From the outset, he was the first choice to succeed Knut Frostad, who has stepped down: Mark Turner is taking over as the successful Norwegian helmsman of the Volvo Ocean Race. The experienced project, regatta and sports manager has given up his role as head of the global sports marketing agency OC Sport after 23 years and will become CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race from 7 June.
Turner himself took part in the Whitbread Round the World Race, the predecessor to the Volvo World Regatta, as a sailor back in 1989. Turner was also active in 2014/15, the last edition of the most famous team race around the world - at that time, however, on land and behind the scenes as manager and promoter of Team Dongfeng.
"I probably couldn't have been attracted to any other role in sailing after steering OC Sport through so many different areas of the sport over the past two decades," said the 48-year-old about the upcoming change. "It is a special responsibility for me to take over the leadership role from Knut, who has done an excellent job of transforming the race into one of the biggest and most commercially relevant sporting events." Turner calls the Volvo Ocean Race "a platform that can really help shape the future of sailing".
He brings a wealth of experience from regattas such as the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Minitransat. The sports manager, who is as humorous as he is decisive, made a name for himself with the supervision and management of Ellen MacArthur during her legendary Vendée Globe participation in 2001, which she finished in a highly acclaimed time.
Even before that, he was MacArthur's mentor and also ensured that a worldwide audience cheered on the British sailing darling during her non-stop solo circumnavigation of the world in 2005. It was not least thanks to him that Ellen MacArthur became the most famous female sailor on the planet at the time. Turner later created the Extreme Sailing Series, among other things.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
