Photos: L Reg Gratton R Reg Gratton
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Wed, 18 Apr 2007 03:00:00 UTC
Volvo Ocean Race officially launched its China campaign by announcing at a crowded press conference in Beijing on 18 April that the fleet would be sailing to the Asian giant for the first time and that the Chinese would be entering a team in the world’s premier offshore ocean race.
Under a cooperation agreement signed at the press conference jointly hosted with the China Water Sports Administration Centre and the China Yachting Association, the race organisers also pledged to help promote interest in sailing through the Chinese media, public and business and also increase national participation in the sport.
Wei Di, the President of the China Water Sports Administration Centre, said the signing of the agreement with Chinese sailing to bring the race to China in the spring of 2009 was significant and important for the development of water sports in the country.
Historic moment
“Today we are honoured and privileged to witness this historic moment,” he told the press conference at the SAS Radisson Hotel which was attended by more than 90 broadcasters, journalists and photographers.
“We extend our appreciation and thanks to Volvo Ocean Race, government agencies and to the media,” said Wei who signed the agreement with race CEO Glenn Bourke. “The Volvo Ocean Race has become the premier offshore ocean race as well as one of the toughest sports events,” Wei added.
Bourke said the final decision on the port stopover in China had still to be made but that there had been discussions with a number of ports, including Qingdao, venue for next year’s Olympic sailing regatta, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hainan Island and Hong Kong.
“Just as we negotiate with all the ports on the race route around the world, we also have to look at a number of ports in China,” he said.
Asked if Qingdao was likely to be the selected stopover because it was hosting the Olympic sailing events, he said: “Of course it’s logical to visit a port like Qingdao because it would have good facilities and infrastructure.” The race organisers will go through the final process of selection over the next few months.
Bourke also said that the entry of a Chinese boat in the 2008-09 race was important in raising public interest in the country. “It is important to have an affiliation between the teams in the race and the country and the ports.”
“We believe that over the course of the next few months China can put together a very competitive team,” he said.
Putting a team together
Wei said that time was the issue in mobilising the sailors needed for a competitive team. “We will try our best to put together a team. Work is well under way to seek sponsorship from commercial interests to raise the required funds for the construction of a Chinese boat and the resources needed by the team to compete in the race."
The Volvo Ocean Race, established in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race, will now journey more than 39,000 nautical miles after its start in the southeastern Spanish port of Alicante in October 2008.
After sailing via Africa, its new route will include the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia before its stop for about three weeks in China during which there will be an in-port and pro-am racing event. The race will leave China on its longest leg, sailing 12,000 nautical miles to South America, before stopping in North America and Europe on the way to a Baltic port finish.
Bourke told the press conference he expected crowds of hundreds of thousands to enjoy the in-port racing at close hand in China, watch the arrival and departure of the boats and visit the race village. During the stopovers, the race is not only a professional, top-class sporting event but also a cultural and recreational carnival aimed at promoting the sport of sailing.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome China into our Volvo Ocean Race family,” Bourke said.
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