Keith Mallia-Milanes at the wheel with Xabi Fernández, watch captain and stand-in skipper of the Mapfre team.

Mapfre Middlesea and MSV Life welcomed guests to the Volvo Ocean Race at its final destination in Gothenburg. Those who attended were delighted to experience this mix of competition and adventure.

Mapfre Middlesea assistant general manager Keith Mallia Milanes, who accompanied the guests in Gothenburg, said what made this event electrifying was that they felt part of the competition, especially since Mapfre owned one of the boats taking part.

“Everyone cheered the boat in and joined in the celebrations,” he said. Mallia Milanes, together with two of the guests, actually sailed on the Mapfre boat during the in-port practice race.

The Volvo Ocean Race is the world’s toughest round-the-world boat race. The competing 65-foot sailing yachts left Alicante on October 4 and sailed into their final destination June 21.

The party continued in the race village in Frihamnen, the heart of Gothenburg harbour, currently being redeveloped. The seven competing boats berthed there once the race was complete.

The boats covered 39,000 nautical miles and visited 10 ports. This was the 12th Volvo Ocean Race since the first took place 40 years ago. It was the third time the race sailed into Gothenburg.

One of the guests and sailing enthusiast Mark Vassallo said: “This was a dream come true. I followed this race since I was a child and always dreamt of being part of it.”