Port in for a storm

After 10 years in the cold, the City of Sails is back on the Volvo Ocean Race map, writes Rebecca Blithe.

It's been years since Auckland has seen a riveting international yacht race. The glory days of the America's Cup defences of Sir Peter Blake and Grant Dalton racing their maxi-yachts through Rangitoto Channel and around North Head in the Whitbread Ocean Race are blown away on the salt air and foghorns.

But the Auckland stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread) gives Aucklanders the chance to rediscover why the place is known as the City of Sails.

At the helm of New Zealand's biggest sporting event for 2012 is Tom Mayo. The 34-year-old and his company, Mayo And Ltd, won the rights from Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) to manage the stopover in a port deleted from the race map for 10 years.

Speaking to The Aucklander from Sanya, China - where Emirates Team NZ's boat Camper has tacked its way into second place behind Telefonica of Spain - Mr Mayo is zealous about the atmosphere he hopes to replicate.

"It's fantastic over here. It's a brand new port. It's a tourist area and there's a sense of curiosity about it all," he says of Sanya's race village.

"When you look at the countries now involved, it's a huge honour to host the stopover. New Zealand has a right historically," he says of the port's inclusion with the likes of Abu Dhabi, Miami and Galway in Ireland.

From 12 nautical miles offshore until the six boats depart on the treacherous leg through the Southern Ocean, Mayo will be responsible for hosting the 12-day event. It's taken a full year to plan the stopover and festivities, including building team bases at Viaduct Harbour entrance and building the village that will take over the basin.

"It's a big event - it will delight and surprise a lot of people.

"It's all happening in the Waitemata Harbour. You'll be able to see it from North Head, Okahu Bay, the Chelsea sugar factory."

Included is a pro-am race and the in-port race around the downtown waterfront is scheduled for March 17.

Mayo is excited about the potential for a stellar run in home waters by Camper, led by boss Grant Dalton and skippered by Chris Nicholson.

"They're definitely going up a notch, they're a very proud team, they're going to give it everything they can. They'll leave no stone unturned."

Mayo is a former international middle distance runner and is well versed in hosting large sporting events. He was the chief executive of the 2010 World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro, the owner of Sport Art UK and official artist of the London Marathon in 2002 and 2003.

With 17 staff and around 300 volunteers (see panel), Mayo has had to liaise with a wide variety of people: "Everyone from Customs here and overseas, local businesses, international sponsors, teams and sailors. [The best part] has been dealing with so many different people from different backgrounds," he says.

The village can accommodate just over 12,000 people and is one of two identical set-ups "leapfrogged" around the world. Some 140 containers will arrive in Auckland from Abu Dhabi on February 27 from which the village will be built.

From the Quay St entrance to the Viaduct, to the west of Te Wero bridge, visitors will be able to attend free events, including a 3D cinema screening, a race documentary and take a ride that replicates sailing a Volvo Open 70 boat in extreme conditions.

While built around restaurants and bars, Mayo says there's a family focus.

A kids' fun park and a King Neptune parade are part of the daily entertainment.

Next week - the Volvo party plan