Photos: L Volvo Ocean Race R Alicante

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Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:00:00 UTC

The latest episode in Campbell Field’s long association with the Whitbread/Volvo could feature in one of those daytime television shows where a family uproots, pets included, and relocates to a foreign land.

In this scenario Field takes up the job of shore manager to the Spanish team.

Relocation for Field and wife Tracy has meant a cultural shift from Lymington, on England’s south coast, to Alicante, the Spanish start port for the 2008-09 race. It’s all an ocean or two away from his native New Zealand.

“For me it hasn’t been such an upheaval because I’m here to work, but as a family it’s been quite a big change,” Field said. “We left behind our family and friends in Lymington where we’ve been living for nine years.

“My Spanish is hopeless but the whole team is fairly anglicised and the Spanish members of the team speak very good English. Besides, if you adopt the international language of shrugging shoulders and waving your arms in the air you can soon get the message across.”

For Muzza, whom Field describes as “the world’s maddest English springer spaniel”, a move to new surroundings has taken some adjustment. “It’s a big lifestyle change for him because he’s spent his life running around the New Forest chasing pheasant and rabbits and he comes down here and is constrained to a leash,” Field adds.

The Field family has had a long and distinguished attachment with the Whitbread/Volvo. Father Ross has done five laps of the Whitbread/Volvo course – NZI Enterprise (1985-86), Steinlager 2 (1989-90), Yamaha (1993-94) America’s Challenge (1997-98) and New Corp (2001-02).

For his part Campbell made his debut at his father’s side aboard America’s Challenge in 1997-98, and News Corp in 2001-02. He had a stint as navigator with Brunel in the 2005-06 race before assuming the role of Shore Manager with movistar and all the trials and tribulations that role entailed.

He has been retained by the Spanish for the 2008-09 race, hence the move to Alicante, where he is overseeing the syndicate’s two-boat entry.

Read the full story in Issue 27 of Life At The Extreme, the official magazine of the Volvo Ocean Race which is published online. [READ NOW]

Did you know that you can watch hours of race video at www.VolvoOceanRace.tv, the official Race TV channel for free!

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