Ericsson Racing Team eerste inschrijving VOR 2008-2009

Ericsson Racing Team was confirmed today as the first official entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.

The decision to commit to the next edition of the race comes a mere three months after Ericsson finished the 2005-06 event. In doing so they join a select band of repeat entries in the race’s 33-year history.

Ericsson is the first of five entries the race organisers will announce over the coming weeks. The identity of one of those syndicates will be revealed as early as next week – an illustration that interest in the race among ocean racing competitors and their corporate partners is now at unprecedented levels.

Following the 2005-06 event, the race organizers took the decision to bring the race forward by a year – to 2008-09 – thus breaking a four-year cycle which had existed since the first race (The Whitbread Round the World Race) in 1973. The route for 2008-09 will also feature ports of call in Asia and the Middle East for the very first time.

Glenn Bourke, the CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, welcomed today’s announcement. “The confirmation of the entry from Ericsson, one of the biggest players in the world of telecommunications, so soon after the previous race, is a powerful commercial endorsement for the Volvo Ocean Race,” he said. “It is a vote of confidence in the evolution of the event and underlines our status as the world’s premier ocean race competition. Our objective in changing the race cycle from four years to three was to bring more continuity for the likes of Ericsson Racing Team and other teams.

Bron: Volvooceanrace.org, 13-09-2006;