Boom times ahoy for port of call

Auckland expects economic spinoffs from hosting the Volvo Ocean Race - and a lot of partying, as ROBIN BAILEY writes.

The first Whitbread ocean race in 1973-74 bypassed Auckland, with the fleet sailing from Cape Town to Sydney and on to Rio de Janeiro. That never happened again and every four years since we have provided what the sailors have voted the greatest stopover for the world's premier ocean race.

Auckland becomes party town, with thousands turning out to welcome the yachts into port, no matter what the time or conditions. Remember the huge crowd at Princes Wharf to cheer the arrival of the French mailmen aboard the tiny La Poste days after the rest of the fleet?

We will be doing it again in January when the Volvo Ocean Race comes to town. And we will be doing it in the Viaduct Village, designed for just this sort of occasion and unequalled anywhere in the world.

And this time there should be no stragglers. The fleet is all high-performance and the sailors are the world's best.

In the past, adventurers sailed boats like Burton Cutter in 1973-74, Great Britain II in 73-74 and again in 77-78, and the legendary Flyer in 77-78 and 81-82. Even our own Ceramco (81-82), Lion New Zealand (85-86) and Fisher & Paykel (89-90) were yachts that included most creature comforts.

Not so today's VOR fleet. They are sailing greyhounds and experts predict the leg to Auckland will see them arriving in the harbour within minutes and hours of each other rather than the days that separated boats in past events. This means more time in port for the sailors to celebrate and for their support teams to get the yachts ready for the tough leg around Cape Horn.

As with the America's Cup, the economic impact of the VOR stopover is expected to be wide-ranging, due to the spending of international visitors, spectators, media and the syndicates.

The eight syndicates will be based in the Viaduct area throughout January, each with up to 30 shore and sailing crew providing a boost for hotels and restaurants, as well as our marine supply and service industry.

A number of the syndicates will provide corporate hospitality and host public exhibitions during the stopover. SEB, a Scandinavian bank, is bringing a purpose-built marquee valued at $1.5 million to host 60 of its most important clients during the Auckland stopover. The money spent by this group alone is estimated to be around $500,000.

SEB will bring construction and maintenance crew with them, as will the Volvo company. Some of the other syndicates will also have exhibition and hospitality marquees in the Viaduct.

Team Tyco syndicate is hosting the company's Global Chairman's Council while in Auckland which will bring 700 delegates into the city not directly associated with yachting.

Victoria Carter, chair of the Auckland City Council's city attractions committee, says these 700 people were expected to spend on average $500 a day, which would mean $2.45 million spent on their week-long stay.

"The economic benefit of the race goes far beyond the immediate spin-off for the hospitality and accommodation sectors," she said. "Three of the VO-60 yachts were built at Cooksons Boats in Auckland, each costing between $3.5 and $4 million and taking between 15 and 20 people six months to build."

In addition to the considerable economic activity generated by the syndicates, Volvo Event Management, the Volvo Ocean Race organisers, will have a contingent of between 30 and 35 support people in Auckland. Granada Television will also be in Auckland throughout the stopover, producing three half-hour documentaries using local production facilities.

Volvo Auckland manager John Snaith says the company aims to create a global audience for the event beyond the sailing community.

At the VOR Viaduct Village the company will have, among other interactive displays, a cut-away replica of a VO 60. Visitors will be able to try the spartan bunk beds, use on-board equipment and experience being at the helm of a high-performance yacht.

Snaith says the New Zealand company Virtual Spectator would also benefit from the race.

The Dunedin computer graphics company has signed a partnership agreement with Volvo Event Management to provide website-based coverage of the race. For the first time their imagery will include audio content, with regular commentary from each syndicate.

All of which adds up to a vastly different race from the first Whitbreads. Only the partying will be the same.