Premier Gosport Marina and its specialist boatyard Endeavour Quay have been selected to host the fleet of Volvo Ocean Race yachts, Volvo Ocean 65s in the build up to the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Gosport has been chosen as the host venue for a week of preparation prior to the race start due to its first class facilities, easy access to the Solent and deep water basin. The Volvo Ocean Race teams can also take advantage of the onshore technical facilities available to them at the marina’s specialist boatyard, Endeavour Quay.

Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard Logistics Manager, Abby Ehler said:

“The Rolex Fastnet Race will be the first time the Teams line up against each other, so it was important to accommodate the fleet together in the build up to the race.

Gosport Marina was our first choice, with its deep water, shoreside facilities and experience with hosting race yachts and events, and not least the historical significance of the harbour and the Whitbread Race, it’s the traditional home of ocean racing.”

From the 31st July to 6th August the teams competing in the 2017-18 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will be moored at Gosport Marina’s events basin which has in recent years hosted the RC44 Portsmouth Cup and The Clipper Round the World Race fleet.

Tim Newell, Manager at Premier Marinas Endeavour Quay commented:

“In the past we’ve often supported the Volvo Ocean Race teams individually here at the boatyard, but it’s great now to team up with Gosport Marina and offer the same great service to the entire fleet – it really cements Gosport’s reputation as THE town to come to for big boat events.”

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Notes:

Premier Marinas owns and operates nine South Coast marinas. In addition to Gosport Marina that includes Endeavour Quay, Premier’s other marinas are in Eastbourne, Chichester, Southsea in Langstone Harbour, Port Solent, Swanwick, Noss on Dart and Falmouth, plus the Endeavour Quay boatyard in Gosport.

With over 5,000 berths combined, Premier Marinas strives to be the finest marina operator in the UK, providing first-class boat storage services and quality boatyard facilities at all its marinas.

Premier Marinas is owned by the Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation that exists to improve health for everyone. Wellcome has a diversified investment portfolio and a long-term approach to investment, as a result of which it aims to spend around £1 billion a year supporting scientists and researchers in biomedicine, the humanities and the social sciences, and public engagement and education in these fields.