VELUX 5 Oceans Race
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This article documents a current sports-related event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. |
The VELUX 5 OCEANS Race is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed in stages. This year's race started in Bilbao, Spain, on October 22, 2006 and is in progress. Originally known as the BOC Challenge, for the title sponsor BOC Gasses, the first edition was in 1982. The race was later re-named the Around Alone; the current race is called the VELUX 5 OCEANS Race.[1]
This event is the longest race for individuals in any sport; although the course has changed over the years, the 2006 edition is planned to cover a route of 30,140 nautical miles (55,820 km).
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[edit] Overview
The BOC Challenge race was established in 1982, with main sponsorship from BOC Gasses. The race was inspired by the Golden Globe Race, which was the first single-handed round-the-world yacht race. Although the Golden Globe was a non-stop race, the BOC Challenge concept was for a single-handed round-the-world race, to be run in stages (in contrast to the Vendée Globe, which is non-stop). As the longest single-handed event in the world, it is regarded as one of sailing's ultimate challenges.[2]
The race is run every four years. The first edition was won by Philippe Jeantot, who won all four legs of the race with an overall elapsed time of just over 159 days. In 1990, the race was renamed the Around Alone; for 2006, it is known as the VELUX 5 OCEANS Race.
[edit] VELUX 5 OCEANS Race, 2006
[edit] The Skippers
| Skipper Name | Boat Name | Nationality | Boat Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernard Stamm | Cheminées Poujoulat | Switzerland | Open 60 |
| Kojiro Shiraishi | Spirit of Yukoh | Japan | Open 60 |
| Mike Golding | Ecover | Great Britain | Open 60 |
| Alex Thomson | Hugo Boss | Great Britain | Open 60 |
| Sir Robin Knox-Johnston | SAGA Insurance | Great Britain | Open 60 |
| Graham Dalton | A Southern Man-AGD | New Zealand | Open 50 |
| Unai Basurko | Pakea | Spain / Basque | Open 60 |
| Tim Troy | Margaret Anna | United States | Open 60 |
[edit] The boats
The race is open to monohull yachts conforming to the Open 50 and Open 60 class criteria. The Open classes are unrestricted in certain aspects but a box rule governs parameters such as overall length, draught, appendages and stability, as well as numerous other safety features.[3]
[edit] The course
The race takes place in stages, with the skippers having the chance to rest and refit at each stop-over point. Different staging points have been used over the years; the races prior to the 1998 event were run in four legs, and the 1998 event in five legs. The 2006 edition will have the longest stages of any edition to date, with just three legs:[4]
| From — To | Expected Start | Expected Finish | Length (nm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilbao, Spain — Fremantle, Australia | October 22, 2006 | Early December 2006 | 11,730 |
| Fremantle, Australia — Norfolk, Virginia, USA | January 7, 2007 | Mid March 2007 | 14,500 |
| Norfolk, Virginia, USA — Bilbao, Spain | April 15, 2007 | End of April 2007 | 3,910 |
The total planned length for this edition is 30,140 nautical miles (55,820 km).
[edit] Past results
[edit] The BOC Challenge, 1982
Raced over four legs; Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Rio de Janeiro — Newport. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 45-56 feet (13.7-17.1 m); and Class 2, 32-44 feet (9.7-13.4 m).
Class 1: 45 to 56 feet Philippe Jeantot Credit Agricole France 159 days Bertie Reed Altech Voortrekker South Africa 170 days Richard Broadhead Perseverance of Medina UK 192 days Neville Gosson Leda Pier One Australia 202 days Desmond Hampton Gipsy Moth V UK Wrecked Tony Lush Lady Pepperell USA Sunk Leg 2 Paul Rogers Spirit of Pentax UK Retired Leg 1 Dave White Gladiator USA Retired Leg 1 Class 2: 32 to 44 feet Yukoh Tada Koden Okera V Japan 207 days Francis Stokes Moonshine USA 209 days Richard Konkolski Nike III USA 213 days Guy Bernadin Ratso II France 221 days Dan Byrne Fantasy USA 228 days Richard McBride City of Dunedin New Zealand 264 days Jacques de Roux Skoiern III France Sunk Leg 3 Greg Coles Datsun Skyline New Zealand Retired Leg 1 Thomas Lindholm Driftwood USA Retired Leg 1
[edit] The BOC Challenge, 1986
Raced over four legs; Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Rio de Janeiro — Newport. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, from 50-60 feet (15.2-18.3 m); and Class 2, 40-50 feet (12.2-15.2 m). New safety rules were introduced for this race, including compulsory watertight bulkheads and a simple stability check.
