The Hague, scene of an enormously successful pit-stop last year, has been chosen to host the finale of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

The Dutch stopover will be preceded by a midsummer stopover in Volvo’s home city of Gothenburg, setting up the crucial last leg to the Netherlands in June 2018.

The race’s outgoing Dutch COO, Tom Touber, announced the climax to the 13th edition in Scheveningen harbour at a press conference in The Hague on Wednesday.

“Today is a great day for sailing in general, but even more so for the Netherlands. It’s wonderful that the finale of the 2017-18 race will be staged in a city so close to my heart, with such a rich heritage of ocean racing,” he said.

“The Hague has certainly earned this honour: the pit-stop in the previous race last June was one of the highlights of the entire event, with huge numbers of fans attending, plus great media and a long list of VIP guests.

“I am bowing out shortly to pursue some exciting new challenges after nearly five and a half years, but this feels like the crowning moment of my time working for the Volvo Ocean Race organisation. I can’t wait for a truly great spectacle in Scheveningen. It will be the party of a lifetime.”

Touber headed the winning ABN AMRO (2005-06) campaign and also Delta Lloyd (2008-09), which were both launched from the Netherlands.

During the last edition of the ocean race in 2015, The Hague was a host port for the first time. This was celebrated with a three-day festival. Around 150,000 people came to see the boats and the stage performances of many well-known artists.

The city’s Deputy Mayor and Alderman for Economic Affairs and Harbours, Karsten Klein, added: “Scheveningen harbour is an ideal spot for sailing professionals from all over the world. Something we were able to clearly demonstrate with last year's pit-stop.

“We also have a great deal of experience of organising major events, such as the Hockey World Cup and the Beach Volleyball World Cup, But the finish of the Volvo Ocean Race really is a major accolade for our city. It is the biggest sports event that we have ever organised in The Hague."

Gothenburg city officials were equally delighted with their key spot in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 schedule, with the stopover likely to be several days longer than in June 2015 depending on arrival times.

City Mayor, Ann-Sofie Hermansson, said: “In Gothenburg, we are proud to be the sailing capital of the Nordic countries and to be Volvo's home town. Therefore it is very exciting to welcome the yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race back. All visitors to the Free Port will see an area that is evolving and changing very much.”

CEO of Göteborg &CO, Camilla Nyman, added: “By being a stop, it becomes a more spectacular sailing event with both an arrival and a departure this time to excite local fans.”

Gothenburg will be hosting the race for the fourth time, from June 14–24, 2018, having staged stopovers in 2002, 2006 and 2015.

“Gothenburg, Volvo's home town, is one of the most important ports in the event's history and a highly regarded member of the Volvo Ocean Race family,” said Antonio Lopez Bolanos, acting CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race.

“The city did a fantastic job in 2015 to host the finale of the 12th edition when hundreds of thousands of fans visited Gothenburg Race Village. We are really looking forward to arriving back in Sweden in June 2018 for the final exciting chapter of our competition.”

The 13th edition of the world’s toughest offshore race will begin in Autumn 2017. Alicante, Spain, the race’s headquarters since 2010, will be the departure port.

Further port confirmations will be made in the forthcoming months with Newport, Rhode Island and Cardiff already announced.

It's their final day on the open water, the Hell on High Seas team are on their way to London after skirting the Irish coast for the past 48 hours under former Irish Green Dragon Skipper Ian Walker, the current Volvo Ocean Race winner.The celebrity crew taking part in the BT Sport Relief Challenge: Hell on High Seas were forced to moor up for the night on Wedensday after the coastguard issued a Gale Force 10 Warning.

The yacht, crewed by The One Show’s Alex Jones, TV presenter Angellica Bell, Comedian Hal Cruttenden, Actress Doon Mackichan, and TV presenters Ore Oduba and Suzi Perry, was initially hoping to reach Southampton by the end of the day. However with members of the crew suffering extreme sea-sickness and the boat almost capsizing due to the towering waves, the team skipper Ian Walker took the decision to moor up for the night in Plymouth to let the storm pass.

In spite of the appalling conditions, the crew were overwhelmed when they heard they have raised a staggering £354,810 so far. This news means that they are more determined than ever to finish the challenge and make it across the finish line in London on Friday 11th March.
The incredible feat, which is sponsored by BT – a long-term supporter of Sport Relief challenges since 2009 – kicked off in Belfast on Monday 7th March after a weekend of intense training. The team are living, sleeping and working on the Volvo Ocean 65 - a carbon-fibre speed machine that has been optimized for maximum performance.
The money raised by the challenge will help transform the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people both at home in the UK and across some of the world’s poorest communities.

#VOR - A fully functioning model of Team SCA's Volvo Ocean 65 made entirely of 100,000 Lego pieces is on exhibition in the Volvo Ocean Race museum from this week.

