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Around Alone

Torbay to host european stopover

vendredi 4 janvier 2002Information Velux 5 Oceans

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of race organisers Clipper Ventures, announced that Torbay, England, will host the first stopover in the five leg Around Alone 2002-03 solo, round the world yacht race. This West Country region will become the first European stopover in the 20-year history of the race. This also marks the first time a solo RTW yacht race has involved England, since the Sunday Times’ Golden Globe, 34 years ago in 1968.

Knox-Johnston was keen to include a European stopover in the route for the sixth edition of the Around Alone, a positive move for the event. "Solo offshore yacht racing, which has its roots in Britain, is undergoing a revival, thanks to the outstanding successes of our current British yachtsmen and women," said Knox-Johnston. "We hope that bringing the Around Alone to England will encourage more skippers to take up the sport."

The natural harbour of Torbay will provide a safe finish for the single handers in front of the breakwater. Hundreds of spectators will have the unique opportunity of watching the arrivals, estimated from the 26th September 2002, let alone the excitement of the leg 2 re-start, scheduled for Sunday 13th October 2002.

The event will be based at Brixham Yacht Club, which offers a superb site for the race village, and a public festival is planned during the two-week stopover. The majority of the fleet will be moored in Brixham Harbour’s deep-water marina, and four local yacht clubs (Brixham, Royal Torbay, Paignton and Babbacombe) are also involved in supporting the event and its three international fleets of Open 60, 50 and 40 foot boats.

The dates annouced

Race organisers, Clipper Ventures plc, have announced the start dates for each leg, although the New Zealand ports are still under negotiation, allowing the 28 registered competitors to continue with the preparation of their campaigns. Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said that a great deal of time had gone into researching the average speeds of the anticipated fleet which looks to be significantly faster than in 1998, the last time Around Alone was raced. "We have reduced the overall time of Around Alone by nearly a month. The schedule is challenging, but speeds in recent races have shown it to be perfectly possible and we remain conscious of costs of the fleet in long stopovers and have thus reduced stopover times in each port, whilst still allowing for boat repairs to be carried out in time for the start of the following leg." Knox-Johnston reported. Start dates of legs 2–5 will be reconfirmed 24 hours after the first boat crosses the finish line.

Race Schedule :
- Start (Newport, RI to Torbay) : Sunday 15th September 2002
- Leg 2 (Torbay to Cape Town) : Sunday 13th October 2002
- Leg 3 (Cape Town to New Zealand) : Sunday 1st December 2002
- Leg 4 (New Zealand to Salvador, Brazil) : Sunday 26th January 2003
- Leg 5 (Salvador to Newport) : Sunday 23rd March 2003

The first boats are expected to complete the round the world race in Newport around 14th April 2003, with the remainder of the fleet finishing by 23rd April 2003.

Entry list

- Class I Open 60’s

Bernard Stamm, Bobst Group Armor Lux (SWI), Bruce Schwab, Ocean Planet (USA), John Bankart (AUS), John Biddlecombe, Liberty (AUS), John Dennis, Bold Statement (CAN), John Martin (SA), George Stricker,Tin Can US Virgin Islands, Gildas Iauch, Diabato (FRA), Graham Dalton (NZ), Simone Bianchetti, Tiscali Global Challenge (ITA), Thierry Dubois, Solidaires (FRA)

- Class II Open 50’s

Andreas Hanakamp (Austria), Alex Bennett One Dream, One Mission (GBR), Brad Van Liew Mission America (USA), David Ferrall (AUS), Mark Taylor Olympian Challenger (GBR), Tim Kent Everest Horizontal (USA)

- Open 40’s

Alan Paris, BTC Velocity (BER) - Bob Adams, Perserverance (USA) - Derek Hatfield, Spirit of Canada (CAN) Simon Handley (CAN)

- Other competitors who have registered but have not yet confirmed the class in which they will compete :

Dave Rearick (USA), Duncan Gladman (CAN), Juan Merediz (SPA), Philip Rubright (USA), Phillipe Vicariot (FRA), Victor Mills-Warrington (SA).


Dans la même rubrique

Open 50 : Alex Abandons his Open 50 but not his Dream

image 300 x 158Alex Bennet has won the Transat Jacques Vabre in class 2. Photo : http://www.alex-bennett.com

Open 60 : IMOCA inversion test for Ocean Planet

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AROUND ALONE : Brad Van Liew arrived in Charleston


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