A return to a full Southern Ocean leg is just one of a number of changes to the course for the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race.
The total race distance has been extended from 40,000nm to 45,000nm and will include stop-overs in Lisbon, Cape Town, Auckland, Hong Kong, Itajai, Newport, Cardiff, Gothenburg and finishing in the Hague.
With Abu Dhabi withdrawing as a stop-over the course will now see boats skip the Indian Ocean and head south towards the Southern Ocean after leaving Cape Town. The course will now encourage the fleet to head south into the Southern Ocean and the Roaring Forties which were the hallmark of the original four leg course of the Whitbread Round the World Race.
Legs:
1. Alicante to Lisbon an approximate distance of 700 nm.
2. Lisbon to Cape Town leaving Fernando de Noronha Island to port an approximate distance of 7,000 nm.
3. Cape Town to Auckland leaving Cape Leeuwin to port, Kerguelen Island to starboard an approximate distance of 7,600 nm.
4. Auckland to Hong Kong an approximate distance of 5,700 nm.
5. Hong Kong to Itajai an approximate distance of 13,400 nm.
6. Itajai to Newport an approximate distance of 5,600 nm.
7. Newport to Cardiff an approximate distance of 3,300 nm.
8. Cardiff to Gothenburg leaving Wales, England and Scotland to starboard an approximate distance of 1,230 nm.
9. Gothenburg to The Hague an approximate distance of 520 nm.
