·
Volvo Ocean Race Auckland Stopover
- Viaduct Harbour, Auckland CBD. Thursday, 8th Mar 2012 – Sunday, 18th Mar 2012
It's
back! After a ten year gap, Auckland, the world's premier sailing capital, will
once again welcome the Volvo Open 70s fleet home as an official Stopover of the
Volvo Ocean Race.
Previously
sponsored and named after the venerable British brewery Whitbread’ Round the
World Race. Auckland was the most popular port of call for these boats and
crews. New Zealand
sailors were prominent in many of the teams .The late Sir Peter Blake was
involved with all of Whitbread races from the original race of 1973/1974
winning the1989/1990 race in style with Steinlager 11
In March
2012 Auckland will stage the Leg 4 finish from Sanya in China and the start of
Leg 5, which takes the fleet into the Southern Ocean once again, round the
infamous Cape Horn and up to a finish and Stopover in Itajai, Brazil.
The Volvo
Ocean Race at 39270 nautical miles is acknowledged as the greatest test of
sailing prowess and human endeavour as the world’s fastest monohulls race a
nine month marathon around the globe deep into the bleak latitudes of the
Southern Ocean and through the world’s most hostile seas. There is a kiwi
connection as all the boats have the Canting keel designed by Jim Young one of
New Zealand’s gret designers
Each
Stopover features an In-Port Race, with points counting towards the Volvo Ocean
Race overall standings, and a Pro-Am Race.
The boats
are due to arrive in Auckland on Thursday 8 March. The Pro-Am Race is scheduled
for the Friday 16 March with the In-Port Race on Saturday 17 March. The Start
of Leg 5 will take place on Sunday 18 March.
The last
Auckland Stopover was a decade ago, during the 2001/2002 Race which made a memorable
maritime experience and we are set do it again with lots of entertainment and partying
on the city. Auckland Viaduct will be
transformed into a vibrant Race Village for the Stopover with the new Viaduct
Events Centre acting as Race HQ and a packed programme of entertainment on
Latitude Island.
And, best
of all, many things are free
Full
details will be announced over the coming months.
