The Spanish VO70 movistar has arrived in Rio de Janeiro completing over 8,000 miles on her journey to the VOR start.

Since leaving Newcastle, Australia on 23 March, the Spanish Volvo Ocean Race yacht movistar has sailed 8,100 nautical miles, has crossed the always menacing Cape Horn, and has broken a world record by sailing 530.19 nautical miles in 24 hours.

Talking about the journey in which team moviestar encountered winds gusting over 40 knots snow, huge waves and a collision while sailing at speeds of over 20 knots, skipper, Bouwe Bekking said: “It has been a typical Volvo Ocean Race leg. We have lived through the best and worst of ocean racing, but the final outcome couldn’t be better.”

General Manager and Inshore Helmsman, Pedro Campos continued: “Everyone in the team is very excited with the results of the first leg. The journey from New Zealand to Rio de Janeiro is the most demanding one of the entire Ocean Race, and we have completed it in an impeccable manner. Now, the crew will take a well-deserved break to gain back strength, to spend time with their families, and to get ready for the next leg that will take them from Río de Janeiro to Galicia, Spain, where they will arrive in the beginning of June.”

Since the team arrived in Rio the shorecrew has been working flat-out. The boat has been out of the water, the rig has been taken apart, new appendages have been installed and all systems have been serviced, all according in the same timeframe as the next year’s stopover.