VOLVO OCEAN RACE SAILS INTO MIAMI
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanOne of the most highly anticipated global sailing events of the season is just days away from hitting the blue waters of Miami, Florida.
The Volvo Ocean Race has gone through some of the most treacherous waters in the world competitively sailing off of Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland and around Cape Horn to Itajai and now into a yachtsman’s paradise beginning on May 6th. This will be the only North American stopover with loads of fun and festivities promised for all in attendance.
The race, named after its current owner, Volvo, is a rigorous test of stamina and endurance for all teams involved. They do more than just race. They take on responsibilities of sailmaker, engineer, dedicated media crew member and even medical professional. Racing goes on for days and nights at a time. Sailors have been living on freeze dried foods and minimal sleep as part of the competition.
Pulling into the sunshine capital of the world, the sailors will be able to enjoy all of the beauty that Miami has to offer its visitors.
Attendees to this spectacular event will be able to witness the six 70-foot sailing yachts parade through the waterways at the Port of Miami and head straight for Downtown Miami Race Village in Bicentennial Park, a mecca for diverse worldwide culture.
The 2011-2012 teams for the Volvo Race are PUMA Ocean Racing powered by Berg, Groupama, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Team Sanya, Team Telefonica & Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand.
In addition, Volvo Ocean Race Miami also supports a very charitable cause. Their main mission is to foster collaboration among non-profit organizations with similar missions of surrounding water and marine life conservation initiatives. This event will find Volvo Ocean Race in Miami partnering with the Big Blue & You so children can be thrilled, amazed and educated as they visit the race village. Miami-Dade Public Schools and select private schools will help facilitate this mission by having planned field trips to the site. Through these efforts, the students will be inspired to realize the importance of water on a daily basis and empower them to determine how they can get involved to protect this precious resource. Other contributing foundations are Shake-A-Leg, Biscayne Nature Center, The Reclamation Project, ECOMB, UM/RSMAS and Fertile Earth Foundation to name just a few.
To herald in this most prestigious event, a Watch Party was held on Saturday, April 21st on the trendy art deco Lincoln Road at The Camper Store and hosted by Camper. There at the party, the guests had the unique opportunity to watch the In-Port Race from Itajai, Brazil as they sipped on wine and champagne and savored hors d’oeuvres. It was a very enjoyable evening where those with a common interest for the water and the sport of sailing came together to socialize and become captivated by the spirit of the high seas.
Now beginning on May 6th and stretching its sails through May 20th, this “Super Bowl” sailing event will have so much to offer the city of Miami and all those that attend.
Activities include paddle boarding with PUMA, The Academy & Try Sailing Experience, Youth Opti-National Championships, a cardboard canoe race, Antique & Classic Auto and Boat Show, the largest cleanup to hit the shores of Miami and involve the local community, live music performances, special Mother’s Day festivities on May 13th, In Port Race, Pro-Am Race, meet and greet with the teams, food, drinks cultural arts and the list continues.
To make the most of the 14 days, there will also be interactive pavilions, a 3-D Marine Cinema featuring the global race and other wrap-around events.
This will be the first event of its kind in Miami and the only event of its kind in North America with possibly close to 200,000 attendees over the course of 14 days. Be part of the legendary excitement. For more information on Volvo Race Miami and the Downtown Miami Race Village at Bicentennial Park, go to www.volvooceanracemiami.org.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF Rachel Levy, Levy Communications
Comments are closed.