#VOR - Yesterday’s snug racing out of the gate in Alicante made for the most exciting Volvo Ocean Race start in recent memory.
But the near-misses weren’t only between the fleet as the jockeyed for position out of port, as they faced a slalom of spectator boats offshore.
In particular, Turn The Tide on Plastic — with Annalise Murphy on deck — narrowly avoided disaster just minutes into their race as some onlookers got a little too close for comfort.
THAT WAS CLOSE! ?@turntideplastic and @scallywaghk take on the spectator boat slalom! ⛷ #LEG1 pic.twitter.com/XetiRVAN6l
— Volvo Ocean Race (@volvooceanrace) October 22, 2017
Seen from on board the Dee Caffari-skippered boat, the squeeze looked even tighter — potentially a more dangerous situation than what they’re bound to face on the open ocean over the next few months.
If you thought that @turntideplastic's near-collision looked close from the air, here's the view from onboard ? pic.twitter.com/gBYPSpzuov
— Volvo Ocean Race (@volvooceanrace) October 22, 2017
As reported earlier this afternoon, the lead in Leg 1 is still held by Vestas 11th Hour Racing, which features Ireland’s Damian Foxall in a senior crew role.
