Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2023 Gloves - LEADERBOARD

Volvo Ocean Race - Silk route

by Volvo Ocean Race on 7 Feb 2011
Team Russia crosses the finishing leg 3 into Singapore - Volvo Ocean Race David Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race http://www.volvooceanrace.com/
Volvo Ocean Race fleet will arrive in Sanya, China, the third stop on the 2011-12 route around this time next year. The third leg of the 39,270 nm race will be one of the most difficult legs in the upcoming edition.

For the first time in the history of the race, the fleet will be sailing from the Middle East to the southern tip of China, following the ancient maritime Silk Route.

After rounding the southern tip of India, the Volvo Open 70s will approach the Malacca Strait, leaving the island of Pulau We, Indonesia to starboard.

Sailors can expect tight racing from this point on. The Malacca Strait is an important shipping lane connecting the Pacific and Indian Ocean and is a very busy zone; the Volvo Open 70s won't be the only vessels trying to get through and the light winds will force them to stay close to their competitors.

The fleet will sail its way out of the strait and into the South China Sea where it will encounter another difficulty: getting through the Spratly Islands, a group of over 750 islands and reefs, many of which are uncharted, making it dangerous to navigate through at high speeds.

The biggest difference on the leg is that the fleet won't be sailing as far north as they did in the previous edition, when the route to Qingdao became one of the coldest and hardest legs of that race for most of the sailors.

However, Leg 3 will present its own difficulties and some sailors will recall the challenges from the last race on the leg from Cochin, India to Singapore and the following one to Qingdao, China.

To get to Qingdao last time, the fleet sailed east in the South China Sea, passing the Luzon Strait where the boats were caught in the toughest weather conditions of the race, with waves measuring up to 15 metres high.

For the first time in the race the boats decided to stop - with the exception of Telefonica Blue, which managed to get across the Strait and finished the leg in first place. Looking for a similar result, Ericsson 3 and Delta Lloyd made the same move, but were not as lucky and suffered serious boat damage.

In the 2011-12 edition Leg 3 does not cover the same route, although the fleet will have to encounter this region and its uncertain conditions on the leg to Auckland.

Nevertheless, they will still have to watch out for the hundreds of fishing vessels, many without lights or even radars, that will be expecting - or even be aware of - the Volvo Open 70s in the South China Sea.

In our first video about Leg 3, 'The Silk Route', Jack Lloyd, Race Director in Volvo Ocean Race and Chris Nicholson, skipper for CAMPER discuss the complexity of the new route for this leg.

In the second video, 'Spirit of Asia', Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad analyses the challenges of the third leg from the Malacca Strait to the new destination in China.

Event website
HALLSPARS_BOOMS_SW_728X99-lot-99 BOTTOMRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERVaikobi 2023 Gloves - FOOTER

Related Articles

America's Cup: Kiwis lead, but Italians impress
Emirates Team NZ topped the overnight leaderboard, however Luna Rossa stunned the fleet in Race 3 Emirates Team New Zealand emerged as the top points scorer from the first day of racing, in the second Preliminary Event sailed off Jeddah.
Posted today at 1:11 pm
Kinsale to Host 80th Dragon Gold Cup
A favourite venues in the southwest of Ireland Preparations are under way in Kinsale, Ireland's yachting and gourmet capital, for celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of one of international sailing's most prestigious events. In September 2024, Kinsale will welcome sailors from across the globe.
Posted today at 12:34 pm
Watch the AC40 Race Day 1 live from Jeddah
The gloves come off for racing in the second America's Cup Preliminary Regatta The Defender of the America's Cup, Emirates Team NZ will compete along with the five Challenger teams: INEOS Britannia, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, NYYC American Magic, and Orient Express Racing Team.
Posted today at 9:00 am
Sail Melbourne Day 1
Australia's best Olympic sailing prospects dominate Some of Australia's best Olympic sailing prospects lit up day one of a windy Sail Melbourne on Port Phillip today.
Posted today at 7:48 am
Sam's first solo IMOCA race is one of discovery
Sam Goodchild is set for the Retour à La Base solo race back to France which starts today After third on the Transat Jacques Vabre, Sam Goodchild's first solo IMOCA race is one of discovery.
Posted today at 6:02 am
Platu World Series 2023
Light breeze, big shifts, and sausage sizzles at OMYC Jomtien Beach Six boats, six national flags. A properly 'World' Series.
Posted today at 2:27 am
Sails Up: Phuket Welcomes World Sailors
Almost the season closer. Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2023 Winding up the sailing season in Asia (almost), Phuket King's Cup promises yet another 5-star regatta. 30 entries to show off Phuket's beautiful high season.
Posted today at 12:48 am
America's Cup: Kiwis 'win' Practice Day
Emirates Team New Zealand emerged as top points scorer from the Official Racing, held in Jeddah Emirates Team NZ emerged as top points scorer from the Official Racing, held in Jeddah, on Wednesday. Sailed in conditions at the bottom end of the foiling spectrum, several teams stepped into the foiling quicksand, from which there was no quick escape.
Posted on 29 Nov
SSL Gold Cup 1/4 Finals Day 3
Gran Canaria shines on massive 6 race day Tuesday's light winds meant we only had two races, so Wednesday was catch-up time, with the wind playing ball, delivering a beautiful 8 knots. A daunting six races were scheduled - physically and mentally draining for the teams and race organisers alike.
Posted on 29 Nov
KiteFoil World Series Final Zhuhai preview
International fleet lining up against strong Chinese squad International riders have been getting ready for the climax of the KiteFoil World Series 2023 in Zhuhai China. Racing in the Lakewood Hills KiteFoil World Series China begins on Thursday and concludes this Sunday.
Posted on 29 Nov