A day in the life

After three long weeks at sea and over 6,000 miles covered, the sailors were exhausted, uncomfortable, emotional - and dreaming of a juicy South African steak.

But as the old saying goes, it's not over til it's over. Especially in this game - with just eight miles between front two boats, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Dongfeng Race Team, both teams were feeling the pressure.

So what happens on the last day of a long offshore leg? Well, here's an idea...

It's the early hours of the morning, and you're awake... again

Your boss has been up all night checking the tracker, which looks good - but it's close racing. There's a lot of work ahead

You're tired, hungry, and you've not been properly dry for weeks

There's no time to rest. It's all about speed, speed, and more speed

But first, you need coffee, okay?

LOTS of coffee. And a, um, tasty, freeze-dried breakfast

And when you're not drinking coffee, you're talking about coffee

Meanwhile, the boss keeps running below deck to check the tracker

The leg has already taken so long that you've had to start rationing the freeze-dried...

Oh, what you'd give for a steak right now...

And a warm bed. Although you're so tired that you could sleep pretty much anywhere

Remember: even when things don't go to plan, you've got to stay optimistic 

But also, sometimes you can't help being realistic

And don't forget to always keep one eye on the enemy

Even if they say they're not keeping an eye on you

After three weeks without a shower, it's time to make yourself presentable for your friends and family (oh, and the world's media)

But let's be honest, sometimes no amount of grooming can hide how tough your job is

OK, not long to go now! Just keep visualising the finish line...after all, this is why you love offshore racing, right?

Oh, and P.S. don't even try and avoid getting wet. If one wave doesn't get you, the next one definitely will