Legends return to celebrate history

Beginning in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race, 17 entrants ranged from 32 to 80 feet, with the race won or lost using handicap ratings and total elapsed time. Now known as the Volvo Ocean Race, through the 13 editions of the contest would see the transition from a diverse fleet to class boats.

To celebrate the history of the race, 12 legendary boats from seven of the past editions have gathered for another chance at victory, putting their lineage on the line for a competition from Gothenburg, the Swedish stopover port of the Volvo Ocean Race, to the Dutch port of The Hague, the finish destination for the current round-the-world race.

Starting June 21, the overall winner will judged on corrected time, as it used to be in races gone by, but there will also be class racing for some of the more modern boats.

Participating are boats as famous as Conny Van Rietschoten’s first yacht Flyer, the winner of the 1977-87 Whitbread Round the World Race, which later, in 1998, became the Volvo Ocean Race. Also from that era is Neptune, who has been reunited with her original skipper, Bernard Deguy.

The grand old lady of the fleet is the 46-foot Polish yacht Copernicus, who completed the very first Whitbread in 1973-74. She was the smallest yacht to complete the race and sailed with a crew of five. Her skipper, Zyfryd ‘Zyga’ Perlicki, was an Olympic yachtsman.

In addition to Flyer, race winners include illbruck from 2001-02 and Ericsson 4 from 2008-09. At 80-feet Rothmans, originally skippered by Britain’s Lawrie Smith, is the sole maxi yacht at the event.

Chris Dickson’s 1993-94 entry Tokio is represented by her sistership as is Neal McDonald’s 2001-02 second-placed Assa Abloy.

There will be five Whitbread 60/Volvo Ocean 60s racing: Tokio, Silk Cut, Assa Abloy, SEB and illbuck and three Volvo Open 70s, the ferocious ‘street fighters’ fitted with a canting keel for the first time: Green Dragon, Telefónica Blue and race winner Ericsson 4.

The Legends will use the same start line as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet, starting approximately 45 minutes in front, although this year’s round the world racers will sail a slightly longer and less direct course to The Hague.

The overall winner of the Legends Race will be presented with the beautiful Sir Peter Blake Trophy in The Hague. In addition to class prizes, there will also be a concours d’elegance prize for the yacht in the best condition.

Each boat is fitted with a Yellowbrick tracker to enable fans to follow as they race to The Hague.

Event details – Notice of Race – Tracking – Facebook

Entries – Legends Race 2018:

1973-74
Copernicus (11th)
Designer: Liskiewicz & Rejewski
Rig: Ketch
LOA: 46.5’(14.20m)
Crew: 5

1977-78
Flyer (1st)
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens
Rig: Ketch
LOA: 65’2 (19.87m)
Crew: 12

Neptune (8th)
Designer: Andrė Mauric
Rig: Sloop
LOA: 59’ (17.9m)
Crew: 10

1989-90
Rothmans (4th)
Designer: Rob Humphreys
Rig: Maxi sloop
LOA: 80, (24.5m)
Crew: 13 – 16

1993-94
Tokio (5th)
Class: Whitbread 60
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA 64’ (19.5m)
Crew: 12

1997-98
Silk Cut (5th)
Class: Whitbread 60
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA 64’ (19.5m)
Crew: 12

2001-02
Assa Abloy (2nd)
Class: Whitbread 60
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA 64’ (19.5m)
Crew: 12

Illbruck (1st)
Class: Volvo Ocean 60
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA: 64’ (19.4m)
Crew: 12

SEB (7th)
Class: Volvo Ocean 60
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA: 64’ (19.5m)
Crew: 12

2008-09
Ericsson 4 (1st)
Class: Volvo Open 70
Designer: Juan Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA: 70’5’ (21.4m)
Crew: 11

Green Dragon (5th)
Class: Volvo Open 70
Designer: Reichel Pugh
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA: 64’ (19.4m)
Crew: 12

Telefónica Blue (3rd)
Class: Volvo Open 70
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Rig: Fractional sloop
LOA: 70’5’ (21.4m)
Crew: 11

Source: Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta