Spanning every ocean, five continents and nine months, the Volvo Ocean Race is an exceptional test of sailing prowess and human endurance which has been built on the spirit of great seafarers – fearless men who sailed the world’s oceans aboard square rigged clipper ships more than a century ago.
It is, quite simply, the “Mount Everest” of Sailing. Competitors risk their very lives on the world’s most turbulent seas. Success demands a combination of untiring focus, precision performance and extreme mental and physical fortitude. Their challenge back then was not a race as such, but recording the fastest time between ports. This meant new levels of pride for themselves and great recognition for their vessel. The spirit that drove those commercial sailors along the web of trade routes, deep into the bleak latitudes of the Southern Ocean and around the world’s most dangerous capes, emerges today in the form of the Volvo Ocean Race, a contest now seen as the pinnacle of achievement in the sport.
During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which started in Alicante, Spain in October 2011 and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, the teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajaí, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. The race is the ultimate mix of world class sporting competition and on the edge adventure, a unique blend of onshore glamour with offshore drama and endurance. It is undeniably the world’s premier global race and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world.
Amongst the 11 crewmembers on board each of the six Volvo Open 70s are the world’s best sailors including Olympic gold medallists, world champions and America’s Cup winners.
The sailors represent 15 nations — New Zealand, Australia, France, Spain, United States, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Norway, Brazil, China and Belgium.
The 11th edition of the race brings many firsts, including the first sole Chinese entry, Team Sanya, and the first United Arab Emirates entrant, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
Early on, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s team unveiled their state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70 racing yacht in Portofino, Northern Italy. The yacht was developed by Farr Yacht Design and built by Italy’s Persico S.p.A, in Bergamo. Conceived in March 2010, it is the combination of more than 7,000 design and 49,000 build hours.
The yacht’s international debut, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Italian Riviera, was attended by VIPs from Volvo Ocean Race, the Mayor of Portofino and Official Team Partner, the luxury Swiss brand IWC Schaffhausen.
While the Italian team has made appearances in the past…they are not in the running at the present time.
Sponsored by Volvo
