The race organiser and the Spanish government of Valencia signed an agreement today that designates the port city as the future headquarters of the management and as the starting port for the next three races.
Since November, the management of the Volvo Ocean Race has been negotiating a relocation of the headquarters, which has been based in Whiteley on the south coast of the UK since 1998. For some time, however, the company's aim has been to develop a long-term partnership with one of its ports of call and to move the headquarters there for economic reasons. They have now found such a partner harbour.
"The support and hospitality we have received from Alicante as the starting port of the current race has made a very positive impression on us," said Managing Director Knut Frostad, "This is a very big moment for the Volvo Ocean Race.
For Frostadt, choosing Alicante as the starting harbour for the upcoming regattas is an obvious choice: "Spain has already played an important role in previous races: The Spanish sailors outnumber all other participating nations in the current race and the country has consistently proven that it knows something about event culture and how to organise such a sporting competition." The partnership with Spain also secures the participation of at least two Spanish teams in each of the next three races as well as the construction of a museum that reflects the 36-year history and heritage of the Volvo Ocean Race.
The race took place for the first time in 1973. At that time, however, it was still known as the "Whitbread Round the World Race", in whose first race the German sailing yacht "Peter von Danzig" also took part, as well as the "Walross III" a few years later. In 1998, the sponsor changed from Whitbread to Volvo, whereupon the race was called the Volvo Ocean Race from 2001.
The fleet is currently in Boston after the sixth leg of the ten-part race. After seven Whitbreads, this is now the third race of the Volvo Ocean Race to finish in St. Petersburg (Russia) this year.
Following the outcome of the race, the final move from England to Spain is scheduled to begin towards the end of June and be completed by the end of the year.
