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Amer Sports Too: 'A one-team feeling'

McDonald: "Not one of them wants us to beat them"

LONDON, England -- Having hit the half-way mark of the Volvo Ocean Race, Lisa McDonald, skipper of Amer Sports Too -- which has the only all-female crew in the history of the race -- talks about her experience.

Q: Do you think there is much difference between the boats, or is it purely down to crew work and tactics?

A: There is a significant amount of difference between the boats. They're all built according to the box rule - they have certain requirements to qualify as a VOR 60, but there is a lot of research and fine tuning goes on. This is important and longer programs and finances are able to do research and development to take advantage of such points.

Q: To what extent at stopovers do you and Grant Dalton's Amer Sports Too male crew work together?

A: On shore it's like brothers and sisters fighting over the toys, but it is very much a one-team feeling. As soon as we get to the start line it's all on for young and old and that includes Grant.

Q: Do you notice a significant deterioration in the effectiveness of your sails over the course of the race?

A: In this race we are allowed a maximum of 38 sails and based on which sails we use during each leg we can replace them as we go along. That way you always stay competitive.

Q: Being the only all female crew among all the participating yachts in the race, does this provide a special effort of acceptance/respect by the other yachts?

A: We have the utmost support from every one of the competing teams, shore side. But, I'm sure not one of them wants us to beat them across the water.

Q: Do you feel you are carrying the torch for women's sailing at the moment and does this add to the pressure?

A: I think a really cool thing about our team is that it is the first time in the history of this race. To bring such an experience as this to the race and our overall achievement is to have sailed as best we can against these guys in every single race.

Q: How have your tactics differed this year compared to other global races you've entered.

A: The difference for me this year is that I've moved to a position from the front of the boat to the back of the boat therefore I've taken on a role of being more involved in the decision making process. We have to be a bit more clever in our decision making. We try to minimise our changes to be one step ahead of the guys. And that's really hard work.

Q: What's the one positive thought, feeling or experience you have gained from this journey that you think you will hold on to for the rest of your life?

A: Wow! There are loads of things. I think one of the most impressive things was sailing around Cape Horn. We did that with the spinnaker up at 20 knots and on an incredible day after having been in the southern ocean.

Interview conducted with help of UBS