Vigo’s start hosted probably the biggest crowd for any sailing event anywhere. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the coast to watch Ericsson lead the fleet on an inshore loop before heading off to sea – and into a night to remember.

Read the full leg 01 report  

History will concentrate on the first night and resulting damage, but should focus on the amazingly tight racing. Some days two or three boats were in sight of each other. At Fernando de Noronha three boats rounded the scoring gate within an hour of each other.

At the finish the two ABN AMRO boats were in front, Brasil 1 had exceeded every expectation but their own and Ericsson pulled off a feat of seamanship, finishing with a keel un-controlled. Sunergy and Friends brought up the sailing rear and movistar and Pirates came by ship and plane respectively.