The launch of the Lego replica of the boat that safely delivered the all-female crew of Team SCA around the world in the 2014-15 race coincided with International Women’s Day, Tuesday 8 March.

The model was donated by SCA, the Swedish global hygiene company, which sponsored skipper Sam Davies’s crew in the nine-month marathon race.

It was displayed at each of the 11 ports that hosted the 12th edition before being transported to its new permanent home in the Alicante-based Volvo Ocean Race museum.

“The boat is in the best place possible. After a long journey around the world, it has returned home,” said Anders Gaasedal, one of the men who constructed it.

The Dane, who works for Lego, embarked in 2013 on the challenge of making the Volvo Ocean 65 replica together with his Swedish friend Johan Sahlström, an engineer for Volvo Trucks. They achieved their target after 1,200 hours of work.

“At the start of the regatta, we dreamed of bringing the boat back to Alicante. This has been an adventure for us and for Team SCA. It’s marvellous that the boat is being exhibited in the museum. The more people who can enjoy it the better,” added Sahlström.

What started as a diverting challenge for two friends developed into a complete engineering and logistic project, replicating in miniature the dimensions of the boat (2.32 metres in length, 3.03 metres mast height, 0.56 metres width of the hull). It has a functioning, scaled-down keel (+/- 40 degrees with five degrees of tilt from its axis).

“Everything works, the pieces are not stuck together. The most difficult thing was making everything curve using pieces that are basically rectangular. This is most beautiful model that I have ever made,” said Sahlström.

“Our boat from the distance looks like a real model, you can´t see it´s made of LEGO® bricks, and then, when you come closer, it´s a great surprise. Everything has curves, it´s been built in 3D, the bricks have been put together from the top, the side and the bottom, and all is shiny. Children always build from the bottom to the top.”

The Volvo Ocean Race museum, which offers free entrance, welcomed more than 50,000 visitors in 2015 and is the only one in the world dedicated to almost 43 years of history of the round-the-world race.

Alicante, headquarters of the Volvo Ocean Race organisation since 2010, was the departure port in the last three editions of the race and will be so again in the next event starting in 2017.

SCA has a long record supporting women's causes around the world and Team SCA's entry in the last Volvo Ocean Race underlined their commitment to the issue of female empowerment.

#VOR - The Volvo Ocean Race has appointed North Sails to be the exclusive official supplier of sails to the Volvo Ocean 65 one-design fleet in 2017-18.

North Sails supplied the sail wardrobe for the last Volvo Ocean Race, which saw the first ever one-design Volvo Ocean 65 fleet finish in June 2015.

According to VOR organisers, the durability of the Volvo Ocean 65 has already become a byword in the industry for its reliability – and North Sails' 3DiTM product has developed a similar reputation for its durability, powering six teams over 40,000 nautical miles in the last race with a "ground-breaking" limited sail wardrobe.

Nick Bice, who heads The Boatyard maintenance centre at the Volvo Ocean Race, explained that the success of North Sails in renewing their partnership with offshore sailing’s leading event was no foregone conclusion.

“North Sails was chosen against a lot of different criteria and not necessarily because of a long history in ocean racing and the Volvo Ocean Race,” he said.

“Many elements have contributed to the final decision, including the simple fact that the North Sails 3DiTM product is very good. The company has a strong commitment to the next edition of the race, not only from a product but also a personnel point of view.”

North Sails president Ken Read, added: “The Volvo Ocean Race has been and remains a big part of my life having participated in three editions. North Sails also has deep roots in this race, powering eight of nine race winners since Steinlager 2 in 1989.

“Performance and durability are a prerequisite for every part and piece of the new one-design boats. Proven as the highest performing and most durable sails ever made, North Sails’ patented 3Di product fits the bill perfectly.”

The next step is to finalise designs for the sail wardrobe, which will be carried out once the 2017-18 route is confirmed by mid-2016. After that comes the manufacturing process, followed by the delivery of the sails to the 13th edition teams in April 2017.

Currently, practicing crews may use new or used ‘generation 1’ designs for independent training as well as two-boat testing. Race rules will not permit two-boat testing when the new inventory is delivered next April.

“The idea is that all teams will match up for the first time on the start line in Alicante, all with the same amount of knowledge,” said Bice.

As for what improvements can be expected with the next generation sail wardrobe, he added: “The sails will continue to be reliable, that is a big factor. There will be improved flying shapes based on what has been learned about the boats and a customised wardrobe depending on the race route.”

At a time when rival major global sports events are struggling to contain spiralling costs, a report by independent auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has praised sailing’s premier round-the-world event, the Volvo Ocean Race, for halving the price of competing for sponsors.

Much of the credit for this has been ascribed by report author, Manuel Díaz, to The Boatyard, the shared-maintenance facility introduced by the race for the last edition in 2014-15.

