The hosts kept their guests and fans around the world on tenterhooks for half an hour at the press conference in Gothenburg. Only then did the news that everyone was so excited about arrive. The highlight: after the upcoming 2017/2018 edition, the Volvo Ocean Race will sail around the world on two types of boat! Guillaume Verdier and his 17-strong team are designing a foiling 60-footer for the long offshore legs. Foiling multihulls between 32 and 50 feet in length are to be created for the inshore stages and in-port races.
According to CEO Mark Turner, campaign budgets will therefore not increase significantly in the future. "Currently, the average budget for a Volvo Ocean Race campaign is around 10 to 12 million euros. We expect very similar budgets in the future." Turner's assumption is based on the fact that the boats built under the direction of the Volvo Ocean Race are leased and the costs will remain manageable in the future. Turner pointed out that with the introduction of the flying multihulls, he had by no means simply transferred the concept of the Extreme Sailing Series that he had devised and realised to the Volvo Ocean Race, but that the Volvo Ocean Race of the future with its two boat types should be the ultimate test for the all-round qualities of the sailors.
Turner also explained why the decision was made against just one new type of boat - a large foiling catamaran, for example: "In the America's Cup, they are perfecting foiling on short courses close to the coast. But we are still a while away from consistent foiling at sea. A lot will happen in the coming years. And it wouldn't be wise to develop a foiling multihull now and then realise after three boats have been built that important new technological advances have been made. We'll have to wait and see."
This explains the "double-whopper", the balancing act between the new reliable yet ultra-modern monohulls à la Imoca on the one hand and the futuristic foiling multihulls for the short races on the other. Eight of the VOR-60 yachts are to be built for the next edition. The organisers have declared them their boat of choice for at least six years.
At the same time, a whole series of other announcements were made in Gothenburg: the race cycle is to be reduced to two years. New ports of call are to be added. The future routes will always include North America, South America, Australasia, China and four to five European ports. Turner emphasised a high degree of flexibility in the future route design. A race can, but does not have to, start in Europe. Volvo Ocean Race Academies for the next generation of sailors are to be set up all over the world. However, many of the announcements are plans that have yet to be realised. Before then, the 13th edition of the most famous team race around the world will begin this year, for which five teams have already registered. In Gothenburg, Turner indicated that his team is currently working on supporting a young team that could possibly be deployed as ambassadors for saving the oceans with a female helmsman and a crew made up of equal numbers of men and women. Half of the funding for such a team would be available.
Another announcement revealed just how far in advance the organisers are planning: in 2023, there will be an anniversary regatta with legends from the past and present to mark the 50th anniversary of the race, which was held for the first time in 1973/74.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
