Volvo Ocean Race heads for fifth ocean at SAIL Amsterdam 2015

by Volvo Ocean Race on 6 Aug 2015 The Volvo Ocean Race heads for its fifth 'ocean' during SAIL Amsterdam 2015, to be held from August 19 to 23, when Team Brunel provides a centre point for the giant nautical show.

The SAIL Amsterdam event is divided into five 'ocean' areas, each with its own theme. Dutch boat Team Brunel, which won a hard-fought second place in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 finishing on June 27, will be berthed in the Green Ocean, which represents sustainability, technology and innovation.

The team base and the Volvo Ocean 65 cross section, which was visited by nearly half a million during the nine-month race, will give the audience a glimpse of the most extreme sailing event for crews around the world.

After sailing in the race for nine months, covering four oceans, five continents and 38,739 nautical miles, Team Brunel and its Sailing Holland organising team join numerous international Tall Ships to form the backdrop of 2015 SAIL Amsterdam, the largest public event in the Netherlands with around two million expected to visit.

The cross section of a real one-design Volvo Ocean 65 is located next to the home of Team Brunel. The eight Brunel sailors and Onboard Reporter, Stefan Coppers, braved the oceans with this 65-foot/19.8 metre-long boat.

The cross section offers visitors to SAIL Amsterdam the chance to experience life in a Volvo Ocean 65. They can get a taste of what the Team Brunel sailors called home for nine months, racing around the planet.

During the opening hours of SAIL Amsterdam, Brunel’s hostesses will crew the Volvo Ocean 65 cross section. Guests can stand behind the wheel or sit at the media or navigation desk.

On Friday, August 21, they will have the opportunity to ask seven-time Volvo Ocean Race sailor, Team Brunel's skipper Bouwe Bekking (Netherlands), about his personal experiences.

Fans of media productions may also bump into the team's OBR, Coppers, who will be more than happy to give some useful tips.

Prior to the Volvo Ocean Race, The Set Company built the two Volvo Ocean 65 cross sections. Especially for SAIL Amsterdam, the Amsterdam company will sponsor this attraction and reconstruct the cross section 300 metres from where it was made.

Another Dutch company, Bazelmans AVR, sponsors all audio and video in the Volvo Ocean 65 cross section.

There will be two large screens, showing films of the Volvo Ocean Race that highlight the features and functionalities of the Volvo Ocean 65 one-design boats.

Additionally, the film 'Team Brunel in the Volvo Ocean Race’ runs with spectacular images.

The Green Ocean can be found on the northern shore of the IJ, on the NDSM-dock.