Cape Town included in Ocean Race

The decision to go to the classic sailing city of Cape Town in South Africa for the 10th time in 12 editions of the Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race means the teams will now make a single stop in Brazil in 2014-15 rather than two.

The Ocean Race is celebrating its 40th birthday this year and Cape Town has played a prominent role in its success. Cape Town first appeared on the Ocean Race route in 1973-74, in the inaugural edition of what was then the Whitbread. Its return means the race will once again stop at all five continents in 2014-15.

“Cape Town is an iconic city and the sight of Table Mountain on the horizon as you approach the port at the end of Leg One is something every ocean racer looks forward to,” said race chief executive Knut Frostad.

Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events & Marketing,GRant Pascoe, said he was delighted the City of Cape Town and the V & A Waterfront would host the event once more.

“Not only does this race offer worldwide marketing exposure for Cape Town and raise the City and V & A Waterfront’s profile as a top leisure and events destination, it also provides a valuable boost for the many local industries through visitor and organiser spend,” he said.

The race route will now see the teams leave Alicante in Spain in October 2014 and head south some 6,500 nautical miles to Cape Town. From there, they will race to Abu Dhabi before going to Sanya in China and Auckland in New Zealand.

The teams will then head round Cape Horn before stopping at Itajaí in Brazil and going on to Newport, Rhode Island on the east coast of the United States. They then cross the Atlantic to Lisbon in Portugal before going on to Lorient in France and then to the finish in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The new total distance will be 39,379 nautical miles.

– Sapa