Volvo Ocean Race is coming to Auckland

The Volvo Ocean Race is the world's toughest sailing event, an exceptional test of sporting and human endeavour featuring the elite of the sailing profession. It is a marathon on the seas lasting over eight months, passing through four oceans and five continents, and it will push the athletes to the limits of endurance.
In the 38 years since its inception the race has evolved considerably from the Corinthian adventure of the original Whitbread Race, to the big budget, fully professional campaigns that typify the Volvo Ocean Race today.
Inspired by the achievements of the British singlehanded circumnavigator Robin Knox-Johnston in the 1969 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, Guy Pearce and Anthony Churchill took their fledgling plans for the first fully crewed race around the world to Admiral Otto Steiner of the British Royal Naval Sailing Association. Convinced of its potential, Steiner enlisted the help of brewery boss Colonel Bill Whitbread. As legend has it, the pair met in a smokey Portsmouth pub to flesh out the fine details, announcing soon after that the first ever Whitbread Race would take place in 1973.
Rebranded in 2001 by its new owners as the Volvo Ocean Race, 2011-12 will be the 11th edition of this iconic sailing regatta.
The race started in the Spanish port of Alicante on October 2011 and will finish in Galway, Ireland in July 2012. On the way, the race will visit Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajaí (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France).
The race is contested by 6-strong crews of professional sailors who will compete in state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70s. The current monohull speed record was set by the Volvo Open 70 Ericsson 4 during the 2008-09 race, with the boat covering 596 nautical miles in 24 hours.
View www.volvooceanrace.com

Schedule

Leg 4 Sanya to Auckland Sunday 19 February 2012 14:00 08-Mar-12 5220
Pro-Am Race Auckland Friday 16 March 2012 12:00
In-Port Race Auckland Saturday 17 March 2012 14:00
Leg 5 Auckland to Itajaí Sunday 18 March 2012 14:00 04-Apr-12 6705

Dowload the full schedule here

Kiwi's Onboard

Groupama
Brad Marsh* (Bowman)

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
Craig Satterthwaite * (Watch Leader)
Justin Ferris (Helmsman / Trimmer)

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG
Brad Jackson (Watch Captain)
Kelvin Harrap* (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Tony Mutter (Watch Captain)

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand
Adam Minoprio* (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Andrew McLean* (Co-navigator / Watch Captain)
Daryl Wislang (Helmsman / Bowman)
Hamish Hooper (Media Crew Member)
Rob Salthouse (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Stu Bannatyne (Co-skipper / Watch Captain)
Tony Rae (Helmsman / Trimmer)

Team Telefónica
No Kiwis!

Team Sanya
Mike Sanderson (Skipper)
Cameron Dunn (Watch Leader)
David Rolfe (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Dave Swete* (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Jared Henderson (Bowman / Trimmer)
Richard Mason* (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Ryan Houston* (Helmsman / Trimmer)
Andy Meiklejohn (Bowman / Boat Captain)
Chris Main (Watch Leader)

* denotes Graduate of the RNZYS Lion Foundation Youth Training Programme