VELUX 5 OCEANS is recognised as the longest and toughest sporting event in the world – a single-handed race over five oceans in a Formula 1 racing yacht through the most extreme weather conditions on the planet.
This year, the race will be even more challenging, with fewer stops and greater distances. It starts on 17 October 2010 in La Rochelle, France and will be run in five stages, with stopovers in South Africa, New Zealand, South America and North America. The race will take the participants across five oceans, including the fearsome, ice-cold and treacherous Southern Ocean. When they cross the finishing line in La Rochelle, the participants will have sailed more than 30,000 nautical miles.
The race route:
1 - Cape Town ocean sprint:
7,500 nautical miles from La Rochelle (France) to Cape Town (South Africa)
2 - Wellington ocean sprint:
7,000 nautical miles from Cape Town (South Africa) to Wellington (New Zealand)
3 - Salvador ocean sprint:
7,400 nautical miles from Wellington (New Zealand) to Salvador (Brazil)
4- Charleston ocean sprint:
4,000 nautical miles from Salvador (Brazil) to Charleston (USA)
5 - La Rochelle ocean sprint:
3,600 nautical miles from Charleston (USA) to La Rochelle (France).
Only 126 intrepid sailors in history have completed a single-handed circumnavigation. To put that into perspective, 400 astronauts have ventured into space and more than 2,000 people have reached the summit of Mount Everest. VELUX 5 OCEANS is an event to be undertaken only by the toughest and most experienced yachtsman.