ALICANTE, Spain: The world's most demanding off-shore adventure, the Volvo Ocean Race, kicks off in Alicante, Spain on Saturday.

Spain's Telefonica Blue leads the standing currently in the competition between eight yachts after last Saturday's in-port race, which was designed to give land-based spectators an idea of the action to come.

Since the race, the boats have remained in Alicante for some minor repairs. The actual race, lasting some nine months and covering a distance of 66,000 kilometres, starts on October 11.

There are 11 stopovers for the race, one of which is Singapore. Singapore will be the longest stopover and could be the turning point for the boats as the teams venture into Asia for the first time.

Ian Walker, skipper, Green Dragon, said: "The leg from Singapore to Qingdao – I think is going to be the toughest leg of the whole race. I'm sure we get the most upwind and the coldest weather on some of the roughest seas, so it is representing a whole new challenge to both the hottest and coldest part of the race."

And even though the boats will be out in the ocean, fans can track all the crews' trials and tribulations.

Ken Read, skipper, Puma Ocean Racing, said: "The amount of video that is going out of the boat has gone through the roof because there is a person on board who is specifically there to record what we do during the course of the day. They specifically just video our lives – it's almost like a reality TV show."

Singaporeans can catch the real show when the boats get there around Christmas.


- CNA/so