Gigant International races around the world – Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015
One week ago, team Abu Dhabi won the first leg in Cape Town, South-Africa, of the famous Volvo Ocean Race. The race, which started a month ago in Alicante, Spain, consists out of 9 legs between 11 different ports in different countries all around the world. Started in October, the 7 teams will cover 38,739 miles in their fast Volvo Ocean 65foot (19.8-meters) monohull racing yachts, which incorporate the latest video, satellite and content production facilities. Different than the earlier editions, the Volvo Ocean Race has implemented some revolutionary changes: all teams get the exact same boat (strictly one-design and delivered “ready to sail”) with equal features so that the crew and the tactics of every team will be decisive!
The race is more exciting due to the tiny differences between the teams, but the organisation has also added another important aspect for all visitors worldwide, namely The Experience! Whether you are in Alicante, Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, Itajai, Newport, Lisbon, Lorient, the Hague or Gothenburg: you can discover by yourself where the Volvo Ocean Race stands for. In the Race Village, which is build up in every port, millions of visitors are being entertained and get insight in this unique race.
Gigant International started at the end of 2013, on behalf of the Volvo Ocean Race, with the first preparations to develop several constructions for the Race Villages all over the world. We work with 2 different sets, since not all ports can be supplied by the same set. More than 130 40ft containers full of materials are being shipped per set for one village to create a unique experience for the visitors of these Race Villages.
Amongst other things, more than 20 ‘high-end’ Team/Area Towers were developed by Gigant and equipped with special aluminium panel frames with full colour banners, partly made possible by our established signing partner LENN. Normally, we transport all constructions ourselves and build them with our own crew. Though, the Volvo Ocean Race challenged us to develop constructions that were easy to assemble, light weighted and as small as possible, volume wise. Therefore, we created easy-to-build Layher constructions with corresponding manuals, “Gigant Waterbags” (flexible waterbags used as contra weight in high construction – easy to transport and fill, especially in ports near an ocean) and the easy-to-transport aluminium panel frames, so that local crew can easily build all the construction and get them ready to be transported to the next port.
Furthermore, Gigant delivered several stages for The Boatyard; the mobile workshop in the Race Village were sails and other parts of the boats can be repaired under the supervision of visitors. Also the Arrival Stage; the stage were the winners of a leg will be honoured, has been supplied by Gigant.
Gigant International is proud to provide the constructions to the Volvo Ocean Race and wishes the whole organisation and the teams good luck during the upcoming 8 months.
Photos: Ainhoa Sanchez, Ian Roman, Volvo Ocean Race
