We're always happy to see positive and inspiring news of sailing in the major media. So, it was terrific to find on the New York Times home page today, November 21, 2014, a feature, 17 minute video of the New York-Barcelona IMOCA Ocean Masters race from reporter, Chris Museler, who was 'embedded' aboard Hugo Boss with American sailor Ryan Breymaier and solo sailor Pepe Ribes - who both teamed up for the double-handed race. It's great footage, a great story and a sailing adventure for all to understand the beauty, challenge and drama of crossing an ocean in a powerful boat short-handed - and winning! Also, great to see American Ryan Breymaier aboard and winning in a world often dominated by the Europeans.
15 days across the Atlantic - cold, wet, tiring and calm, warm and beutiful. A 3720 mile race across the Atlantic serves up all of it and commentary from both sailors relay some of the reasons people push themselves to these extremes and then do it again and again. Pepe Ribas says 'the only reason to live this lifestyle is to win' to which Breymaier says, 'he's right'. And they do. Breymaeir also adds 'there's a connection with those who came before you which gives you a sense of your place in time and space that you can’t get otherwise.'
We've never pushed ourselves to that extreme but, in our own way, find we can connect with the same feelings though in less dramatic and challenging ways.
It's a great sailing story, very well done and fabulous to see it on the front page of the New York Times.
