Date:11/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/11/stories/2008071157482000.htm

Sport - Racing : Horse

Volvo Ocean Race at Kochi

Mumbai: The Volvo Ocean Race, described by Olympic sailors as a matter of life and death, but well worth experiencing it over a period of nine months on rough seas, will call on Cochin port and stay put there for ten days from December 3 to 13.

A joint venture of the Cochin Port Trust and the Kerala State Tourism Department, the ten-day event is going to cost Rs.25 to Rs.30 crore and is expected to attract over 25,000 tourists from India and abroad.

This is the first time in 35 years of the race history that an Indian port will be associated with the event.

The Kerala Tourism and the Cochin Port Trust expressed its inability to host the event during the Christmas week. Volvo not only agreed to advance the finish of the second leg from Cape Town to Kochi, but also offered a first time royalty exemption of 10 million Euros.

Some of the top multinationals doing business in India will be sponsoring majority of the nine yachts that are expected to start the 39,000 nautical miles race from Alicante in Spain on October 11.

The race will resume the third leg to Singapore and from there proceed to Quindao (China), Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Goteborg and Stockholm before heading to the finishing line at St. Petersburg. — Special Correspondent