Qingdao in VOR

The port city of Qingdao was today officially confirmed as the China stopover for the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race with the signing of an agreement between race organisers and the Qingdao Municipal Government. Qingdao’s selection as the stopover on the marathon ocean race’s new route through the Middle East and Asia follows more than six months of negotiations and evaluation. The race CEO Glenn Bourke was in Qingdao for an official signing ceremony with the city’s Vice Mayor Zang Aimin who said that Qingdao, which is hosting the 2008 Olympics Sailing Regatta, was seeking to establish itself as China’s City of Sailing. With its selection as the stop for the Volvo Ocean Race, Qingdao can further enhance its positioning and strategy. Qingdao, will serve as the main stopover with in-port racing and a pro-am event as part of the programme.

Bourke said the race’s stopover in China for the first time was a milestone in the history of international ocean racing. Bourke and a team of race officials visited Qingdao in April after signing a cooperation agreement in Beijing with the China Water Sports Administration Centre and the China Yachting Association. Race organisers have held discussions with a number of Chinese ports and there is still potential for a second city to be selected as a pit stop before the fleet sails its longest leg, 12,000 nautical miles, to South America. Among the other cities, Shanghai appears the most likely but negotiations are continuing.

After its start in Alicante, Spain, in mid-October 2008, the fleet sails via Cape Town in South Africa to the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia before its stop in China ahead of its longest leg to South America. It then stops in Boston on the U.S. East Coast and sails to Galway on Ireland’s west coast on the way to a Baltic port finish.