Volvo Ocean Race

It was perfect timing in more ways than one for CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson, as he stepped up to receive a new timepiece from IWC Schaffhausen just a few days after his old watch was washed off his wrist.

CAMPER were crowned IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge champions after clinching the furthest distance sailed in 24 hours during the entire Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, with Nicholson's team completing 566 nautical miles on June 14 as they screamed towards Lorient, France, on the back of a North Atlantic storm in Leg 8.

Their 24-hour distance, sailed at an average of 23.58 knots, was just enough to hold off Telefónica, who posted 565 miles on the same day, and Groupama, who also came close with 563.

CAMPER's winning run wasn't enough to break the overall 24-hour distance record of 596 miles set by Ericsson 4 in the 2008-09, but it was enough to earn them the overall IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge trophy for the 2011-12 edition -- and each crewmember an IWC Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition 'Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12' watch.

For Nicholson, his new watch represents much more than just a nice prize. 
 
"I like not just the physical appearance but also what it represents in what we had to do to win it," said Nicholson. "We certainly had to do a lot to win them.

"To be honest, this probably sounds a bit sentimental, but I will probably enjoy wearing it and looking at it and remembering that 560-odd miles we did from Lisbon to Lorient because there were a lot of good and bad memories on that trip.

“This is a watch to wear. I want to see it day in day out. My old watch
washed off my wrist on the last leg so I will definitely be wearing this one – it'll be on my arm for sure.”

CAMPER were the first crew to lift an IWC Speed Record Challenge trophy when they set a distance of 553 miles in Leg 1 from Alicante, Spain, to Cape Town, South Africa.

Out of the nine legs, CAMPER were on the receiving end of the trophy three times, in legs 1, 5 and 8.

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG won the most times with four wins in nine legs, in legs 3, 4, 6 and 9, while overall race winners Groupama sailing team took the award twice, in legs 2 and 7.