Volvo Ocean Race switches to two-year cycle

19 Jun 2017

The 2017-18 edition starts in Alicante, Spain on 22 October. Image courtesy of Volvo Ocean Race – Facebook

The Volvo Ocean Race will switch from a three to two-year cycle after the 2017-18 edition.

The change is expected to provide more continuity and commercial value for sailing teams, sponsors and host cities.

Race CEO, Mark Turner, explained: “The shorter cycle means we could shorten each edition by a few months from the current 8-9 month format, but nonetheless go to more markets in total over each period of four years and two races.”

The race will visit North America, South America, Australasia, China and at least five major European markets once every other edition. Race organisers believe this will make it easier for two-cycle sponsor commitments to be made to teams before fully detailed final routes are fixed.

The 2017-18 edition starts in Alicante, Spain, on October 22 and finishes in The Hague, Netherlands, at the end of June 2018.

The race is committed to two more starts after the 2017-18 edition.

In its early years, the race was run every four years and had three stops, while now its route takes in a total of 12 host cities.

Starts and or finishes outside Europe and a non-stop leg around Antarctica may be introduced in the future.

via Boating Business | Volvo Ocean Race switches to two-year cycle.