Navigator Simon Fisher has just helped steer Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to victory in the Volvo Ocean Race.
It’s triumph for the 37-year-old in his fourth attempt at the ocean racing epic – Fisher’s first foray into unchartered waters was 10 years ago in the 2005/06 version of the VOR.
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For a man with the nickname ‘SiFi’, bestowed upon the Abu Dhabi-backed boat’s trusted route planner for his unparalleled directional nous, the Englishman really has found a second home on the high seas.
Competing in and completing the VOR is, undoubtedly, one of the most arduous tasks in the world of sport.
Taking the best part of three quarters of a year to complete, it is certainly the longest, and is played out in some of the most breathtakingly dangerous environments on the planet.
Taking part in the VOR is certainly a labour of love. As much as competitors must adore sailing around the world and being part of one of sport’s toughest challenges, training and competing takes sailors away from their families for months at a time.
It is this part that is perhaps a little less taxing on Fisher than the rest of the men on board Azzam with him, or those he is competing against, because one member of his family is competing in the same race.
She may not be going through the rigours of ocean racing herself but Fisher’s wife Maria Bertrand is living and breathing the race just like her husband.
Conoces a Simon Fisher del @ADORlog? Aquí con su mujer María Bertrand del @desafiomapfre y el pequeño Alexander pic.twitter.com/37b97WN0Ta
— VolvoOceanRaceALC (@VOR_Alicante) October 10, 2014
Bertrand handles logistics for the Spanish team Mapfre and, just like SiFi, the Barcelona native is on her fourth VOR.
The couple met during their first race in 2005/06 so both are well aware of the constraints competing in the race can put on your family life.
Nothing is new then for the royal couple of the VOR. Well that’s not exactly true. This year son Alexander also came along for the ride.
“The race is a massive part of our life. We met during the race,” said Fisher.
“The whole time we’ve been together we’ve been involved in the race so I guess having Alexander and having him being part of the race too, it’s nice really.”
The couple got together during 2005 when Fisher was part of the ABN AMRO TWO crew that finished fourth and Bertrand was with Telefonica Blue.
They were both part of Telefonica in 2008/09, finishing third, while they have both been with ADOR and Mapfre respectively for the last two races.
Fisher said having a partner who actually understands what he goes through makes their relationship much easier.
“People often ask me what it’s like to have my wife working with the enemy, but it’s fine. It’s cool,” he said.
“She understands completely. She gets it so that makes my life a lot easier. We don’t actually talk about what the one team is doing.
“It’s kind of normal because it’s what we’ve always done. Other partners perhaps might not understand what I would be talking about or be interested in it, but Maria absolutely is.
“It’s probably a tough question for her, who’s she supporting, her team or her husband, that would put her on the spot a bit.
“I’m very lucky to have someone in my life who understands what I do and supports what I do.”
‘My daddy is Number One’ says @sifisailing’s 1 year old baby son Alexander #inabudhabi #volvooceanrace #GoAzzam #VOR pic.twitter.com/3eiG93u9zO
— AbuDhabiOceanRacing (@ADORlog) November 6, 2014
Bertrand says there is no issue with split loyalties as the couple have double the chance of winning a VOR, with husband and wife on different teams, and insists their professionalism never gets compromised.
“I guess that’s why people hire you, because you’re professional,” she said.
“I don’t report back to my bosses at Mapfre on anything he says. You keep your secrets.
“And whatever we say at Mapfre never comes out of the doors of the office.
Bertrand’s role with Mapfre means she deals with the movements of everybody on board as well as the shore crew, booking flights to and from every stopover, as well as accommodation.
She also has to deal with customs and immigration, which must be pretty tricky considering the amount of nationalities taking part in a multi-cultural race.
Spending time with the two men in her life at nine different port cities around the world then is pretty normal for her.
“When we met we were already in this situation, so we knew what each other was doing, so that helped, it was easier,” she said.
“I was at all the other stopovers bar Sanya. It’s easier, because we’re both there. It helps because we get to see each other more.
“We’re not always waiting for Simon to come home so it’s good. We make it work, or we try to.”
Son Alexander is now 19 months old and, with dad at sea, he obviously spends most of his time with mum.
Bertrand admits that while he may be too young to remember it now, Alex is enjoying a lifestyle not many other children his age get to experience, although she suggests that Fisher junior might take after his dad in the mood department.
She said: “In the first leg, Simon missed his first birthday and then as soon as we got back from Cape Town he started walking.
“He’s at that age where he’s changing so much and SiFi misses him a lot and he is getting to that stage now that he realises daddy’s got to leave. So at the leg start he gets clingy and funny.
“Not many kids have this lifestyle, not that he’ll remember it, but we’ll have the stories to tell him and photos to show him. It’s a good experience.”
