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It is with great pleasure that we are able to confirm that China will once again be part of the route for 2011-12 and it will be an honour to take the event to Sanya ...
Thursday 18 March 2010, 07:00 GMT
Another piece of the 2011-12 race route fell into place today when Sanya, the resort city located on the southern coast of Hainan Province, China, was named as a stopover port.
Sanya becomes the second Chinese port in the history of the Volvo Ocean Race following Qingdao's inclusion in the route for 2008-09. Sanya will host the finish of leg three, which starts from Abu Dhabi, for the latest edition.
In announcing Sanya's selection, Knut Frostad, the Volvo Ocean Race CEO, said: "The race was held very successfully in Qingdao and has inspired a passion among many Chinese people.
"It is with great pleasure that we are able to confirm that China will once again be part of the route for 2011-12 and it will be an honour to take the event to Sanya."
Sanya, the only tropical island province in China, features golden, sandy beaches and enjoys a temperate year-round climate. The Sanya Municipal Government will use the Volvo Ocean Race as part of its plans to develop the city into a leading international tourism destination.
It already has an excellent transport system, which will be integral to the building of a new marina.
Commenting on the selection of Sanya, Mr Liu Gang, Deputy Director of the China Water Sports Administration Centre said: "The wonderful memories from the last edition of the race when it visited Qingdao remain fresh in our minds and I would like to congratulate Sanya for being chosen as the new stopover."
The Vice Mayor of Sanya, Li Baiqing, added: "The city will relish the chance to show its charm to the Volvo Ocean Race visitors from around the world."
Added Chinese interest in the 2008-09 race was provided by the presence among the fleet of Chinese sailor Guo Chuan.
Chuan, an accomplished ocean racer, served as Media Crew Member onboard the Chinese-Irish entry, Green Dragon, which finished fifth overall. Footage, stills and emails of his exploits contributed to a massive media reach in China.
Of the cumulative broadcast audience of 1.3 billion, China led the way in the new territories by delivering an audience of 600 million, 45 per cent of the race total.
Spectators were also lured by the fascination of the race, with the Race Village footfall in Qingdao reaching 363,700.
Other confirmed ports on the 2011-12 course include the start in Alicante, site of the Volvo Ocean Race HQ, stopovers in Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Lisbon, Lorient and the finish in Galway. The entire route will be revealed by the end of March, when details on scoring, leg lengths and other details will be confirmed.