.
"Their knowledge about virtual sailing and our knowledge about gaming make this game unique. It is a game by sailors for sailors."
Andrew Ferguson, head of Technology and New Media for the Volvo Ocean Race, added: "We launched the new look website, online TV channel, and, most recently, our mobile channel. To enhance the package further we are now giving race fans the opportunity to take part in their race, with our virtual game - the competitors can create their own nine-month, 37,000 mile ocean marathon, without the salt spray and freeze-dried food."
To play, visit www.volvooceanracegame.org.
The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will be the 10th running of this ocean marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain, on 4 October 2008 with in-port racing, it will, for the first time, take in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the history of the race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, stopping at 11 ports and taking nine months to complete, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world's premier yacht race for professional racing crews.
