The VOR 2008/2009 fleet is due to arrive in Qingdao on January 30th, 2009.
To sail around the world is a chalange that most dream about. Those who have, know what it takes to stay alive!  The Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) "Whitbread Round the World Race" will take eight competing boats about 39,000 nautical miles, stopping in nine ports (including Qingdao), to the edeges of the earth and back around. In 2008-2009, Teams will race the fastest open-ocean single-hull class of sailboats ever built.  The Volvo Open 70 Class (VO70) made its record-breaking race debut in 2005-06 as the world’s fastest and most technically-advanced monohull ocean racing yacht in the world.

This years teams include: Telefonica Blue, Telefonica Black, Puma, Ericsson 3, Ericsson 4, Green Dragon Team, Delta Lloyd, & Team Russia.




The race will start in Alicante, Spain, in early October 2008.  After In-Port (IP) races in Alicante the fleet will head south on its first leg to Cape Town, South Africa on October 11th, 2008.  The VOR teams will sail around Cape Town (South Africa) on their way to South-East Asia, KoChi, & Singapore,  before its stop-over in Qingdao.  After a short rest (about 15 days) in Qingdao the VOR will make the harsh journey around South America to Rio De Janeiro and then Boston, Masachutes USA.  The final streach will include Galway, Goteborg, Stockholm, and St. Pertersberg.


While in Qingdao, teams will participate in two IP (In-Port) races scheduled for February 7th, 2009.  In port races are scheduled to start at 1pm, weather permitting.  Racing will be held in Fushan Bay at the Qingdao International Marina & Sailing Center.  Two hours of racing action is planned to keep spectators entertained during Qingdao's windy sub-zero winters.

Bourke said, "At the conclusion of the 2005-06 race, our attention turned to the course which the race has taken in the past and, turning our backs on history, we decided to make some big adjustments. Taking the race to Asia was a decision we did not take lightly, but one which resulted first in interest, and then in the shape of race entries, from large, well-known corporations, whose commitment gives further credence to the race."

Source:
www.volvooceanrace.org