Teams will spend one week in the
Inner Harbor area of "Charm City" and then move to Annapolis
for two days before restarting the race on under the Chesapeake
Bay Bridge.
"Constellation Energy is thrilled
to be the title sponsor of the Volvo Ocean Race U.S.- stopover
and is equally proud of its role in helping to bring this prestigious
sailing event back to Maryland," said Mike Wallace, president
of Constellation Generation Group and a board member of Ocean
Race Chesapeake. "Constellation Energy is justifiably proud
of its long and rich history of community involvement and this
race provides a significant economic stimulus for the region,
positioning Baltimore and Annapolis on the center stage of international
sailing circles.
"Additionally, the competition's
return also will result in tremendous educational benefits. Grade
school students throughout the region will participate in an innovative
program where they will chart the progress of the sailors and
their boats during the entire voyage. A web-based portal also
will be created allowing the children and their families to increase
their understanding of the dynamics of sailing, wind, the oceans
and bay. This will no doubt prove to be a wonderful experience
for all involved."
Joining Ocean Race Chesapeake in
the development of this education program will be the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Consortium
of Oceanographic Research and Education, the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
"The Volvo Ocean Race will
once again focus the international sailing community squarely
on Baltimore and Annapolis," said Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich,
Jr. "The State of Maryland has a long and rich maritime heritage,
a fact which is a great source of pride for all of us. We're very
pleased that Constellation Energy has made the Volvo Ocean Race
such a high priority and for ensuring that this spectacular event
returns to our region. The race will not only focus a great deal
of media attention on our region, it also promises to have an
immensely positive economic and educational impact well beyond
the docks in both Baltimore and Annapolis."
Preliminary estimates indicate
that the race could generate more than $50 million directly and
indirectly from the 450,000 visitors who are expected to be drawn
to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Annapolis City Dock, according
to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.
Race villages in Baltimore and Annapolis will be focal points
for hospitality activities.
"Baltimore is absolutely thrilled
to play host to this prestigious sailing event and is grateful
that Constellation Energy played such a key role in bringing this
race back to our city - the only North American destination stop
for the 2006 competition," said Mayor Martin O'Malley. "The
company has once again stepped forward and demonstrated its leadership
by example."
The race will begin with an in-port
race from Sanxenxo in Galicia, Spain on Nov. 5, 2005. The following
weekend the fleet will move down the coast to Vigo where they
will start the first offshore leg to Cape Town, South Africa.
The Baltimore-Annapolis stopover will be the fifth of eight such
destinations worldwide. The other stops are Melbourne, Australia;
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; United Kingdom; Goteborg, Sweden; and
a Baltic port still to be named.
"We are very pleased to be
bringing the event back to Baltimore-Annapolis for the third time,"
said Volvo Ocean Race Chief Executive Officer Glenn Bourke. "The
funding from Constellation Energy will enable the stopover to
be even better than on the two previous occasions and we congratulate
Ocean Race Chesapeake for securing this sponsorship."
In previous years, the Baltimore-Annapolis
stopover was a favorite among the sailing teams, whose members
were eagerly welcomed by corporate, civic and community representatives.
Local organizers plan to have even more impressive receptions
for the crews during the 2006 race.
"Constellation's $500,000
financial commitment has created a wonderful opportunity for the
private and public sectors and volunteers to join together and
get involved in what promises to be a spectacular event,"
said Gregory H. Barnhill, chairman of the board of Ocean Race
Chesapeake. "All segments of the region should pull together
to make sure that the Baltimore-Annapolis stop is the most memorable
one for the sailors, visitors and millions of sailing fans worldwide
who will no doubt be tracking the competition."
Constellation Energy Group, a Fortune
500 company based in Baltimore, is the nation's leading competitive
supplier of electricity to large commercial and industrial customers
and one of the nation's largest wholesale power sellers. Constellation
also manages fuels and energy services on behalf of energy intensive
industries and utilities. It owns and operates a diversified fleet
of power plants throughout the United States. The company delivers
electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric
Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland. During
2003, the combined revenues of the integrated energy company totaled
$9.7 billion.
