Wellington stopover for SolOceans

by Event media on 7 Oct 2007 In the New Zealand Embassy in Paris, the Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand, in the presence of Her Excellency, Sarah Dennis, the New Zealand Ambassador for France, announced that Welington will be the stopover city for the first single-handed oceanic round- the- world race sailed on equal footing.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is located on Cook Strait, the channel that separates the North and South Islands and the birthplace of the strong Roaring Forties’ winds.

The SolOceans is the first single-handed oceanic round the world race sailed on equal footing on sixteen-metre (52.5’) high-tech one-design monohulls all identical to each other: the Veolia Oceans®. This class has been named Veolia Oceans® after the main sponsor of the SolOceans race, Veolia Environmental Services. The race will start in Lower Normandy (France) and will stopover in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, with the return lega finishing back in Lower Normandy (France). The start of the first SolOceans is set for 25 October 2009. The SolOceans will then be run every two years (2011, 2013, 2015…). Prior to this, the first Veolia Oceans® will sail around the world on reconnaissance purposes, from October 2007 to March 2008.

Each one-design Veolia Oceans® will be fitted out with an OceanoScientific® equipment allowing the automatic and continuous collection of environmental data in areas largely unexplored. The aim of this Veolia OceanoScientific® Campaign is to make this information available to scientists all over the world, in order to have a better understanding of our planet and how to protect it.

Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand declared: 'I’m delighted our capital city will be the host port for the SolOceans round the world yacht race. I congratulate the organisers on this innovative idea which combines an equal access ocean race with a platform for scientific studies in isolated areas of the ocean. New Zealand is proud to be associated with this initiative and I applaud the seriousness of the race's environmental purpose'.

The Mayor of Wellington, Kerry Prendergast, said: 'Wellington has proven time and again just how good we are at hosting significant world yachting events and this announcement reinforces that. We are absolutely delighted to be chosen as the first leg destination for the SolOceans race and we look forward to welcoming the yachts into our beautiful harbour in 2009.'

'Lower Normandy is opening up to the world and the SolOceans while sailing around the globe, shall be its ambassador,' added Philippe Duron, President of the Lower Normandy’s Regional Council, and MP for Calvados. 'Establishing a close link with New Zealand, a country of excellence in terms of competitive sailing, is a concrete opportunity to develop the Lower Norman Sailing Industry to an international level. This association with New Zealand revives the memory of the numerous New Zealander soldiers who helped us, often risking their lives, to achieve our liberty in June 1944. We shall be eternally grateful for that. I am glad to establish such a strong link thanks to the SolOceans.'

Bernard Cazeneuve, MP of Cherbourg-Octeville added through his deputy mayor Jean-Michel Houllegatte: 'The one-design Veolia Oceans® are built on the harbour of Cherbourg at the JMV Industries. Theose sailing boats will become our ambassadors all alongthroughout the course of the SolOceans towards Wellington in order to enhance the know-how of our companies. This does confirms Cherbourg’s vocation as one of the major places in terms of competitive sailing and yachting.'

Yvan Griboval : 'With the SolOceans every two years linking France and New Zealand, we will establish a regular line between these two countries where sailing is not only considered as a major sport in the same way as Rugby, but as is a way of life, a means of communication and a factor in economic development. We are proud to have the stopover in the homeland’s capital of champions, renowned for their numerous victories in round the world oceanic races sailing, as well as in the America’s Cup. We have been ouched by the enthusiasm of Kerry Prendergast and her team. Together, we will make the SolOceans’ New Zealand stopover in Wellington a great celebration for iInternational sailing.'

The next important date for the SolOceans is the official presentation of the first monohull Veolia Oceans® under sail, at Cherbourg on Saturday 27 October at 10H30, followed by the christening of the first unit produced in Lower Normandy, at Cherbourg (Manche) and at Caen (Calvados).