The 13th edition of the round the world race kicks off in Portsmouth. In a baptism of fire the teams struggle to get to grips with the intensity of the challenge that will first take them south to Spain and onwards across the Atlantic to Uruguay.

After surviving the first three week race south across the Atlantic Ocean to Uruguay, the race turns onto an easterly heading and prepares to cross the unrelenting challenge of the southern ocean towards Africa and Australia.

After crossing the treacherous Southern Ocean from Africa to Australia, the race enters the Pacific Ocean for the first time. The challenge for the teams who have struggled with poor results takes its toll as they navigate round Australia, before bearing away onto a northerly heading across towards the far east for the first time.

The race fleet has arrived in Asia where the pressure of results mounts for the locally sponsored Chinese teams wanting to do themselves proud on their home bound races. The Asian swing then comes to an end as the race prepares to cross the toughest ocean of them all, the mighty North Pacific.

The bumper season finale follows the race's return to the Atlantic Ocean and ultimate completion of the 40 000 miles race around the planet. The crew that have remained and withstood the relentless challenge of the past 11 months discover there's no going back to who they were before they started the race.