The Race
The First Nonstop, Round-the-World, No-Holds-Barred Sailing Competition
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
A contributing editor for Outside magazine provides a behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced, around-the-world sailing race.
An invigorating behind-the-scenes look at the world of extreme sailing, The Race is also a taut, engrossing account of the first running of the competition called "The Race," which began on December 31, 2000, in Barcelona and ended sixty-two days later in Marseilles. The most intense event of its kind—a nonstop circumnavigation of the globe in the fastest boats ever built—The Race attracts some of the world's best sailors and arguably its most eccentric personalities.
Tim Zimmermann, an experienced blue-water sailor, relates in knuckle-whitening detail how and why sailors risk millions of dollars and their lives to dash around the world in record time. He garnishes this story with a chronicle of the tumultuous history of extreme sailing from the nineteenth century to today. Zimmermann "puts the reader right on board with the tough, colorful crews as they take a crash course (sometimes literally) in how to handle these astonishing machines" (Derek Lundy, author of Godforsaken Sea).
Praise for The Race
"Zimmerman turns a daring race of unthinkably fast, high-tech sailing machines into a page-turner." —Bruce Knecht, author of The Proving Ground
"This is probably the finest account of the history of the circumnavigator's quest yet written, refreshingly free of hyperbole and false expectation. Zimmerman's pace matches that of The Race itself, though he never puts his bow under." —Lincoln P. Paine, author of Ships of the World
"Zimmerman's behind-the-scenes look at the characters, boats, and technology in The Race—as well as the rich sailing history that preceded it—captures the nuances of adventure only a masochist could love. The Race was a wild ride, and The Race is a fine read." —Herb McCormick, sailing correspondent of the New York Times, editor of Cruising World
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Experienced sailor and Outside correspondent Zimmermann brings readers to a maritime marathon that circumnavigates the globe in sailing ships that travel up to 50 mph. With winning skippers grabbing monthly purses in excess of $20,000 and massive corporate sponsorship (PlayStation, Team Phillips and Club Med were some of the ships in the running), it should be no surprise that the event drew international recognition. Zimmermann elucidates the technical advancements of racing vessels from clipper ships to yachts to today's high-tech "maxi-catamarans." Armed with GPS systems, the personalities of multimillionaires and crews of 20, six such ships embarked from Barcelona on New Year's Eve 2000, racing past the equator and through the treacherous Southern Ocean to round Cape Horn and onward to port in Marseilles. Zimmermann keeps up the pace with a rapid play-by-play of the race as its contenders fight doldrums, stomach bland diets and dodge gigantic icebergs; he describes how the delicately balanced twin hulls of the maxi-catamarans faced easy damage in severe waves and poor weather. In the end, only two of the ships completed the voyage. Despite Zimmermann's technical moxie, the dramatic flair here is surprisingly lackluster and the story floods into an obligatory tale of man's embittered drive to conquer the elements. A sure bet for maritime racing fans and extreme sporting enthusiasts, the book might not have enough ballast to float the open waters of mainstream readers.
