| ||||||||||||
|
BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - HEALTHY IN BODY, HEALTHY IN MIND Tuesday 4th February 1997 The crews are busy preparing for the next leg of the BT Global Challenge, which will take them from Wellington (New Zealand) to Sydney (Australia). Food is always high up on the agenda and they will be replenishing their larders with all their favourite food for the forthcoming week of sailing. It is important that the crew maintain the massive calorie and vitamin intake to enable the body to operate at the most efficient level. A lack of the essential vitamins and minerals can lead to all types of illnesses and place an unwelcome strain on the body physically and mentally. It is estimated that each crew volunteer will require up to 4,500 calories per day to function effectively and safely. It is also estimated that during the 10 month voyage of one yacht in the BT Global Challenge yacht race, the crew will consume 100,000 man meals. Each yacht was assigned a set food budget to work from to make up their own stores and recipes. The crews were responsible for putting together their own recipes based on their likes and dislikes. When planning their menus they also had to take into account the calorific value of the meal, the weight of the foods they would carry (trying to keep the yacht as light as possible), the shelf life of fresh food, ease of storage, hygiene and speed of preparation. There is only enough fresh food to last the crew three days at the beginning of each leg, which is stored in a steel compartment under the floor boards in the galley, as close to the sea as possible to remain cool. For the rest of the race all meals on the yachts are made up of reconstituted, freeze-dried food. The crew of Concert sent their recipes to a nutritionist who analysed them for calories, carbohydrates, nutrients and sugars required. The recipes were then revised following the nutritionist's advise according to the legs calorific demands i.e. warmer weather can cause the appetite to drop, whilst colder weather leads to the burning of more calories etc. The crew will also take vitamin supplements to aid self healing and stress management throughout the day. On Toshiba Wave Warrior, they will be taking Vitamin C to aid skin repair and reduce aches and pains by reducing the build up of lactic acid produced through continuous physical exertion. A medium chain triglyceride oil has been added as a basic ingredient in the yacht's bread. This provides essential fatty acids in small doses, which trains the body to use the existing fat stores and the calories it contains, rather than the protein and muscle in the body as an energy source. "It means that we can provide the energy required without crew members having to eat empty, potentially unhealthy food, such as cakes and desserts," says Marco Zachary (Head of Food and Hospitality at Brooklands College, Weybridge, who helped Toshiba Wave Warrior devise their menus). Sticking to the rota and quantities provided for each meal will be critical, as Joanne Watson, crew volunteer on Toshiba Wave Warrior explains: "Over use of basic ingredients in one meal on dry land would not be a calamity because you could go out and buy some more. But on board the Wave Warrior it could mean that the next meal is provided in half measures. An unpopular move to say the least!" It could also mean that the crew would not be able to maintain the massive calorie and vitamin intake needed to enable the body to operate at the most efficient level. Mis-use of available food could put the crew at greater risk from illness and sailing ailments, such as muscle strain and skin chafing. All crew members will be provided with a carefully prepared diet following the completion of individual legs or the race in total, to ease the process back to normal eating patterns and calorific requirements. For updated information on the BT Global Challenge : Internet site : http//www.btchallenge.com Fax database : 0990 321123 (+44 990 321123 from outside UK) Recorded telephone information line : 0891 505550 (UK only) Public enquiry bureau : 01703 212123 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) |
 bt.com |
 |
Copyright British Telecommunications plc 1996.
Notices| (i) | Copyright British Telecommunications plc 1996. |
| (ii) | Access to this information/data or any part of this page via the World Wide Web must only be by linking to the relevant page on the BT Global Challenge Web Site. (http://www.btchallenge.com/results/latest/latest.htm) |
| (iii) | This information/data was originally produced by "BT's Race Information System". BT shall not be liable for use of any part of it. Subject to (ii), you may use the information/data alone provided this notice is included. |
| (iv) | You may copy and use any part of this page, other than on the World Wide Web, provided you include all of these notices. You must not charge for public use and before such use you must inform BT by facsimile to 0171 777 7444 or email to h.brierley@btinternet.com stating the intended use. |
| (v) | Inform BT (as in notice (iv)) if your platform is not world wide web. |
| (vi) | Map data was produced using MundoCart/CD (a digital product of Petroconsultants Group). BT shall not be liable for use of any part of it. |