Class 1: 50 to 60 feet Philippe Jeantot Credit Agricole France 134 days Titouan Lamazou Ecureuil France 137 days Jean-Y Terlain UAP France 146 days Guy Bernadin Biscuit Lu France 146 days John Martin Tuna Marine South Africa 147 days Ian Kiernan Triple M Australia 156 days Bertie Reed Stabilo Boss South Africa 163 days Dave White Legend Securities USA 164 days Richard McBride Kiwi Express New Zealand Retired Leg 1 John Biddlecombe ACI Crusader Australia Retired Leg 1 Warren Luhrs Thursday's Child USA Retired Leg 2 Class 2: 40 to 50 feet Mike Plant Airco Distributor USA 157 days Jean Luc van den Heede Let's Go France 161 days Harry Harkimo Belmont Finland Finland 168 days Hal Roth American Flag USA 171 days Richard Konkolski Declaration USA 172 days Pentti Salmi Colt by Rettig Finland 175 days Mark Schrader Lone Star USA 175 days John Hughes Joseph Young Canada 189 days Dick Cross Airforce USA Retired Leg 1 Eduardo Louro de Almeida Miss Global Brazil Retired Leg 1 Mac Smith Qualo USA Retired Leg 1 Takao Shimada Madonna Japan Retired Leg 1 Harry Mitchell Double Cross UK Retired Leg 3 Jacques de Roux Skoiern 1V France Lost at sea Leg 2
[edit] The BOC Challenge, 1990
The course was changed for this edition, although it was still divided into four legs: Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Punta del Este — Newport. Three classes of boat were entered: Class 1, from 50-60 feet (15.2-18.3 m); Class 2, 40-50 feet (12.2-15.2 m); and a Corinthian class.
Class 1: 50 to 60 feet Christophe Auguin Groupe Sceta France 120 days Alain Gautier Generali Concorde France 122 days Philippe Jeantot Credit Agricole IV France 129 days Mike Plant Duracell USA 132 days Kanga Birtles Jarkan Yacht Builders Australia 135 days Dave Adams Innkeeper Australia 136 days Isabelle Autissier Ecureuil Poitou Charantes France 139 days Bertie Reed Grinaker South Africa 140 days Jose de Ugarte BBV Expo '92 Spain 140 days Nando Fa Alba Regia Hungary 165 days John Martin Allied Bank South Africa Sank Leg 3 John Biddlecombe Interox Crusader Australia Retired Leg 1 Endo O'Coineen Kilcullen Éire Retired Leg 1 Class 2: 40 to 50 feet Yves Dupasquier Servant IV France 141 days Don McIntyre Buttercup Australia 153 days Josh Hall New Spirit of Ipswich UK 157 days Jack Boye Project City Kids USA 158 days Hal Roth Sebago USA 211 days Yukoh Tada Koden VIII Japan Retired Leg 2 Jane Weber Tilly Endurable USA Retired Leg 1 Corinthian class Paul Thackleberry Volcano USA 180 days Robin Davie Global Exposure UK 181 days Minoru Saito Shuten Dohji Japan 197 days William Gilmore Zafu USA Retired Leg 1 Robert Hooke Niihau 4 USA Retired Leg 3
[edit] The Around Alone, 1994
The course was again changed for this edition, although it was still divided into four legs: Charleston, South Carolina — Cape Town — Sydney — Punta del Este — Charleston. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, from 50-60 feet (15.2-18.3 m); and Class 2, 40-50 feet (12.2-15.2 m).
