It was well worth the wait. At 01:18:40 Pachi Rivero and Javier "Bubi" Sansó finally put a finish to their Barcelona World Race run, surrounded by numerous onlookers on ribs, yachts and motor boats all eager to celebrate the end of the round that world journey that’s taken the duo 99 days, 12 hours, 18 minutes and 40 seconds to complete.

Following the necessary checks by the regatta director Pachi Rivero’s wife and kids climbed onboard and showered the skipper with emotional embraces, followed by the "Mutua Madrileña" shore team who accompanied them to the ‘Muelle de las Ataranzas’ at around 02:15 in the morning. On the quayside the team were greeted by Barcelona Council’s Sports Delegate Mr Pere Alcober, as well as HRH Princess Cristina of Spain, the yacht’s ‘Godmother’. Once the team stepped up to the platform other local figures joined the team, and Bubi and Pachi were awarded a laurel wreath. Both skippers expressed their gratitude for the warm reception, which they were very pleasantly surprised by.

The "Mutua Madrileña" crew didn’t disappoint at the press conference either. Employing their natural fun sense of humour, positive outlook and laidback personalities, the two entertained the audience with anecdotes from their adventure. It was almost as if the two had left Barcelona’s port just a few days before, as Bubi pointed out: "it feels like we’ve just done a few days of offshore racing rather than a three month circumnavigation".

A few key themes stood out at the press conference, namely the fact that the team hadn’t managed to reach that third step on the podium: "We would have liked to, of course, but we’re not sad because we gave it our all. We pushed the boat as hard as we could throughout and we never gave up. As the time passed we got better and better", said Bubi.

In terms of the race highlights both Pachi and Bubi agreed they were definitely linked to speed: "Whenever we were going at a good speed we’d be elated, it would even put us in a good mood – it’s amazing how much it can boost you psychologically". The hardest moments for the Spanish skippers on their first circumnavigation of the globe, were those in which the boat wouldn’t go fast at all. It was especially tough in the middle of the Indian Ocean when a patch of high pressure engulfed the boat, meaning the team couldn’t advance at the same tempo as the rest of the fleet, leaving them trailing behind. "It was really tough psychologically to see yourself stuck like that and see how the others get away and there’s nothing you can do about it", said Bubi and Pachi.

A few days ago Dominique Wavre and Michele Paret admitted that "Mutua Madrileña" had turned into a real obsession for them, as they checked position reports constantly and didn’t stop looking behind them right up to the finish. That situation was mirrored onboard "Mutua Madrileña". "Things have turned out as they have, but we were close to giving them a bit of a shock. We were also checking the position reports constantly and we got obsessed with overtaking them. It was our main focus. I even think that’s what pushed us 1,500 miles closer to the leaders, who were sailing with less pressure. With the pressure on between the two of us we were forced to push things to the max constantly, pushing the boat 100%, which definitely benefited both of our  entries".

In summary, the "Mutua Madrileña" skippers were really happy with the race they’ve sailed. "Of course we would have liked to have come third, but that’s just how it is. We’re not an easy boat to cover, and it has to be said that Dominique and Michèle did a fantastic job at keeping any holes fully covered. It’s been great competition; it’s well worth celebrating their third place and our fourth. In the next one we’ll be going for the top spot".

And so, the relationship with what has become much more than just a machine for the skippers draws to an end... Over the last three months the "maquinilla" or ‘little machine’ as Pachi and Bubi affectionately refer to "Mutua Madrileña" has been the Spanish duo’s home. They’ve taken great care of the boat throughout, and as Bubi says, it was always "the boat first, and then ourselves".

With "Mutua Madrileña"’s finish there’s now just one boat left in the race – "Educación Sin Fronteras". The boat skippered by Spaniard Albert Bargués and Frenchwoman Servane Escoffier is now 1,190 miles from Barcelona and the race organisers are forecasting their arrival in Barcelona for next Tuesday February 26^th.

Prize-giving ceremony

The prize-giving ceremony will be held on Saturday March 8th in the Forum Auditorium (Barcelona). All of the skippers who’ve taken part in this very first edition in the Barcelona World Race will be there, a total of 18 skippers of seven different nationalities.