The Hague goes from pit-stop to finish line Having hosted the Volvo Ocean Race for the first time in a short but (very) sweet pit-stop in 2014-15, this famous city in the Netherlands will host the legendary race’s finish in 2017-18.
After sailing 45,000 miles around the planet, The Hague will be the Volvo Ocean Race fleet’s final destination – and the arrival promises to be an unforgettable moment for both the sailors and thousands of spectators lining the dock.
The eyes of the sailing world will be on Scheveningen when the boats, including Dutch entries team AkzoNobel and Team Brunel, finish in the harbour after nine months of intense battling.
The Hague, an international city by the sea Like no other city in the Netherlands, The Hague offers a unique combination of city life and beach life. The Hague is home to Vermeer’s famous ‘Girl with a Pearl earring’ and the world’s largest collection of paintings by Mondrian. The city's two seaside resorts - Scheveningen and Kijkduin - boast seven miles of sandy beaches, and getting to the bustling, historic city centre only takes you fifteen minutes.
The Hague's bustling downtown area has far more to offer than the landmarks Binnenhof, Noordeinde Palace, and Peace Palace. Boutiques, cafes, concert and dance venues, galleries, flagship stores, museums and restaurants promise something to everyone who loves culture, shopping and nightlife.
The Hague is also the residence of the Dutch King, seat of the Dutch Government. 150 international organisations call The Hague home, including the International Court of Justice.
How do I get there?
Race Village: Strandweg 4, 2583 The Hague Netherlands
Air: Most flights go into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS) but check also the city's own airport Rotterdam-The Hague (RTM) Train: Den Haag Central Bus: Bus 22 runs from the beach to the centre Alternative: Do as the Dutch do, hop on a bike!
The Volvo Ocean Race will be in The Hague from 24-30 June 2018 and we’re looking for people to join our Volunteer Programme and help make the Stopover a huge success.
Registration for volunteers in The Hague is now open and you can sign up here. If you are looking for more information about becoming a volunteer, please email the volunteer management team of The Hague. We are looking forward to seeing you in The Hague in June!
Turn the Tide on Plastic win sixth place overall with final In-Port Race comeback
The final race in the 2017-18 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race would prove decisive, with Turn the Tide on Plastic moving off the bottom of the leaderboard... It took until the final In-Port Race, but Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic moved off the bottom of the race leaderboard on Saturday, after securing sixth place in the Volvo Ocean Race.
The day started with SHK/Scallywag and Turn the Tide on Plastic with equal points on the overall race leaderboard. The tie-break mechanism is the finishing position in the In-Port Race Series and there, David Witt’s Scallywags held the advantage by a three-point margin.
But if Caffari could level the score or get ahead on the In-Port Series leaderboard, then her team would lift themselves into a sixth place finish overall by winning the tie-break.
A lot of things would need to go right for Caffari, and incredibly, it all came to pass.
It didn’t look good early when Turn the Tide on Plastic was penalised for not keeping clear of team AkzoNobel on a close cross. But at the next mark rounding, Scallywag hooked onto the mark, and was stopped while the rest of the fleet sailed past.
Eventually they freed themselves from the mark, but by then they were well behind and running out of time to catch up.
The last place result for Scallywag, combined with a hard-fought fourth place finish for Turn the Tide on Plastic, means Dee Caffari’s team sit in sixth place for the first time in the race.
“We had a good race, we even took a penalty today. But we had very good boat speed, made some good calls, and thankfully there were a couple of boats between us and Scallywag,” an overjoyed Caffari said.
“It’s the best way to finish the campaign for us. We’ll all go away knowing we made some good finishes and and were able to come back. People didn’t know if we could do it, but we have, and it’s just rounded it all off to finish like this.”
That wasn’t the only scoreboard move on Saturday. Hometown hero Bouwe Bekking’s Team Brunel had a perfect start and led the race from beginning to end.
That win, combined with a third place finish on Saturday by team AkzoNobel, means the two Dutch skippers finished tied for third in the In-Port Race Series, with Team Brunel taking the tie-break for the final podium spot by virtue of a better finishing position in the final race.
“We are really happy of course, not just for ourselves but also for the Dutch public. To have us winning and team AkzoNoble come in third you can’t ask for much more than that,” Bekking said.
“It’s nice to finish racing here where I started my career sailing offshore. Very happy to finish it this way, and thankful for all the support here.”
For Bekking, the race victory puts a stamp on a career that has included eight editions of the Volvo Ocean Race. It was a fantastic day for the Dutch sailing hero to take a win.
The Brunel In-Port Race marks the last competition in this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Announcements concerning the next race can be expected shortly.
Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race Series Leaderboard - Final 1. MAPFRE – 64 points 2. Dongfeng Race Team – 56 points 3. Team Brunel – 50 points 4. team AkzoNobel – 50 points 5. Vestas 11th Hour Racing – 35 points 6. Turn the Tide on Plastic – 25 points 7. Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag – 25 points
Volvo Ocean Race Overall Points Leaderboard - Final 1. Dongfeng Race Team – 73 points 2. MAPFRE – 70 points 3. Team Brunel – 69 points 4. team AkzoNobel – 59 points 5. Vestas 11th Hour Racing – 39 points 6. Turn the Tide on Plastic – 32 points * 7. SHK / Scallywag – 32 points *
Should there be a tie on the Overall Race Leaderboard at the end of the offshore legs, the In-Port Race Series standings will be used to break the tie. ** Should there be a tie on the In-Port Race Series leaderboard, the tie will be broken in favour of the team with the better result in the final race.
The Brunel In-Port Race The Hague ...in 125 seconds | Volvo Ocean Race
