11:39 PM Wed 3 Mar 2010 GMT
France returns to host the Volvo Ocean Race with the confirmation today of Lorient, in Brittany on the northwest coast of France, as the penultimate stopover for the 2011-12 event.
Like La Rochelle before it (1997-98 and 2001-02), Lorient will be included in two editions of the race. The French port will also stage a stopover in the 2014-15 edition.
The announcement of Lorient follows that of start port Alicante, and Cape Town and Lisbon as host ports. Lisbon in Portugal will be the start port of the leg to Lorient, approximately 700 nautical miles.
'We are extremely pleased to have a strong French presence in the race,' said Volvo Ocean Race CEO, Knut Frostad. 'It has long been our goal to reignite the passion of this classic event among the French people and we are delighted to have reached an agreement with the city of Lorient to host the event for two consecutives races.'
France has fielded 21 entries in the race, taking part in every race from 1973-74 up until the sixth race in 1993-94 in which La Poste finished third. L'Esprit d'Equipe, skippered by Lionel Pean, was the overall winner in 1985-86 and 289 French sailors have taken part in the previous 10 races.
'Over the last 10 years, Lorient has transformed its submarine base into a European-wide sailing cluster, hosting a business centre dedicated to yachting activities where maxi trimarans 'Banque Populaire V' and 'Groupama 3' were built. It also hosts an offshore sailing centre of about 50 teams including France's most famous skippers,' according to Norbert Metairie, Mayor of Lorient and President of Cap l'Orient Council.
'Today we are pleased to have demonstrated that Lorient is a perfect site to host international events such as the Volvo Ocean Race which will undoubtedly yield significant benefits.'
In the heart of the French 'sailing valley', the region also hosts the 'Cite de la Voile Eric Tabarly', a site dedicated to modern sailing race and bearing the name of the famous French skipper who sailed on four occasions in the Whitbread - in 1973-74 on Pen Duick VI, 1981-82 on Euromarche, 1985-86 on Cote d'Or and 1993-94 on La Poste. During the stopover in Lorient, the 'Cite de la Voile Eric Tabarly' will be located right in the centre of the race village.
Explaining the choice of Lorient as a stopvoer venue, Frostad said: 'It has a very strong support from all levels in the city and the support of the people of the town.
'It has been a personal mission for me to get France back (into the Volvo Ocean Race).
'It is special for me to be back here as Eric Tabarly's museum (Cit? de la voile, Eric Tabarly) is here and he has taken part in the race four times.
'We are planning to raise the level of communications for the next race. Our ambition is to engage more and more French sailors and the French public.'
Groupama, skippered by Franck Cammas, who is currently taking on the Jules Verne Trophy, has Lorient as its home base and will fly the French flag in the next two races.
The next European port will be announced shortly.
www.volvooceanrace.com/
by Volvo Ocean Race
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Manly, QLD
