Groupama’s only Kiwi crewmember Brad Marsh fulfilled his childhood dream on Saturday as he and his team mates arrived victorious into Auckland, describing the win as the proudest moment of his life.
Almost one third of all sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race are from New Zealand – but it was the 28-year-old Aucklander who claimed the coveted title of first Kiwi home as Groupama swept to their first leg victory of the 2011-12 race.
Marsh and the Groupama crew crossed the line at 10:33:47 UTC/23:33:47 local time, after 19 days, 15 hours and 35 minutes racing from Sanya China.
Supporters lined the dock with red, white and blue balloons in anticipation of the French team’s midnight docking.
“There’s 19 other Kiwis in the race and every one of them demands a huge amount of respect,” Marsh told volvooceanrace.com moments after stepping off Groupama and sharing hugs with his friends and family.
“Guys like Brad Jackson, Tony Mutter, Mike Sanderson… Those guys have been my heroes for a long time, so to beat them into Auckland is one hell of an experience.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and probably the single proudest moment of my life.”
Despite holding the lead for 14 days, Marsh, one of Groupama’s two bowmen, said he only allowed himself to consider the possibility of winning on the final stretch into Auckland.
“I didn’t allow myself to think about winning up until today but the excitement set in as we came down the coast and I realised it was all going to happen,” Marsh said.
“It feels amazing. It’s a childhood dream for me.”
Not only is Marsh the only Kiwi on board Groupama, he’s also one of only five non-French sailors.
“I often get asked how I ended up on a French boat,” he added. “I don’t have a solid answer for that one, it just happened. I’d have been happy with a Kiwi boat, an American boat, a Spanish boat.
“But right now I’m really, really happy to be on the French boat.”
Marsh was met on the dock by his proud father Peter, the man responsible for introducing his son to sailing.
“This is the leg where he would have liked to have done well – it’s a dream, it’s an absolute dream, it really is,” Peter said.
“There’s no doubt I’m supporting Groupama – and I’m a Kiwi, as proud a Kiwi as anybody.
“There’s a bit of a conflict in loyalties, but it’s all about Groupama as far as I’m concerned.”
Groupama bowman Brad Marsh:
"It feels amazing. It’s a childhood dream for me. I didn’t allow myself to think about winning up until today. But the excitement set in as we came down the coast and I realised it was all going to happen.
I’m not sure who’s most excited, me or my father. I think he’s been running round all of Auckland telling everyone. My father’s a mad sailing fan, he’s done loads of sailing in and around Auckland and up the coastline. He was there at the start in Alicante to shake my hand when we left and he’ll be there when we arrive in Auckland. I know he’s very, very proud. Having worked with this team for 18 months on the other side of the world away from friends and family, it’s nice to be able to come to Auckland and show my family what I’ve been doing, and to show my team my family and my country.
I often get asked how I ended up on a French boat. I don’t have a solid answer for that one, it just happened. I’d have been happy with a Kiwi boat, an American boat, a Spanish boat. Right now I’m really, really happy to be on the French boat. There’s 19 other Kiwis in the race and every one of them demands a huge amount of respect. Guys like Brad Jackson, Tony Mutter, Mike Sanderson… Those guys have been my heroes for a long time, so to beat them into Auckland is one hell of an experience. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and probably the single proudest moment of my life.
I’ll probably have a few of those funny-coloured waters with my friends and family, I’m sure they’ll keen to have a nice cold beverage. Then hopefully a hamburger or a steak and cheese pie"
From : Volvo Ocean Race
Credit : I.Roman/VOR
Almost one third of all sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race are from New Zealand – but it was the 28-year-old Aucklander who claimed the coveted title of first Kiwi home as Groupama swept to their first leg victory of the 2011-12 race.
Marsh and the Groupama crew crossed the line at 10:33:47 UTC/23:33:47 local time, after 19 days, 15 hours and 35 minutes racing from Sanya China.
Supporters lined the dock with red, white and blue balloons in anticipation of the French team’s midnight docking.
“There’s 19 other Kiwis in the race and every one of them demands a huge amount of respect,” Marsh told volvooceanrace.com moments after stepping off Groupama and sharing hugs with his friends and family.
“Guys like Brad Jackson, Tony Mutter, Mike Sanderson… Those guys have been my heroes for a long time, so to beat them into Auckland is one hell of an experience.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and probably the single proudest moment of my life.”
Despite holding the lead for 14 days, Marsh, one of Groupama’s two bowmen, said he only allowed himself to consider the possibility of winning on the final stretch into Auckland.
“I didn’t allow myself to think about winning up until today but the excitement set in as we came down the coast and I realised it was all going to happen,” Marsh said.
“It feels amazing. It’s a childhood dream for me.”
Not only is Marsh the only Kiwi on board Groupama, he’s also one of only five non-French sailors.
“I often get asked how I ended up on a French boat,” he added. “I don’t have a solid answer for that one, it just happened. I’d have been happy with a Kiwi boat, an American boat, a Spanish boat.
“But right now I’m really, really happy to be on the French boat.”
Marsh was met on the dock by his proud father Peter, the man responsible for introducing his son to sailing.
“This is the leg where he would have liked to have done well – it’s a dream, it’s an absolute dream, it really is,” Peter said.
“There’s no doubt I’m supporting Groupama – and I’m a Kiwi, as proud a Kiwi as anybody.
“There’s a bit of a conflict in loyalties, but it’s all about Groupama as far as I’m concerned.”
Groupama bowman Brad Marsh:
"It feels amazing. It’s a childhood dream for me. I didn’t allow myself to think about winning up until today. But the excitement set in as we came down the coast and I realised it was all going to happen.
I’m not sure who’s most excited, me or my father. I think he’s been running round all of Auckland telling everyone. My father’s a mad sailing fan, he’s done loads of sailing in and around Auckland and up the coastline. He was there at the start in Alicante to shake my hand when we left and he’ll be there when we arrive in Auckland. I know he’s very, very proud. Having worked with this team for 18 months on the other side of the world away from friends and family, it’s nice to be able to come to Auckland and show my family what I’ve been doing, and to show my team my family and my country.
I often get asked how I ended up on a French boat. I don’t have a solid answer for that one, it just happened. I’d have been happy with a Kiwi boat, an American boat, a Spanish boat. Right now I’m really, really happy to be on the French boat. There’s 19 other Kiwis in the race and every one of them demands a huge amount of respect. Guys like Brad Jackson, Tony Mutter, Mike Sanderson… Those guys have been my heroes for a long time, so to beat them into Auckland is one hell of an experience. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and probably the single proudest moment of my life.
I’ll probably have a few of those funny-coloured waters with my friends and family, I’m sure they’ll keen to have a nice cold beverage. Then hopefully a hamburger or a steak and cheese pie"
From : Volvo Ocean Race