Class 1: 50 to 60 feet Christophe Auguin Sceta France 121 days Steve Pettengill Hunters Child USA 128 days Jean Luc van den Heede Vendee Enterprises France 129 days David Scully Coyote USA 133 days JJ Provoyeur Novell S.Africa South Africa 133 days Arnet Taylor Thursday's Child USA 200 days Josh Hall Gartmore UK Sank Leg 1 Mark Gatehouse QAB UK Retired Leg 1 Isabelle Autissier PRB France Sank Leg 2 Class 2: 40 to 50 feet Dave Adams True Blue Australia 131 days Giovanni Soldini Kodak Italy 134 days Niah Vaughan Jimroda II UK 166 days Alan Nebauer Newcastle Australia Australia 181 days Robin Davie Cornwall UK 197 days Minoru Saito Shuten Dohji II Japan 223 days Floyd Romak Cardac 88 USA Retired Leg 1 Neal Petersen Protect our Sealife South Africa Retired Leg 2 Simone Bianchetti Town of Cervia Italy Retired Leg 2 Nigel Rowe Skycatcher UK Retired Leg 3 Harry Mitchell Double Cross UK Lost at sea
[edit] The Around Alone, 1998
The course was again changed for this edition, although it was still divided into four legs: Charleston, South Carolina — Cape Town — Auckland — Punta del Este — Charleston. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, from 50-60 feet (15.2-18.3 m); and Class 2, 40-50 feet (12.2-15.2 m).
Class 1: 50 to 60 feet Giovanni Soldini Fila Italy 116 days Marc Thiercelin Somewhere France 130 days Josh Hall Gartmore UK Dismasted Leg 3 Fedor Konioukhov Modern U/Humanities Russia Retired Leg 2 Mike Golding Group 4 Securitas UK Retired Leg 2 Isabelle Autissier PRB France Sank Leg 3 Sebastian Reidl Project Amazon Canada Class 2: 40 to 50 feet Jean Paul Mouligne Cray Valley France 132 days Michael Garside Magellan Alpha UK 138 days Brad van Liew Balance Bar USA 150 days Viktor Yazykov Wind of Change Russia 168 days Neil Petersen www.nobarriers.com South Africa 195 days Minoru Saito Shuten Dohji II Japan 203 days Neil Hunter Paladin II Australia 216 days Robin Davie South Carolina USA Disqualified Leg 2 George Stricker Rapscallion III USA Retired Leg 2
[edit] The Around Alone, 2002
The course was again changed for this edition, this time spanning five legs: Newport, Rhode Island/New York — Brixham, Devon — Cape Town — Tauranga — Salvador, Brazil — Newport. Althouth the race technically started and ended in Newport, it was preceded by a "prologue race", in which the boats with crews of up to five raced to New York, to take part in Sail for America, a major sailing event marking the first anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The main Around Alone event started from New York, and finished back in Newport.
Three classes of boat were entered: Class 1, IMOCA Open 60; Class 2, IMOCA Open 50; and Class 3, IMOCA Open 40.
Class 1: IMOCA Open 60 Bernard Stamm Bobst Group Armor Lux Switzerland 49 pts 115 days Thierry Dubois Solidaires France 45 pts 118 days Simone Bianchetti Tiscali Italy 35 pts 159 days Emma Richards Pindar UK 33 pts 131 days Bruce Schwab Ocean Planet USA 30 pts 159 days Patrick Radigues Garnier Belgium Retired Leg 1 Graham Dalton Hexagon HSBC New Zealand Retired Leg 3 Class 2: IMOCA Open 50 Brad van Lieu Tommy Hilfiger USA 50 pts 148 days Tim Kent Everest Horizontal USA 44 pts 169 days John Dennis Bayer Ascensia Canada Retired Leg 2 Class 3: IMOCA Open 40 Derek Hatfield Spirit of Canada Canada 37 pts 245 days Kojiro Shiraishi Spirit of Yukoh Japan 36 pts 180 days Alan Paris BTC Velocity Bermuda 30 pts 202 days
[edit] References
- ^ VELUX 5 Oceans, the official web site
- ^ Race History, from the official web site
- ^ The Boats, from the official web site
- ^ Race Route, from the official web site
- ^ Roll of Honour (1982), from the official web site
- ^ The BOC Challenge 1982-1983 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
- ^ Roll of Honour (1986), from the official web site
- ^ The BOC Challenge 1986-1987 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
- ^ Roll of Honour (1990), from the official web site
- ^ The BOC Challenge 1990-1991 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
- ^ Roll of Honour (1994), from the official web site
- ^ The BOC Challenge 1994-1995 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
- ^ Roll of Honour (1998), from the official web site
- ^ Around Alone 1998-1999 Results, from solocircumnavigation.com
- ^ 1998-99 Around Alone Results, from Torresen Marine
- ^ Roll of Honour (2002), from the official web site
- ^ Overall results, for 2002, from Pindar's website
