COUNTDOWN TO START OF THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2005-06
08 November 2005 - Volvo Cars

Save The Albatross Campaign adopted by the Volvo Ocean Race.

There are only a few days left on the countdown to the 12 November and the official start of the next 31,250 nautical mile, round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06. This is also the deadline for entries to win a trip to take part in the Volvo X-Sea challenge at the race''s first stopover in Cape Town, South Africa in December.

12/11/05: Deadline for entries to win place in Volvo X-Sea Challenge in Cape Town.
12/11/05: Start of the next 31,250 nautical mile round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race.

Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06

The Volvo Ocean Race is Volvo''s flagship sailing event, consisting of a high-speed 31,250 nautical mile yacht race across four of the world''s oceans, pitting the best of the best against each other, and the ocean. There is a virtual spectator feature, plus full details of the race, the teams and the boats competing available from the dedicated website www.volvooceanrace.org, which will be regularly updated with full reports and footage as the race progresses.

Each crew has been in training for many months, not only to be in peak physical fitness and to work together as a team during weeks at sea in some of the toughest conditions possible; but the teams also had to make sure one other essential part of their safety preparation is completed – ensuring two crew members per boat undergo medical training to be able to cope with any accidents while at sea. This involved practising on actors, each other and pieces of meat as they learned to cope with broken bones, hypothermia and sewing wounds.

All crews will sail in boats built to an identical set of rules. The ''Volvo Open 70s'' are 21 days quicker round the world than the previous model – the ''Volvo Ocean 60'' – used in the last race, and the Spanish ''movistar'' team recently set a 24 hour record in training by covering 530 miles at an average speed of 22.09 knots, and achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The pre-race tension will really start to mount this weekend (5 November) when the seven boats go head to head for the first time during the first in-port race in Sanxenxo, Galicia, Spain. The Volvo Ocean Race officially sets off from the neighbouring port of Vigo the following Saturday, 12 November. The teams compete fiercely against each other throughout the nine legs of the race from the start in Spain to Cape Town, Melbourne, Wellington, Rio de Janeiro, Baltimore, New York, Portsmouth, and Rotterdam before finishing in Gothenburg in June 2006.

Volvo X-Sea Challenge

There is still time before the 12 November deadline to complete an entry form to win a place on the Volvo X-Sea Challenge in Cape Town in South Africa.

Three lucky winners will win a four day trip to South Africa, plus places in the Volvo X-Sea Challenge to participate in the pentathlon of events, such as sailing, kayaking, jet-skiing and lobster catching, as part of 10 teams of winners from all over the world.

The trip also includes a VIP visit to the Volvo Ocean Race harbour to see the in-port race and meet some of the teams during their first stopover.

Each winner can bring a partner or guest, and must be available to fly from London on 30 December 2005, returning from Cape Town on 3 January 2006. Entry forms, full details of the trip, plus terms and conditions are available from the website:

www.volvocars.co.uk/campaigns/XSeaChallenge/default.htm

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