I'm obsessed, why isn't everyone else?

As you may have noticed, I have an obsession.  Well, I prefer to call it a "passion" because obsession sounds so... stalkery.

My passion is the Volvo Ocean Race.  During the 2001-2002 VOR, I was working for an ASSA ABLOY Group company, and had the unenviable task of figuring out a way to convince die-hard NASCAR and NFL fans, living in Nevada, to be interested in a yacht race that didn't even come within 2,000 miles of us. I found the hook in the story of fellow ASSA ABLOY Group employees in Africa. In AIDS-ravaged areas, funerals were (and still are) a common occurrence. Weekly, ASSA ABLOY Group employees attended funerals of their coworkers, and to show their solidarity, they would wear the ASSA ABLOY Racing Team shirts all Group employees were given. 

My coworkers were shocked that the race that they took so lightly was being used as a rallying point for people who had lost so many. Our interest spread, and we began to take the race much more seriously, and learned about our far-flung partners. 

After we made that connection, I spent the time leading up to the North American stopovers being a cheerleader, following the race around the world from my desk while arranging housing, events and other activities in two ports for over 300 people from around the world.

When I got to Miami, I lived in the Hyatt for three weeks. Up every morning, walking down Biscayne Boulevard to the race venue, which at that time was behind the basketball arena. Full day of running around like a crazy person (The chef's baby daughter needs a playpen? OK.  I need to find a Swedish-speaking babysitter? OK.  Two dozen Easter baskets for the crew‘s kids?  Bring it on.) followed by festivities at night.

When ASSA ABLOY actually arrived, in first place, in the middle of the night, it was like rock stars showed up. Stinky, sweaty, scroungy looking men piled off our beautiful boat and onto a stage. They hugged their families and drank booze out of coconuts. Shortest night ever for those of us who had to go back the next day to meet & greet the throngs of people who showed up at the Race Village.

I got to work closely with some of the crew, and picked up a little Swedish, although I speak it with a Kiwi accent evidently. I brushed up on my French, took a sail on the twin boat, and spent time on South Beach in dive bars with sailors from all over the world (much to my mother's horror I suppose).  I worked three weeks straight, 16- to 20-hour days, with one afternoon off. I washed my clothes in the sink in my room, nearly wore through a pair of sport sandals, and lost 20lbs.  It was AWESOME.

There's a thing about the people that participate in this race. They're the best in the world at what they do. If they don't do their best, people die. Even if they do their best, people die. The great thing is, while it's an exclusive bunch, they're not exclusive. You're judged, of course, but if you pass, you're almost swept into it- brought up to their level and you too are inspired to excellence. 

The most recent edition of the Race wraps up today in Galway, Ireland, with the inshore race and the prizegiving.  If photos and mad tweets are to be believed, half of Ireland, a good chunk of New Zealand and much of Sweden has descended upon Galway this week, and it looks like they're all having a ball. Presidents, Princes, sailors, moms, dads, kids, Maori, Vikings, flamenco dancers, hula hoopers, punks... you name it, they're there and they're ripping it up.  It is indeed a fitting end to the race that some call "the Everest of sailing" and "the toughest sail race in the world."  

Here are a couple pictures I gleaned from Facebook.  

The first- American team PUMA Ocean Racing arrives in Galway in the middle of the night (no joke- it was about 3am):

The second- American team PUMA Ocean Racing arrives in Miami, mid-day:

WHAT THE HECK, USA?  IT'S YOUR OWN TEAM.

There was recently an article released about the media reach for the first half of the current race. "For what its worth, the cumulative TV audience as of February 19th was 880 million based on 1,200 hours of coverage across dedicated programming and news items. Those figures compare with a cumulative audience of 459 million at the corresponding stage of the last race, representing a 90 percent increase." The article goes on to explain why, but NINETY PERCENT INCREASE in just a few years. (http://www.yachtracing.biz/blog/2012/05/volvo-ocean-race-audience-numbers-1/)

Quite possibly the BIGGEST thing in the sporting world, with the BIGGEST audience.

So riddle me this, Batman.  Why barely a peep of this amazing race in the US?  This morning, I checked the tweets and the Facebook posts, so I knew who'd won today's inport, but when I looked at several US news outlets, there was nothing.  I even searched, and found a week-old article.  Nothing new, nothing about the closest finish ever, nothing.

SADNESS.  Sadness and frustration. 


I want this race to continue, and to thrive, which it's doing nicely thanks to inroads into China and the Middle East.  (Team Sanya was the 2nd Chinese/Irish syndicate and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing made it's debut this year)  But, speaking as the Ugly American in the room- what about the US?  Sure- the US has entered teams- PUMA, Pirates of the Caribbean, but I'm pretty sure that 99.99% of people in the US have no idea.


And this presents a hurdle for the race.  Sure, I'm obsessed, and I have friends who are now casually interested because I've bludgeoned them with pictures and stories for the past 9 months, but how do we get the general public in the US even knowledgeable about the race, let alone interested?

The 45 million euro question.  (45 million being a high-end estimate for how much it costs to mount a syndicate)

The other question- how do I get to go along?

(photo courtesy of Leighton O'Connor)