"A campaign now costs around 50 per cent less to run – in the last editions, the cost was between €20-35 million rather than €10-15 million for campaigns at the same level," the report, Assessment of the Maintenance Operating Model, says.

The Boatyard has broken new ground in the offshore racing industry, pooling both human and equipment resources for the servicing of a newly-introduced class of boat. The Farr-designed Volvo Ocean 65 one-design broke with 40 years of tradition in an event, which was launched in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race.

The report, which was commissioned by the race after the finish of the 12th edition in June last year, highlighted: "The list of benefits is no longer hypothetical: the model has already been implemented, showing an excellent performance and outstanding results."

The report, in particular, praises:

• Significant cost reduction in contracts with suppliers, spare parts stock, transportation, labour and support staff and infrastructure
• A reduction of breakages and the consequent corrective maintenance
• Improved predictive maintenance, fixing potential weaknesses before they result in breakdowns

It added: "One of the main benefits of The Boatyard is that it has become easier to attract both participants and sponsors – the entry barrier is lower but is not only a matter of cost.

"As all the teams have the exact same platform, the risk of having a much slower boat is lower. On the other hand, safety has been at the heart of the one-design process, with the boats designed to last at least two editions of the toughest race on earth."

Díaz recommends that The Boatyard could be even more effective with a stepped-up level of performance monitoring through a list of key indicators such as average time for repair, man power utilisation and efficiency and inventory turnover.

Nick Bice, who manages The Boatyard, was delighted the project had won the positive comments from the PwC report.

“What pleases me is that it’s recognised now that our standards are in line with the very highest in the automotive and aeronautical industries,” he said.

“A key statistic that has been highlighted is that 90 per cent-plus of our servicing was proactive, in other words fixing potential problems before they led to breakdowns. Only around 10 per cent of that work was reactive.

“Our ambition is now simple: we are aiming to get to a stage where there is no excuse for breakages in the next race other than those caused by human error.

“We don’t want future stories to be about why a boat has broken down, we want the stories to be about the people sailing onboard.”

#VOR - Brian Carlin's shot of Team Vestas Wind's heartbreaking grounding in the Indian Ocean a year ago has been voted by the public into second place in the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Year Award.

Carlin – who served as Team Vestas Wind's onboard reporter during the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, including the team's triumphant return to the race for its final stages after months of repairs – came just behind Rick Tomlinson's aerial photo of Team Brunel cutting through the choppy seas around Cape Horn.

But the experienced marine photographer and filmmaker, whose shots have graced Afloat.ie many a time over the years, also also received the special judges' award for this year's Most Iconic Image.

We're sure few will have any quibble with that!

#VOR - Ireland's own on-board reporter in the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race is among the race nominations for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Year Award.

The Kerry marine photographer's shot of the damaged hull of Team Vestas Wind's yacht as it lay grounded in the middle of the Indian Ocean a year ago is one of 10 from the round-the-world yachting challenge selected for the shortlist of the prestigious award.

The official Volvo Ocean Race website has more selections available for public vote until Monday 30 November.

#VOR - Journey of Change, the story of Team SCA in the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, is now available to order from Amazon and all good bookstores.

In 2012 SCA announced its commitment to bring women back to offshore sailing in the world’s toughest ocean race. With a 12-year gap since women had competed in the round-the-world challenge, a team was put in place to search for a squad of women capable of competing at this the highest level of offshore sailing.

More than 250 applicants applied from all over the world and a final 15 women were selected for the Team SCA squad. From Olympians to solo sailors and record breakers, they all had one aim – to bring female sailors back to the race.

The story of Team SCA is a captivating one; ocean racing has traditionally been the preserve of men but, over a gruelling nine months, Team SCA proved that women can compete on an equal footing.

Comprising dramatic images and stories of the crew from onboard reporters, the 192-page book tells the story of a squad of women with one common aim: to race competitively around the world.

It gives a unique insight into life on board and the challenges the team face as they took on their global marathon, a wet-and-wild, oceanic rollercoaster ride that pushed the physical and mental boundaries of human endurance.

And it's a story that continues for the crew next week at the Genoa Boat Show when they take on VOR rivals Team Vestas Wind in a series of pro-am races, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#VOR - Italian boatyard Persico Marine has won the prestigious contract to construct new one-design Volvo Ocean 65s, depending on orders, for the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2017-18 .

The Bergamo-based company was part of the consortium that built the first seven Volvo Ocean 65 one-design boats that contested the 12th edition finishing in June this year.

Persico also made global media headlines when it carried out the complete rebuild of the shattered Team Vestas Wind boat in just four-and-a-half months after Chris Nicholson’s crew struck a reef in the Indian Ocean during Leg 2 in November last year.

Vestas Wind completed the final two legs of the ninth-month offshore marathon and proved how well the workers of Persico had done their job by immediately finishing runners-up in the eighth stage from Lisbon to Lorient, France.

