Volvo Ocean Race Returns to its Roots

It hasn’t been since the 2005–06 Volvo Ocean Race where the fleet roared east from the tip of South Africa across the Southern Ocean, but the course now described for the 2017-18 edition has returned the race to its roots.

While the past three editions of the race headed north after Cape Town toward the commercial benefits of India (2008-09) and the United Arab Emirates (2011-12, 2014-15), here is the course of the next race as described in the Notice of Race:

Leg 1. Alicante, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal – approximate distance of 700 nm.
Leg 2. Lisbon, Portugal to Cape Town, South Africa leaving Fernando de Noronha Island to port – approximate distance of 7,000 nm.
Leg 3. Cape Town, South Africa to Auckland, New Zealand leaving Cape Leeuwin to port, Kerguelen Island to starboard – approximate distance of 7,600 nm.
Leg 4. Auckland, New Zealand to Hong Kong – approximate distance of 5,700 nm.
Leg 5. Hong Kong to Itajai, Brazil – approximate distance of 13,400 nm.
Leg 6. Itajai, Brazil to Newport, USA – approximate distance of 5,600 nm.
Leg 7. Newport, USA to Cardiff, UK – approximate distance of 3,300 nm.
Leg 8. Cardiff, UK to Gothenburg, Sweden leaving Wales, England and Scotland to starboard – approximate distance of 1,230 nm.
Leg 9. Gothenburg, Sweden to The Hague, Netherlands – approximate distance of 520 nm.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 will consist of 9 ocean Legs with an In-Port race scheduled in each Stopover. The total distance for the Legs is approximately 45,050 nm.

Volvo Ocean Race CEO Mark Turner will be discussing the new race course with the media on June 29.

UPDATE: We have learned from Mark Turner that the race has changed the course from what has been published on the race noticeboard. An update is coming June 29.