Volvo Ocean Race returning to Newport in May 2018

SPECTATORS IN the Volvo Ocean Race Village watch one of the race boats leave the dock. / COURTESY VOLVO OCEAN RACE/CARMEN HIDALGO
SPECTATORS IN the Volvo Ocean Race Village watch one of the race boats leave the dock. / COURTESY VOLVO OCEAN RACE/CARMEN HIDALGO

(Updated 10:38 a.m. and 12:13 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – “It’s back!” exulted Sail Newport Executive Director Brad Read.
Word at a packed press conference at the Statehouse Friday morning of the return of the Volvo Ocean Race to Newport in May of 2018 had already seeped out, thanks to a Sail Newport magazine distributed on every seat at the event.
Like the May 5-17 stopover this past year, Newport will be the only North American stopover. Six other international stopovers are confirmed with three or four more to be announced in February or March, said Race Chief Operating Officer Tom Tauber. Gov. Gina M. Raimondo also released a study showing the $47.7 million economic impact to the state from the race.
Speaking to the crowd, Raimondo emphasized the team effort among state leaders, tourism agencies and the public and private sector that made the 2015 stopover a success.
“Rhode Island is a world class sailing destination,” Raimondo told the crowd, which included Newport Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed. “We agree … this is the best place in America for the Volvo to be.”
Touper joked about some “criticism” of this year’s race, citing the cold April weather, some traffic tie-ups and sailors who enjoyed the race so much they didn’t want to leave.
He also noted that the besides being a highly successful event from a public perspective, the business-to-business satisfaction registered a 9.7 rating out of a possible 10 from 4,800 corporate participants. Because of that, the “stunning location” at Fort Adams State Park, the natural surroundings and the “passion” of an audience exceeding 130,000 people, Newport was able to renew its stopover ahead of the typical early 2016 announcement, he said.
Three sailors from this past May’s stopover, including Charlie Enright of Team Alvimedica, attended the press conference. After, Enright said he hopes by next fall to know if he can secure some $10 million to $12 million in sponsorships that would enable him to be in the race again. Alvimedica won’t be a sponsor again, he said, because participation appeared to be “too much, too early, for a young and developing company.”
According to the study, as many as 131,346 visitors took in the international sailing race from May 5-17, with the total climbing to 147,706 when people on the water are included, according to study author Performance Research.
The stopover’s initial economic impact amounts to $32.2 million, but when the spending and re-spending of that infusion are figured in, the total impact is $47.7 million, with the addition of 353 full- or part-time jobs resulting from direct spending, the report states.
Industries benefiting from the spending were hotels, catering, additional staffing, equipment rentals and venue rentals.
The event attracted 43 percent of its audience from out of state, primarily Massachusetts, with 10 percent of visitors coming from abroad, and half of those chiefly visiting from Canada.
The Volvo Ocean Race is a 38,739 nautical mile round-the-world competition, and Newport is the seventh port to be confirmed for 2018. Dates for the fleet’s visit to Newport will be announced next year.

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