Date:01/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120157970200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Get set to go to Kochi for adventure sports and more

Staff Reporter

10th Volvo Ocean Race has a stopover at Kochi from December 3 to 13

One of the yachts taking part in the 10th Volvo Ocean Race.

BANGALORE: Are you looking forward to witnessing the 10th Volvo Ocean Race, the world’s premier offshore yacht race? You can do this and more if you are a part of a two-day adventure camp which departs from Bangalore on December 12.

Bangalore-based Amazing Global Journeys has organised a two-day adventure camp that will comprise rock climbing, rappelling and hiking at Athirapalli waterfalls in Kochi. The participants can also witness the “farewell party” of the stopover of the race.

First time

The race has a stopover in India for the first time. Eight teams from different nations will stop over at Kochi from December 3 to 13 as part of the race which started in Alicante, Spain in October.

From Kochi, the teams will proceed to Singapore and the race will culminate at St. Petersburg in Russia in June 2009.

During the nine-month race, the teams will cover 40,000 nautical miles and will stop at 11 ports. Teams from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Holland, Sweden and Spain are taking part in the race.

Convenor of Amazing Global Journeys Krishna Prasad said that the stopover was jointly organised by Cochin Port Trust, Kerala Tourism and Yachting Association of India. The organisers had set up a village at BTP berth on Wellington Island. He said that over 3 million people were expected to visit to bid farewell to the teams. The 10-day stopover will feature cultural programmes, trade shows and a boating race.

Interested persons can call 080-23142988 or 9986200569, mail adventureactivity@gmail.com, or log on to www.volvooceanrace.com or www.cochinoceanrace.com