‘A massive survival element’ – Annie Lush on The Ocean Race ahead of new documentary

“You’re racing them, but you will do anything for them at the same time.” Annie Lush is reflecting on The Ocean Race and its unique camaraderie between team rivals, ahead of a new Warner Bros Discovery documentary available from this week.

To say the London 2012 Olympic sailor’s campaign was dramatic and eventful is an understatement. Guyot Environement – Team Europe endured a brutal competition, which involved a crash, a dismasting, missed legs of the race and at one stage, a concern they would not even get to the final stage.

After coming last on legs one and two, Guyot suffered damage to their boat in an epic leg three, before their sail broke on leg four. The required repairs were so severe, they were not able to reach the startline for the fifth stage – but made it back for legs six and seven.

That was not the end of the drama, as Guyot collided with title-favourites 11th Hour Racing Team at the start of the final leg. It ended the American team’s hopes of winning the trophy on their own terms, though a jury eventually awarded victory to Charlie Enright’s outfit, who had an almost unassailable points lead heading into the final leg.

“The first couple of months after, I was racing a lot this summer, I sort of blocked it out a bit,” Lush told Eurosport.

“It was tough and it was a very tough end. It’s always good if you get to have a little story at the end that turns it around. It looked like we were going to once we came back in the race, and then obviously with the crash… that was really sad.

“At the time, you just keep going. Now I feel almost exhausted by it. I think there was a point somewhere after we dismasted, and then we got ashore, at that point it was pretty tough for the team as well, because we weren’t sure if we could get back in the race, financially and time wise and that was really stressful. That was pretty near rock bottom.

“Good people get lucky, right? We were also the oldest boat, and for sure the least experienced team, not just the sailors, but I think perhaps more even on the shore, in terms of the Ocean Race.

“So I think that was reflected. There are many lessons to be learned for sure. But it was pretty unlucky that those three things happened.”

A team of on board reporters were deployed to all five teams, capturing the sailors’ unique experiences during the seven legs of a 32,000 nautical mile race, which took in nine iconic cities.

The sail damage from leg four almost forced Guyot to bail from the race completely, but Lush says an effort from all of the teams helped them return. As well as competitors and rivals, they were also looking out for each other.

“That was a massive boost to us, because we already had to pick ourselves up a couple of times, and it was getting harder. The support from the other teams, and their excitement to have us back really, gave us quite a lot of incentive,” said Lush.

“You’re trying to win, but there is a massive survival element to it. We’re sailing pretty dangerous boats, we go places where we only have each other to depend on.

“If you get to a stopover and your doctor is a specialist in something and someone else has got a problem, for sure, they’re going to help them because more than the Olympics, or the America’s Cup, where you really get siloed in your teams, in the end, you’re all just trying to get around the world together.

“There are so many times in the race when the only people that can help you are your competitors. Of course you’re racing them, but you will do anything for them at the same time.”

As for the documentary itself, Lush says it offers a unique insight into the brutality and excitement of elite sailing: “I think it’s amazing because sailing is something that is very distant. And actually it’s a shame especially with this race because we see some amazing things – I think people can learn a lot from this documentary.”