Printable version
Email this to a Friend
Pompey plans big Volvo welcome
01 Mar 2006
The 31,000 mile round the world yacht race has attracted the world's best sailors and is considered to be the most challenging round the world race ever staged. The incredibly fast - but sometimes fragile - Volvo Open 70s, with their professional crews of 10, are due to arrive at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth Harbour on May 19 after a non-stop transatlantic sprint from New York lasting about eight days.
A host of events is planned for the stopover that lasts from May 19 to June 2. Immediately after the arrival of each of the first three yachts at Gunwharf Quays there will be a podium prize giving with plenty of champagne spraying and a chance to see the skippers and crews close up.
The Volvo Ocean Race Village - with its interactive Volvo Experience exhibition - opens officially on Saturday May 20 and remains open until Friday June 2.
The opening event will see a performance from the acclaimed "Weapons of Sound", Europe's most innovative and original performers of junk (! ) percussion music as well as infectious samba music and street entertainment (it says here).
The festival atmosphere will carry right through the weekend with live music, traditional funfair attractions, colourful stilt walkers and comedy shows.
Hopefully a few Volvo boats will actually make it to Pompey?
Images for this article - click to enlarge
Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright © Mercator Media 2008. This does not exclude the owner's assertion of copyright over the material.
