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On this subject

Barcelona World Race, Charles Caudrelier, Damian Foxall, Emirates Team New Zealand, Franck Cammas, Groupama Sailing Team, Imoca, Mapfre, Pepe Ribes, Team New Zealand, Volvo Ocean Race, Xabi Fernández

Volvo Ocean Race

A round the world race cut short

Text: Vincent Gillioz

Year: 2011

The former Whitbread, purchased by the car manufacturer Volvo in 1998, is the round-the-world race for crewed yachts and with stopovers that remained for a long time the only genuine, premiere ocean race on the calendar. It is also the race that made Pierre Felhman and other Swiss racers famous. Felhman skippered entries in five editions enabling dozens of Swiss crews to show their potential. Racers such as Gabay, Tabarly and Blake also distinguished themselves on this course that has continuously been developed over the years. The race was designed at the outset for IOR sailing yachts, but today it is run on VOR70s, with a box rule allowing the development of ultra-powerful yachts.

Unlike the IMOCA, comfort is not an option on the VOR70s. The crews focus on sailing their boats at 150% of their potential throughout each leg. The boats reputedly hard to handle are reserved for first-class professional racers.

The days when you could hail the 20 yachts on the start line are long gone, and despite the very high level of competition, only a one-digit number of competitors have taken part in the last 10 competitions. Despite cost reduction policies – only one boat, less training days, etc., the Volvo Ocean Race remains a very expensive race. The teams have to put some 20 million euros on the table to be competitive.

The Volvo Ocean Race was an almost exclusively British-crewed race in the middle of the 90’s and for the first time in 18 years, a French skipper, Franck Cammas, and his crew, will compete in this year’s race. This may mean a renewal for the competition, which remains a dream race for all ocean racers.

At the end of August the organizers announced that the yachts would be shipped for part of the course to avoid pirate attacks, leaving many skeptical. Indeed the situation off the Horn of Africa has been known for a long time and should have been taken into account when the course was decided. Let’s hope this unfortunate episode will not seriously harm this still mythical race.

Teams’ list for the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race

Name :Groupama Sailing Team, France

Skipper : Franck Cammas

Participation : First

Architect : Juan Kouyoumdjian

Main crew members : Damian Foxall, Charles Caudrelier, Thomas Coville

Comments : Despite the skipper’s lack of monohull experience, the widely cosmopolitan crew has the potential to make the difference. This participation marks the longed-for return of France in this competition which definitely contributed to the French reputation in offshore racing.

Name : Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg Propulsion, USA

Skipper : Ken Read

Participation : Second

Architect : Juan Kouyoumdjian

Main crew members : Brad Jackson, Tom Addis, Tony Mutter

Comments : With a great America’s Cup experience, Ken Read scored second on the 2008-2009 Volvo Ocean Race. Back on a brand new Kouyoumdjian design, the international team has been training since May 2001 and declares great ambitions for this edition.

Name : Team Telefonica, Espagne

Skipper : Iker Martinez

Participation : Third

Architect : Juan Kouyoumdjian

Main crew members : Xabi Fernández, Pepe Ribes Rubio

Comments : Helmsman on Movistar in 2005-2006, Iker was also co-skipper of Telefonica Blue in 2008-2009, scoring third. A double Olympic champion, this talented racer finished the Barcelona World Race in second position, on MAPFRE.

Name : Team Sanya, Chine

Skipper : Mike Sanderson

Participation : Fourth

Architect : Farr Yacht Design, second generation, former Telefonica Blue

Main crew members : Not yet known at the time of printing. A majority British team, with a few Chinese representatives.

Comments : The 2005-2006 winner on ABN Amro, Mike Sanderson is a veteran of the race, since he has crewed twice on the Whitbread. The project was put together late and so a new custom boat could not be built. The team will subsequently race an old Farr design.

Name : Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand

Skipper : Chris Nicholson

Participation : Fourth

Architect : Marcelino Botin

Main crew members : Andrew McLean, Adam Minoprio, Will Oxley

Comments : Without any doubt this is the team to beat on this race. The project, led by Grant Dalton, brings together the best racers of the South hemisphere, all with a great experience of this race as well as the America’s Cup or the Olympics.

Nom : Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team, UAE

Skipper : Ian Walker

Participation : Second

Architect : Farr Yacht Design

Main crew members : Adil Khalid, Julian Salter, Craig Satterthwaite

Comments : The skipper of Green Dragon on the last edition where he finished 5th, Ian Walker has two Olympic silver medals, in Star and 470. As the only new generation Farr design in the race, the competition against the three Kouyoumdjian designs is eagerly awaited.

On November 5th, Alicante will see the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, the race around the world for fully crewed yachts and with stopovers. With seven teams expected, the yachts will cross the Indian Ocean on a cargo to avoid pirates in the region.

Course and ranking

Start on Nov 5th, 2011

Alicante SPA - 6500 NM - Cape Town RSA - (Cargo shipping from a port to be specified - Abu Dhabi UAE - cargo shipping out of the danger zone from a port to be specified- Sanya CHN - 5220 NM - Auckland NZL - 6705 - NM - Itajai BRA - 4800 - Miami USA - 3590 NM - Lisbon POR - 1940 NM - Lorient FRA - 485 - Galway IRL, ETA 3 July 2012.

The competition will use a high scoring, single point system. An In-Port race will be run at each stopover, both at the start and finish. The In-Port races have a coefficient of 1, whilst the legs score for 5.

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