Volvo Ocean Race

As we saw in last week's teaser video, construction of the new Volvo Ocean Race one-design is underway in Italy and France. As promised, here's a closer look at the progress being made in bringing this spectacular new high-performance racing yacht to life.

After a word from project manager James Dadd in Alicante, our first stop is at Persico, where a five-axis milling machine is shaping the plug and mould before before work starts on the hull of the state-of-the-art 65-foot yacht.

Next, we see more of the deck layout session in Multiplast, France, where Volvo Ocean Race veterans and engineers give their impressions after a week working with a full-scale mock-up. 

In future updates, we'll visit the Farr Yacht Design office and the two other boatyards involved in the one-design project, Decision in Switzerland and Green Marine in England.

 - Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad made the announcement about the shift to the stunning new one-design at a presentation in Lorient, France in June, towards the end of the 2011-12 edition – the closest and most successful race in the history of an event that dates back to 1973.

 - The one-design will mean a significant cost saving as well as greater reliability. The fleet will share spare masts, rigging and other resources, helping to reduce the cost of mounting a competitive campaign by a third.  

Stay tuned for more updates on www.volvooceanrace.com