Volvo Ocean Race: TEAM VESTAS arrives in Newport

TEAM VESTAS arrived In Newport around 0800 EDT Friday morning.

Despite the fog and rain, an enthusiastic crowd gathered to welcome Vestas 11th Hour Racing, led by Charlie Enright (Rhode Island) and Mark Towill (Hawaii), who also co-founded the 2014-15 VOR entry TEAM ALVIMEDICA.

Newport, RI is home to both Enright and the team's co-title sponsor 11th Hour Racing. The initial partnership was announced at a VOR press conference on March 21st with great expectations to achieve "exemplary results in sport and sustainability". Departing the Boatyard facility in Lisbon, Portugal on Wednesday, April 19th, this would be the team's first sail after a one million euro update to the boat and a chance for potential crew members to prove themselves.

TEAM VESTAS will spend two weeks recharging in Newport, but plan to push the boat even harder on their transatlantic return to recreate racing conditions.

The next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race starts in October at Alicante, Spain, and again includes Newport, RI as the only stopover in the USA 8-20 May 2018.

Photos courtesy of John Lincourt.