The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : City readying facilities as Volvo race begins

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Kerala - Kochi

City readying facilities as Volvo race begins

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The eight yachts participating in the Volvo Ocean Race embarked on the first leg of the race on Saturday from Alicante in Spain and are scheduled to call at the city on December 3.

With just 53 days left for the participants of one of the most gruelling and hazardous sporting events to call at Kochi, yachting enthusiasts and the Cochin Port Trust are engaged in readying a race village, marina and other facilities for the racers and guests.

An estimated one lakh domestic and foreign visitors are expected to visit the village, interact with the racers and be witness to the in-port races.

Kerala Tourism is keen to utilise the opportunity to showcase the best of the State, at a time when there is concern about a possible fall in tourist inflow due to economic recession and the hike in air-fare.

The work on the race village is on, with sponsors roping in funds.

“The race offers them a great opportunity to showcase their brands and products before high-net-worth foreigners. A 350-metre-long jetty is under construction and a marina of international standards too is coming up to berth the yachts,” said N. Ramachandran, Chairman of the Cochin Port Trust.

A 4000-sq.ft office space and 8000 sq.ft of exhibition space where multi-cuisine food courts will come up, too are getting ready.

Art and dance forms will be staged at the venue, he said. Roads in Wellingdon Island – the focal point of the Kochi stopover, are being spruced up.

Royal see-off

Thousands of people saw the competitors off at Alicante, in the presence of Spain’s King Juan Carlos.

The 10th edition of the race is the longest and most challenging ever, and includes three stopovers in Asia – Kochi, Singapore and Qingdao in China.

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