Volvo Ocean Race: Auckland Stopover News 3 - See the Volvo Trophy

9:32 AM Wed 7 Sep 2011 GMT

'Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand sail up the River Thames, past the University of Greenwich and the National Maritime Museum.' Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race Click Here to view large photo

Issue 3

7 September 2011

Our third edition of the Auckland Stopover's e-newsletter Event HQ brings you the latest news of the plans for the Race Village and upcoming events in the build-up to the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race.

The 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race

The Race starts in Alicante (Spain) on 29 October and features nine Legs with Stopovers in Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajai (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France) with the finish in Galway (Ireland) in July 2012.

To date, seven teams have entered the Race, including CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand.

Piracy threat forces route change

The escalating piracy problems in the Indian Ocean has forced organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race to redraw the routes for Legs 2 and 3.

The boats were due to sail through an East African corridor in the Indian Ocean on Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi and again in the Leg 3 from Abu Dhabi to Sanya but, after taking advice from marine safety experts and the sport's governing body, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the routes have been changed.

The boats will now race from Cape Town to an undisclosed 'safe haven' port, be transported closer to Abu Dhabi, and then complete the Leg from there. The process will be reversed for the third leg before the race continues on to Sanya.

Read the full story here

The Auckland Stopover

The Volvo Ocean Race fleet is due to arrive in Auckland at the end of Leg 4 from Sanya (China) on Thursday 8 March 2012. The Pro-Am Race is on Friday 16 March and the In-Port Race on Saturday 17 March. The Start of Leg 5 will take place on Sunday 18 March.

View the Race Village

Get a sneak preview of the the Auckland Stopover with our 3D flyover video and see how Auckland's Viaduct Harbour will be transformed next March into the Race Village.

Watch it here

Website

Keep up to date with all the news from the Auckland Stopover on our new website www.volvooceanraceauckland.com We are on Facebook and Twitter too.

Trophy comes to Auckland

trophysmall NZ sailing fans have a rare chance to see the new Volvo Ocean Race trophy as it goes on display at the Auckland International Boat Show in the Viaduct Harbour from 15-18 September.

Visitors to the Show will be able to view the magnificent Race trophy on display with the Volvo Penta IPS marine diesel range on the Volpower NZ Ltd (Volvo Power) stand.

The Trophy, which will be awarded to the winners of the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race, has been sent from the race headquarters in Alicante (Spain) for the Boat Show. As in the Olympic Games, there is no financial reward for victory in the Volvo Ocean Race. The unique trophy symbolizes the glory of winning what is still one of the most extreme challenges in the world of sport, a 37,000 nautical mile nine month marathon around the globe. Just competing in the Race represents an achievement, with success meaning everything to those who have achieved it.

The final design of the new Volvo Ocean Race trophy stands 70cm high, weighs nine kilos and comprises 11 wave-shaped rings, each ring representing an edition of the race. A new ring will be added after every future edition. Through the masts supporting the rings, there is a glimpse of the blue ocean hidden inside.

The first ten rings are engraved with the year of the race, the route, the winning boat and the skipper. The eleventh ring will be engraved in Galway in July 2012, at the end of the race.

Made of aluminum and silver plate, this trophy represents a modern yet legendary race, which has a heritage of 37 years. Leading edge design, satellite communications, technology and innovation have always played an important role in the development of the event and the new trophy reflects this.

See the Volvo Ocean Race trophy on Stand 114.

Auckland waterfront transformed!

Uploaded Image Fifty thousand visitors flocked to the official opening day for Wynyard Quarter, part of the redevelopment of Auckland's waterfront and site of the Race Village for the Auckland Stopover.

NZ $120 million has been spent on revamping eighteen hectares of the former industrial area and NZ Prime Minister John Key led the way across the new Wynyard Crossing to Gateway Plaza as five waka came into the Harbour to start the celebrations.

The development includes the new bridge, a passenger tram system, the Viaduct Events Centre, restaurants, an outdoor cinema and playgrounds.

Watch TV3 news coverage of the opening here

CAMPER in London

CAMPER, the Emirates Team New Zealand entry for the Volvo Ocean Race, is now in the UK during the final stages of its preparations for the Race.

This week CAMPER sailed down the River Thames and through the specially raised Tower Bridge. Emirates Team New Zealand Managing Director Grant Dalton described the experience as an "historic moment". Read more here