The six entries in the Volvo Ocean Race are scheduled to set sail from Sanya in the Chinese province of Hainan this Sunday on Leg 4 of the around-the-world race. However, rough seas may force the start to be postponed since cyclone-strength winds in the South China Sea are creating waves described as mountain-like. Race insiders say the delay could cost race organizers at least $500,000, but no one wants to take any chances. The 2008/09 race faced similar conditions and lost three boats during a storm.

In the meantime, Telefonica won the in-port race in Sanya and continues to dominate the race. Read more on the official Volvo Ocean Race website.

Leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race started in Cape Town, South Africa on November 5.    A field of 6 racing yachts (one of the smallest starting fields in the races 38-year history) will complete in a series of races that will take the around the world.  The race covers more than 39,000 nautical miles, finishing in Galway, Ireland in July of 2012. 

Each yacht in the race has a crew of 11.  Many experts are saying that this is one of the most evenly-matched field of yachts that has ever competed.  Five of the six yachts are new, with only one yacht (Puma from the U.S.) from the previous race in 2008-2009 competing in the current race. 

The race consists of 9 legs that will take the competitors to Abu Dhabi, China, New Zealand, Brazil, Florida, Portugal, France and Ireland.

Find out more about Volvo Ocean Race 2011 – 2012 on the official race website.

The captain and crew of the Volvo Open 70 yacht “Mar Mostro” visited Miami this week in preparation for the upcoming 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race.  The 39,000-mile race kicks off in Spain this October and will finish one leg in Miami the following May.  The “Mar Mostro” is the only American entry in the around-the-world race and Miami is the only North American stop.  Captain Ken Read and his crew of 10 were in Miami for a shakedown cruise in their new Puma-sponsored yacht. 

See the first day sail of “Mar Mostro” in this YouTube video.  You can find out more about the race on the Volvo Ocean Race website.

Miami will once again play an important role in the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race when it hosts the start of the transatlantic leg from the U.S. East Coast to Lisbon. The race fleet will travel to Miami from the Brazilian port of Itajai. Miami beat out stiff competition from other U.S. ports to win its bid to participate in the race, winning back the stopover position that it last hosted in 2001-02. This will be the 5th time since 1989 that Miami has served as a stopover for the Whitbread / Volvo event. Find out more on the Volvo Ocean Race website.

This popular YouTube video shows some thrilling highlights from the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09:

This “Everest of Sailing” competition is held once every three years. The race traverses over 37,000 nautical miles over a period of nine months. For more details, see this post onThe Volvo Ocean Race: Life at the Extreme.