HONG KONG TO HOST VOLVO OCEAN RACE STOP

HONG KONG AND NEARBY GUANGZHOU in China’s Guangdong province will each host a stopover in the Volvo Ocean Race for the first time in the 2017-18 edition of the 45,000nm round-the-world yacht race.

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HONG KONG AND NEARBY GUANGZHOU in China’s Guangdong province will each host a stopover in the Volvo Ocean Race for the first time in the 2017-18 edition of the 45,000nm round-the-world yacht race. 

Starting from Spain in October, the fleet of 65-footers will sail to Portugal, South Africa and Australia in the first three legs before racing a 5,800nm route from Melbourne to Hong Kong in Leg 4. The fleet will stay at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, where the Race Village will open from January 17, 2018. 

After an In-Port Race in late January, the fleet will begin the first part of Leg 5 by sailing on February 1 to Nansha Marina in Guangzhou, where the fleet will have an In-Port Race on February 3 and two days later sail back to Hong Kong in the leg’s second stage. The fleet will depart Hong Kong on February 7 for Leg 6 to Auckland. 

Anthony Day, Hong Kong Sailing Federation Council Member and Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Rear Commodore Sailing, said: “Offshore yacht racing doesn’t get any more exciting or prestigious than the Volvo Ocean Race and this stopover will put Hong Kong firmly on the map as an international sailing venue. 

“We look forward to welcoming the fleet to our waters and to introducing the skippers and crews to a generation of Hongkongers who, I hope, will be inspired to get out there and involved in the sport.” 

Antonio Bolaños López, acting CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, added: “I’m thrilled that the Race is visiting one of the most iconic and beautiful ports in the world for the first time. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Hong Kong to the Volvo Ocean Race family and know that the stopover will be one of the highlights of the 2017-18 edition. I’d like to pay a special tribute to the Hong Kong Sailing Federation and the Hong Kong government for making our dreams of bringing the race here a reality.” 

Qingdao was the first Chinese city to host the race, in 2008-09, and Sanya was a stopover in the 2011-12 and 2014-15 editions. 

The Chinese-sponsored Dongfeng Race Team, again skippered by French sailor Charles Caudrelier, will compete for the second time. Chinese trio ‘Wolf ’ Jiru Yang, 26, ‘Black’ Liu Xue, 24, and ‘Horace’ Chen Jinhao, 25, have returned from the 2014-15 campaign and will work the pit and bow in a race that requires at least two members of the crew to be under 30. 

Caudrelier said: “Wolf, Black and Horace have one Volvo Ocean Race behind them and all of them sailed on at least two or three legs of the last race, so we are in quite a different position. Last time we were selecting them in China and teaching them how to use a winch. This time we are only speaking about performance.” 

Black said: “Last time I knew nothing. I didn’t speak English, I didn’t know what it was like offshore and I didn’t know the Volvo Ocean Race. Now I have a better mental approach because Charles asked me to come back and I don’t want to let him down.” 

The crew also includes Australian bowman Jackson Bouttell, 26, French sailor Jérémie Beyou, New Zealanders Daryl Wislang and 

Stu Bannatyne, and female sailors Marie Riou of France and Caroljin Brouwer of the Netherlands. 

Dongfeng Race Team was the first to take delivery of its re-fitted Volvo Ocean 65. Other teams include Dutch campaign Team AkzoNobel, Team MAPFRE from Spain and Vestas 11th Hour Racing.

http://www.volvooceanrace.com