Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, Hong Kong Stopover
by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia 17 Jan 2018 08:38 PST
18 January 2018
VOR Hong Kong Stopover: Opening Day at the Race Village. Grant Calder, Tong Shing, Lau Kong-Wah, Andrew Kwok, Karin Backlund © Guy Nowell
The boats are still somewhere over the horizon, but the VOR Race Village at Kai Tak Runway Park is open for business (and visitors).
Today at 11.00 at a ceremony attended by Tong Yui Shing (President of the Hong Kong Sailing Federation), Andrew Kwok (CEO of Presenting Sponsors HGC), The Hon Lau Kong-wah, (Secretary for Home Affairs), VOR Executive Director Karin Backlund, and Grant Calder (Hong Kong Port Director), speeches were made, ribbons were cut, and drums were banged. To say that this was a lack-lustre affair would be an understatement. Heck, not even a lion dance to sparkle things up a bit - but maybe lions just don’t belong on boats. Who knows?
Then it was off to a quick VIP canter around the Race Village, visiting the Volvo Pavilion, the Globe, the Race Boat Experience, and the Musto Grinding Challenge (but no VIP takers for that one!). After that there really wasn't much to do. Hopefully, there will be a little more life at the Village once the fleet arrives.
It was definitely a pre-day: basking in the sunshine down near the main stage and the food trucks was delightful (we recommend the pulled pork burgers), but the Peroni bar wasn’t open, the water dispensers were offline, and a random electrician had blown all the circuits. There was an entire legion of school children present (good for the attendance numbers) but it didn’t look as if they were being shepherded towards the HHYC and RHKYC ‘Learn-to-Sail’ booths. One volunteer reported that “everything I took the kids to wasn’t operational yet.” We tried to sign up for a Volvo test drive, but the receptionist had gone to lunch. There have been teething troubles, and a great many comments about the relative inaccessibility of the venue. One thoroughly international visiting sailing media veteran remarked, “This place is in the middle of nowhere – do you think anyone will turn up?” Maybe when the race boats arrive…