NEWS

Optimism as the basis of management

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While the public is racking its brains trying to figure out how justified the current route of the Volvo Ocean Race is, which has deviated greatly from the familiar, already classic four-stage route, things are going on as usual. Despite the fact that many observers quite reasonably express doubts that both the current distance and the extremely reduced number of participants will allow to maintain interest in the regatta, maintaining it at the current level, the VOR management remains optimistic.

Their optimism is reflected in the fact that the organizing committee has recently announced a call for cities which would like to be interim ports for the regatta. And - what a peculiarity! - not only for the next, 2014-15, but also for the next, 2017-18 regatta (the race has finally switched to a three-year cycle).


What is behind this confidence in the midst of an economic crisis? Confidence that China (and its possible participation in the coming regattas is questioned by almost no one) will pull out all the stops? Probably so. And since China means Australia is almost certainly out of future regattas as a possible intermediate finish. And while this is already a shaky ground for speculation, we think Australia will almost certainly not be in future regattas. However, it's not that significant.
In fact, we interpret it this way: The Volvo Race management has heard numerous doubts about the development of the regatta and its future format and decided to give them a decent answer in time, without allowing it to grow into something more, causing direct harm to the competition and its commercial basis. Touché, as the fencers say.
And indeed, such a competition of future ports now (and for two regattas in a row!), when news of the termination of long-term sponsorship contracts with yachtsmen ceases to be anything surprising, reassures syndicates - investing in the VOR race makes sense, it will not go anywhere, new boats can be ordered and built, advertising and marketing campaigns in ports of intermediate finishes can be planned. Well, that's encouraging.

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