Illustrations courtesy of The Ocean Race
After a couple of unsure years ready to see how the Volvo Ocean Race could be reincarnated as The Ocean Race, the items are beginning to fall into place. Early choices, just like the addition of IMOCA 60s because the race’s major fleet, shocked many, however by and huge, spectators are cautiously optimistic concerning the new path for the occasion. With the announcement of the stopover cities and schedule, we’ve a greater concept how precisely issues are going to look. However as soon as once more, it’s raised some eyebrows.
The excellent news is quite a lot of the latest common stopovers are again on the roster, together with favorites like Cape City, South Africa and Itajaí, Brazil. Newport, Rhode Island, will as soon as once more be host to the American stopover. Moreover, this race will embrace a “fly-by” in Germany, presumably to extend the variety of alternatives for spectators.
eleventh Hour Racing is pivoting to the IMOCA 60 fleet after its Volvo 65 marketing campaign within the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race
Picture Courtesy of Amory Ross eleventh Hour Racing
Notably, nevertheless, there might be no stops in any nations on the Indian Ocean or in Oceania, making a single monstrously lengthy leg from Cape City to Itajaí the one Southern Ocean part. “Now we have added the longest leg within the historical past of the occasion—taking the fleet three-quarters of the way in which round Antarctica,” says race director Phil Lawrence. The Indian Ocean hasn’t been type to the fleet in recent times (piracy issues jumbling the course in 2011-12, a grounding in 2014-15, a deadly crash with a fishing boat in 2017-18) so maybe skipping it solely is an try and keep away from myriad risks. Or maybe race organizers simply need to put a file Southern Ocean leg on the books. Both method, it’s going to probably be a slog for the sailors and unusual that such dominant crusing nations like Australia and New Zealand aren’t on the schedule.
“The up to date course and schedule for The Ocean Race supplies an intense six-months of racing around the globe and can problem the most effective sailors and groups in a method that solely The Ocean Race can do,” Lawrence says. Whether or not these adjustments shake out to be higher, worse or simply totally different stays to be seen however—like remembering to drop “Volvo” from the title—it’ll take some getting used to.
Schedule
Alicante, Spain – Leg 1 begin: January 15, 2023
Cabo Verde – ETA: January 22; Leg 2 begin: January 25
Cape City, South Africa – ETA: February 9; Leg 3 begin: February 26/27 (TBC)
Itajaí, Brazil – ETA: April 1; Leg 4 begin: April 23
Newport, RI, USA – ETA: Could 10; Leg 5 begin: Could 21
Aarhus, Denmark – ETA: Could 30; Leg 6 begin: June 8
Kiel, Germany (Fly-By) – June 9
The Hague, The Netherlands – ETA: June 11; Leg 7 begin: June 15
Genova, Italy – The Grand Finale – ETA: June 25, 2023; Remaining In-Port Race: July 1, 2023
The Ocean Race will get underway early in 2023 after a five-year hiatus. (As a facet be aware, the race is technically being billed because the 2022-2023 version regardless of kicking off in January 2023, due to a prologue collection deliberate for the ultimate 4 months of the yr.) For extra, go to theoceanrace.com.
February 2022
