Winning the Volvo Ocean Race Virtual Regatta

When the seven teams set out on the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante, Spain on October 11, there was over 200,000 rivals that would be virtually matching their moves while playing the official virtual game version of the nine-month marathon.

So if you think Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker has reason to celebrate after beating six other rivals when the 2014-15 edition concluded on June 27 in Gothenburg, Sweden, then imagine how Patrick Babin feels after he won the cyberspace competition.

Patrick’s prize for his success, which demanded huge dedication from October to June, is an IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Ocean Racer timepiece worth €12,500.

The Parisian put himself in pole position to win the Virtual Regatta race after clinching Leg 7, holding on for the final two legs to take the victory.

“The guy in second place was hot on my heels when we left Lorient and I had to control him,” he said, describing the final leg from France to Sweden. “The race wasn’t won yet. I managed to finish the last leg in third place so it ended well.”

It certainly was not all plain sailing through all nine legs, though.

“I was 238th in one of the long legs early on,” he said. “These legs were the same challenge for the game players as they were for the sailors – except that there were many, many rivals for us. That makes for a lot more possibilities in the longer legs where all options are explored. It’s harder to win then.”

So what motivated Patrick, a former national dinghy champion, to devote hour after hour to the Game?

“We’ve just virtually sailed around the world. How rare is that! And I really enjoyed the international side of it – that doesn’t exist in French virtual races,” he said. “I’ve received a lot of messages in English; it was great seeing so many people playing around the world. I took the time to answer all of my messages. I do hope to play again in two years’ time.”

Held every three years, the virtual game has significantly expanded how people can experience the Volvo Ocean Race. “The Virtual Game has made it possible for our virtual sailors to get inside the skins of the Volvo skippers over nine months around the world,” noted Philippe Guigné, president and founder of Virtual Regatta.

Virtual Regatta – Virtual Ranking – Volvo Ocean Race

Background: The 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race began in Alicante, Spain on Oct. 11, covering 38,739 nm on the way to the final In-Port Race on June 27 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Racing the new one design Volvo Ocean 65, seven teams scored points in 9 offshore legs to determine the overall Volvo Ocean Race winner. Additionally, the teams competed in 10 In-Port races at each stopover for a separate competition, the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Series. Click here for recap.