All seven Volvo Ocean 65s will race again in the next edition from October 2017 after an upgrade and a major re-fit. More of the identical boats built by Persico will join them for the 13th edition depending on demand from future teams.

Tom Touber, COO of the Volvo Ocean Race, explained why the Race had decided to give this important contract to Persico.

“If you’re going to build a limited number of boats, it is way more efficient to construct them in one location,” he said. “The main component is the hull, which Persico provided very efficiently in the last race as part of the consortium of builders, so that’s one reason.

“But also Persico did an outstanding job taking the lead in the rebuild of Vestas Wind and it confirmed to us how well they could do the job they’re now taking on.”

Touber said that Persico and the Race would have the option of working with other suppliers, also within the former consortium, to assist as necessary.

Marcello Persico, managing director of Persico Marine, was delighted that the company’s relationship with the world’s leading offshore race was growing and being extended.

“When Vestas Wind left our yard to re-join the race in Lisbon, some of my team were almost in tears. It was an amazing challenge and we were so proud to complete it,” he said.

“As you can imagine, we’re very proud now to be given this opportunity to work so closely with the race again for the next edition. We feel we are part of the Volvo Ocean Race family.”

He added: “This news is also a real boost for the Italian marine industry. Many companies have struggled hard to survive during the economic crisis and it’s great that such faith has been shown in us from the very top end of the market.”

Touber and Persico underlined that they did not anticipate problems ensuring any new boats built matched the strict one-design specification of the existing seven.

“The moulds and jigs will be exactly the same as used in the production of the other Volvo Ocean 65 boats,” said Touber. “If any part is constructed differently, it will not fit.”

He added that a major re-fit for the entire fleet was organised by the race for the end of 2016, when all boats would be returned to The Boatyard of the Volvo Ocean Race, stripped down, all parts re-measured, and, as necessary, upgraded. This would also help ensure the strict one-design dimensions of the boats.

News of Persico’s deal is announced on the 42nd anniversary of the first running of the event, which began as the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973.

#VOR - Volvo Ocean Race rivals Team SCA and Team Vestas Wind will go head-to-head once more in a series of pro-am races at the Genoa Boat Show from September 30 to October 5.

The six pro-am races will give the race’s many Italian fans the first chance to see VOR boats on home waters and provide an intriguing challenge for the crews of Team Vestas Wind and Team SCA, which will be named at a later date.

The teams will be matched in two daily pro-am in-port races on 30 September 30, 1 and 2 October before they join a Genoa Boat Show fleet race on Saturday 3 October.

Team Vestas Wind skipper Chris Nicholson, whose Danish-backed challengers memorably bounced back from near disaster in the second leg last November when the boat was grounded on a reef in the Indian Ocean – recorded on the spot by the boat's Irish onboard reporter Brian Carlin – was very much looking forward to taking on Team SCA’s all-women crew again.

“The last time we were in Genoa, we were on our way to Persico Marine to repair our Volvo Ocean 65, so it’s very special to be able to be back in Italy racing our boat,” said Nicholson.

“The Vestas Wind is in great condition and the team still has much more to give, as fans saw when we returned ahead of Leg 8 of the Volvo Ocean Race in Lisbon. I’m proud to represent Vestas at the Genoa Boat Show and look forward to competing against Team SCA once more,” he continued.

After the race finished in Gothenburg on 27 June, the blue boat sailed via its home port of Copenhagen to Race HQ in Alicante, Spain for routine maintenance. It will depart for Genoa the weekend before the Genoa Boat Show starts on 30 September.

They will face stiff competition in Genoa from Team SCA, who finished third overall in the In-Port Race Series of the Volvo Ocean Race and then beat event rivals Dongfeng Race Team in the Artemis Challenge during Cowes Week last month. They impressed too during the Fastnet Race, also held during the traditional sailing festival on the Isle of Wight.

Anton Albertoni, president of the Genoa Boat Show’s organizing body I Saloni Nautici, said he was delighted to welcome the two crews to Genoa.

“The Volvo Ocean Race brings the pinnacle of offshore racing to the Genoa Boat Show,” he said. “For the show's visitors, though, this is not an invitation to dare but to meet those men and women who have made the sea their passion, their lifestyle, their daily pleasure.

"Those who face such challenges have the ocean at heart and having them in Genoa represents a true celebration of the sea. That's why we are very happy to welcome the women from Team SCA and the men from Team Vestas Wind.

“Moreover, the Volvo Ocean 65s have been built and fitted with some of the best Italian marine technology and the Genoa Boat Show is all about Made in Italy.”

Team SCA squad member Carolijn Brouwer added: “It was great to have the team back together again for the Fastnet Race, and we were happy with our performance.

"We look forward to once again locking horns with Team Vestas Wind, and meeting many of our Italian supporters at the Genoa Boat Show."