LEADING Isle of Wight sailor Jules Salter — part of the world-class Team AkzoNobel in the Volvo Ocean Race — has celebrated third place in Brazil after completing the latest and most punishing stage of the yachting event.
The team completed the arduous seventh leg, 7,800 nautical miles of racing from Auckland, New Zealand, to Itajai, Brazil, in 18 days, three hours and 24 minutes on Thursday last week to confirm their third consecutive podium finish and earn important double points in their bid for the title.
Pictured above, Volvo Race sailor Jules Salter. Photo: Team AkzoNobel
After leaving Auckland, Jules, of Gurnard, helped navigate the team through the icy, isolated depths of the Southern Ocean, past Point Nemo — the furthest point on earth from land — then around Cape Horn before they embarked on a final 3,700-kilometre stage, passing east of the Falkland Islands on the way to the finish.
Leg 7 was by far the most punishing conditions of the race to date, with brutal storms, high winds and mountainous waves, along with damage to the vessel, which hampered their progress. The result leaves the team fourth overall.
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