EXCITEMENT is starting to mount in the historic French city of La Rochelle as the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS approaches. The hub of activity will be the VELUX 5 OCEANS race village, opening to the public on October 9.
La Rochelle - Hosting the Velux 5 Oceans - Image credit to Frederic Le Ian - Copyright onEdition
The VELUX 5 OCEANS race village will form the nerve centre of the event located in the Bassin des Chalutiers, and will be officially opened by the skippers at 10am on October 9. Built around the VELUX House, the race village will overlook the pontoons which will host the competing Eco 60s. It will carry the message of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, the race’s sustainability mission, supported by an exposition from race transport partner Maersk Line and other local eco exhibitors from the La Rochelle region. Throughout the eight days leading to the start day the race village will host a range of activities, including dance and music performances, watersports in the marina, school visits, cooking challenges and a chance for the public to meet the VELUX 5 OCEANS skippers.
La Rochelle in South West France hosting the start and finish of the VELUX 5 Oceans race - Image Credit to Frederic Le Ian
One of the highlights in the lead up to the VELUX 5 OCEANS start will be the arrival in La Rochelle of one of the most famous classic ships in France, the beautiful three-masted tallship Belem, which will enter the port on the evening of October 13. Each skipper will be introduced to the public in a special ceremony onboard the historic ship at 7.30pm.
La Rochelle in South West France - Copyright OnEdition - Image credit to Frederic Le Ian
The evening of Saturday October 16 will see ocean sailing and rugby join forces in a grand celebration of sport. The VELUX 5 OCEANS has teamed up with Top 14 rugby team Atlantique Stade Rochelais for their Amlin Challenge Cup second round clash against Agen. Atlantique Stade Rochelais will play in front of a crowd of 11,500 fans at their home ground Stade Marcel-Deflandre in a specially made kit inspired by the VELUX 5 OCEANS race. In place of their normal yellow and black colours, the team will wear a shirt featuring an Eco 60 yacht surrounded by open sea and the VELUX 5 OCEANS logo. On Friday October 15, the day before the match, the VELUX 5 OCEANS skippers will go head to head with the Atlantique Stade Rochelais players in a winch grinding challenge at the VELUX House in the race village.
La Rochelle hosting the Velux 5 Oceans - Image credit to Frederic Le Ian - Copyright onEdition
On race day, October 17, thousands of well-wishers are expected to pack the race village to say goodbye to the sailors before joining them on the water in a spectacular send off. A detailed programme of events for race day will be released in the coming weeks.
The VELUX 5 OCEANS, run by Clipper Ventures PLC, is the longest running solo round the world race, and has 28 years of rich heritage as the BOC Challenge and then the Around Alone. This edition features five ocean sprints over nine months. After heading from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France. The VELUX 5 OCEANS will start at 4pm on October 17 from La Rochelle.
