The 2005 Volvo Ocean Race will start in the Spanish port of Vigo, the first time the round-the-world yacht race will have begun outside Britain. Organizers announced that the first leg of the global dash will start from Vigo on 12 November 2005 and finish in Cape Town, South Africa.
Spain will also enter a team, which will be sponsored primarily by the Spanish telephone company Telefonica and the Galician regional government.
"The case made to us by the Galician government was so strong and persuasive that we had no hesitation in bringing our event to the region and we look forward to them providing a fantastic start to the event," said Glenn Bourke, chief executive officer of the Volvo race.
Spanish King Juan Carlos, a keen sailor, telephoned the regional minister responsible for the bid to offer his congratulations.
The only undecided venue in the nine-leg race is the port for the finish, which will be in the Baltic Sea.
The 2005 Volvo Ocean Race legs:
Leg 1: Vigo, Spain, to Cape Town, South Africa
Leg 2: Cape Town to Melbourne, Australia
Leg 3: Melbourne to New Zealand
Leg 4: New Zealand to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Leg 5: Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore, Maryland
Leg 6: Baltimore to New York
Leg 7: New York to Southampton, England;
Leg 8: Southampton to Gothenburg, Sweden;
Leg 9: Gothenburg to Baltic finish port.
MMIX
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