Volvo Ocean Race – Auckland appointments   10 Sep 2013

Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development
Volvo Ocean Race – Auckland appointments

The team responsible for delivering last year’s highly successful Volvo Ocean Race Auckland Stopover (VORAS) will again take the helm of the Auckland stopover, when the Volvo Ocean Race returns to New Zealand in March 2015.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Chairman David McConnell today announced Tom Mayo as Port Director for the 2014/15 event. Tom Mayo and the Mayo& Ltd team will manage the stopover, on behalf of ATEED.

David McConnell also named the 2014/15 VORAS local organising committee: Chairman Richard Wingfield and members Peter Dawson, Lex Henry, Andrew McKenzie and Peter Lester.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15 edition will see crews start from Alicante, Spain on 11 October 2014. On their journey around the world, they will stop over in Auckland for an extended period of up to 15 days before departing on 15 March.

David McConnell said today that Tom Mayo and his team staged a hugely successful event on behalf of ATEED in 2012. Thousands of people lined the inner Waitemata Harbour shore or took to the water to watch in-harbour races and the yachts arrive and depart, and visited the race village at the Viaduct Events Centre.

An independent economic report showed last year’s event injected $5.96 million into Auckland’s economy.

Following this success, ATEED is investing a total of $5.5 million from its Major Events Fund, and was successful in securing an additional $3 million from New Zealand Major Events – a division of the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation – into hosting the next two stopovers. The 2015 VORAS is forecast to inject $7.49 million into the Auckland economy.

David McConnell said: “I am delighted with the experience and leadership ability in the local organising committee. The appointment of three-time America’s Cup tactician and yachting commentator Peter Lester will bring unique insight, energy, and excitement to the event.”

Volvo Ocean Race CEO, Knut Frostad said the calibre of the local organising committee underpins Auckland’s professional approach to the event.

“I have said before that Auckland is the spiritual home of the round the word yacht race, with many of the world’s best sailors, boat building and design, and facilities for hosting race fleets, not to mention the fantastic public support for crews,” says Knut Frostad.

The next Auckland stopover is expected to generate approximately 18,000 new visitor nights for the region, and significant international media coverage.

Team New Zealand entered the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 with the yacht Camper.

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