With the race yachts and competing crews arriving daily, all’s now set for the Ocean Globe Race (OGR) pre-start festivities in the Race Village at MDL’s Ocean Village Marina in Southampton.
And there’s something for everyone – sailor or non-sailor, old and young, celebrating all things nautical.
First up is the official opening of the Race Village by the Lord Mayor of Southampton on Tuesday 29 August at 11am, with race crews, press and public all invited to cheer on as the ribbon is cut.
Inspiring future volunteers and offering a little friendly competition, younger visitors to the Race Village can take part in the ‘Ready, Steady, Crew’ game to kit up like RNLI crew as quickly as possible, with the child who kits up the quickest being crowned the winner and receiving a fabulous prize from the RNLI shop.
The RNLI Water Safety Education Team will be in the Race Village on the 29th August, 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th September promoting its ‘Float to Live’ campaign conducting lifejacket checks and highlighting all the different technologies available to call for help.
On the Race Village’s jumbotron (massive display screen), there will be screenings of sailing films and documentaries, including footage of previous Whitbread Round the World Races and Tracy Edwards’ movie Maiden (3rd September 3pm).
The story of a 24-year-old cook on charter boats becoming the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.
Visitors to the Race Village can take a tour of the pontoons and get up close to the international fleet of the 47-68ft yachts as they make their final preparations for the 27,000 nautical mile challenge ahead.
Tours will take place every day from 29th August between 1pm and 5pm
Ocean Globe Race start
Tickets to watch the start and say bon voyage to the 14 Ocean Globe Race crews onboard the historic steamship Shieldhall have now sold out, but you could still win a pair of tickets at the Captains’ Dinner Charity auction, taking place on 1st September.
The winning bidder will join friends and family of the crews onboard for a late breakfast at 11.00, before watching the Ocean Globe Race fleet cross the line as Sir Chay Blyth starts the race from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron.
However, no one need miss out on the excitement of the start as MDL will be live streaming to the jumbotron in the Race Village, capturing the yachts as they depart Ocean Village Marina, start to sound of the cannon and race the first few miles towards the Needles.
For more information on the Ocean Globe Race, or to register for free tickets to the Race Village visit https://www.mdlmarinas.co.uk/ogr23/
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