News - 2017

13:51 Wednesday 2 Aug 2017 Sue Pelling/LCWCardiff prepares for VOR fleet

VOR fleet in action at Lendy Cowes Week today – photo Tom Gruitt/LCW

As the VOR crews enjoy a thrilling race around the Isle of Wight today during the Sevenstar Triple Crown Around the Island Race, the City of Cardiff makes plans to welcome the VOR race fleet next year.

In less than a year, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet will be visiting the UK for the first time in 12 years. Here at Lendy Cowes Week, Visit Wales, the tourism sector of the Welsh Government, is showcasing what teams and visitors to the Welsh capital can expect when they visit for the stopover next year.

The Cardiff stopover at the end of Leg 9 promises to be one to remember as teams enjoy the delights of this Welsh capital city that is so familiar with hosting high profile sporting events.

The VOR stopover in June 2018 completes a world-class sporting double for Cardiff following on from the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final at Principality Stadium.

Jon Maidment, Cardiff Stopover Director, commenting on the plans for next year said: “The 15-day stopover transatlantic leg provides us with a great opportunity to showcase the City of Cardiff and Wales. To enhance the overall event offer to increase footfall, we are developing a Cultural Entertainment programme.

“We are really excited about the fact that the stopover ties in aptly with the 2018 Welsh Government Thematic Year of the Sea, which is designed to celebrate our rich maritime heritage.”

According to Maidment the VOR race village in Cardiff is expected to attract up to 150,000 visitors during the two-week period and access to the race village will be open to all and free of charge.

Maidment concluded: “This provides Cardiff and Wales with a real opportunity to reignite its relationship with the sea, which is often overlooked.”

Phil Lawrence VOR Race Director, who is in Cowes today said the fleet is really looking forward to a grand welcome in Cardiff: “This is the first time the VOR has visited Cardiff so we are very excited about it and we know we’ll get a tremendous welcome. We are expecting big crowds, and we are expecting it to be a successful stop. The City of Cardiff engages with the events they run, and they have a lot of experience of hosting high profile sporting events like the Extreme 40s.”