Friday 5 October 2007, 4pm
(3am Saturday 6 October New Zealand time)

Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister

Speech at the SolOceans Solo Round the World Yacht Race
Announcement

New Zealand Ambassador’s Residence
Paris, France

4pm Friday 5 October 2007

The announcement I am making today is about which New Zealand port will host the SolOceans single-handed, round the world yacht race.

As this race begins in France, it is appropriate for its halfway staging post to be in New Zealand.

There the sailors will recuperate before setting out on their challenging second leg around Cape Horn and up through the Atlantic Ocean to France.

I’m delighted to announce that the New Zealand host port will be our capital city, Wellington. I congratulate Wellington City Council on seeing the opportunities which hosting this race presents, and coming forward with a strong proposal.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast has asked me to say that Wellington City is very much looking forward to the arrival of SolOceans.

The city has previously hosted the Volvo Ocean Race and the Global Challenge Yacht Race. It also hosts many other sporting and cultural events.

Wellington has planned exciting events to coincide with the arrival of the yachts. There will be a waterfront festival, concerts, and a civic ceremony.

Each sailor will also be welcomed as they arrive. They will find Wellington a very friendly place to have a stopover.

I congratulate Mr Yvan Griboval and his Sailing One team on the concept of this race. It combines an equal access ocean race with a platform for scientific study in isolated areas of the ocean. The extent and range of scientific and environmental support for the race is heartening.

The yachts have a scientific element. They will be able to collect data which will contribute to our knowledge of the consequences of global warming, in areas where as yet there exists too little information.

Soon the reconnaissance voyage of the race will begin and will follow the projected course set out for the race in 2009. We look forward to look forward to welcoming the reconnaissance leg in New Zealand in December.

New Zealand is proud to be associated with this initiative and we look forward to welcoming all competitors, back up support teams, and organisers to Wellington in late 2009.

Thank you.

ends

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