13th Volvo Ocean Race; October 22, 2017-June 2018
13th Volvo Ocean Race; October 22, 2017-June 2018
HONG KONG WILL BE REPRESENTED for the first time in the Volvo Ocean Race by Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag, backed by Sun Hung Kai & Co and its Group Executive Chairman Seng Huang Lee, the Hong Kong-based owner of 100ft supermaxi Scallywag.
Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag was the fifth entry in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race, which starts in Alicante, Spain on October 22 and has a stopover in Hong Kong in January.
Lee said: “This campaign will showcase world-class competitive offshore sailing in Hong Kong and China with the first-time stopovers for the Volvo Ocean Race in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. I have every confidence that Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag will make Hong Kong proud.”
The Malaysia-born Lee purchased Scallywag – formerly known as Ragamuffin under previous owner Syd Fischer – in 2016 and the team has already set numerous records including at the San Fernando Race in April and the Hong Kong to Hainan Race last November.
Racing on a refitted Volvo Ocean 65 one- design from the last edition, the team will be led by Scallywag skipper David Witt, who returns to the Volvo Ocean Race following a the 1997-98 edition onboard Innovation Kvaerner, led by former Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad.
Witt, who has competed in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race over 20 times, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the Scallywag team to represent Hong Kong on a truly global stage. With the race returning to a more traditional route and competing in one-design yachts, we feel that we are capable of achieving something that has been a life-long personal dream.”
The first four entries were AkzoNobel (skippered by Simeon Tienpont, Netherlands) – which will be the only team to race on a newly built Volvo Ocean 65 – Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier, France), MAPFRE (Xabi Fernandez, Spain) and Vestas 11th Hour Racing (Charlie Enright, USA). Turn the Tide on Plastic (Dee Caffari, UK) was recently announced.
The Dongfeng Race Team – sponsored by Wuhan-based Dongfeng Motor Corporation, which has 170,000 employees – confirmed its 12-strong squad from six nations as it prepares to compete for the second edition under French skipper Charles Caudrelier. The crew’s achievements include five Volvo Ocean Race wins, five Olympic campaigns and 32 Solitaire du Figaro campaigns, including five wins.
Pascal Bidegorry, a Figaro and Transat Jacques Vabre winner, returns as navigator, while Kevin Escoffier, an expert technician and boat builder, is also back along with young Chinese sailors ‘Wolf ’ Yang Jiru, ‘Black’ Liu Xue and Horace Chen Jinhao from the 2014-15 campaign.
New Zealander Stu Bannatyne will compete in the eight-month race for the eighth time, while compatriot Daryl Wislang won the last edition with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Jeremie Beyou, the French Vendee Globe podium finisher and one-design offshore specialist, will be making his race debut.
Marie Riou of France, a four-time Nacra 17 world champion, is one of two females along with Carolijn Brouwer from Holland, who has already sailed the race twice with all-female crews. Australian/British sailor Jack Bouttell, a veteran of three Figaro campaigns, will be on the bow and help with helming duties.
Caudrelier said: “I wanted a group of people on the boat who will grow stronger in adversity, never give up and have some fun along the way, too.”
Volvo Ocean Race organisers recently announced that the race will switch from a three-year cycle to a two-year cycle, so the next editions will be held in 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2023-24.
