The Volvo Ocean Race began in Southampton, England on September 23, 2001.
This professionally crewed event covers 32,700 nautical miles, circumnavigating the world with the prevailing winds.
The Volvo Ocean Race takes place every four years, and is successor to the Whitbread Race which was first run in 1973 with
seventeen yachts.
A vast assortment of vessels took part in the first races, but now the fleet is built to a standard design defined as the Volvo Ocean 60 rule. Designed specifically for this race, these boats are about 64 feet (19.4m) long and have achieved an exhilarating speed of 30 knots.
The nine-leg 2001-2002 race will visit 10 ports, racing through four oceans, and will finish in Kiel, Germany in June 2002.
Each leg of the race has a point score, which is determined by how many boats are in the race. For example, if there are 10 boats competing, the boat that finishes first earns 10 points and the boat that finishes last earns only one point. The boat with the most points at the end of the race wins.
Schedule
LEG 1 (7,350 nm)
Depart Southampton 23.09.01 ETA CAPE TOWN 23.10.01
LEG 2 (6,550 nm)
Depart Cape Town 11.11.01 ETA SYDNEY 04.12.01
LEG 3 (2,050 nm)
Depart Sydney (via Hobart) 26.12.01 ETA AUCKLAND 03.01.02
LEG 4 (6,700 nm)
Depart Auckland 27.01.02 ETA RIO 19.02.02
LEG 5 (4,450 nm)
Depart Rio de Janeiro 09.03.02 ETA MIAMI 27.03.02
LEG 6 (875 nm)
Depart Miami 14.04.02 ETA BALTIMORE 17.04.02
LEG 7 (3,400 nm)
Depart Annapolis 28.04.02 ETA LA ROCHELLE 11.05.02
LEG 8 (1,075 nm)
Depart La Rochelle 25.05.02 ETA GOTEBURG 31.05.02
LEG 9 (250 nm)
Depart Goteborg 08.06.02 ETA KIEL (Finish) 09.06.02
Competitor profiles
Previous winners
