Like a junior high school romance that you learn has ended when she walks past you to sit at someone else's lunch table, Chesapeake Bay sailors learned last week that they had been spurned by Volvo Ocean Race organizers when a press conference unfolded in Boston at which a new American entry (sponsored by Boston-based PUMA) and a new American stopover (Boston) were showcased.
After three successful runs at the Whitbread/Volvo, Baltimore and Annapolis are out. It is good for these events to move around. It makes sense to spread the wealth. We've had a good run. Some of us close to the the scene could sense a strained relationship between race brass and Chesapeake stopover organziers leading up to and during the 2006 stopover. The very public cutting out of Gary Jobson from official roles was the most obvious "dis" by race HQ but behind-the-scenes the whole vibe was strange throughout the event; from the patched together New York "pitstop" to the lack of communication since the end of the 05-06 contest, most of us saw this Boston thing coming.
In reality, many of us were pleasently surprised when the Whitbread came to Baltimore and Annapolis back in 1997. It was not the sort of thing we ever thought we'd see here. Hard work by some visionary promoters, led by Jobson, pushed us to a spot we never saw ourselves in. A competitive and beloved local boat, Chessie Racing, funded and led by Bay sailor George Collins, certainly tipped the scales. It was awesome. Two very successful stopovers have been hosted since then. It was a great run--great for business, great for visibility, and great for local sailors. We are thankful for the opportunity. The race is evolving. We wish all concerned the best of luck.
Reaction to the Boston announcement as published in The Capital and The Baltimore Sun:
"At the end of the day, these stopover ports are syndicate-driven and Boston has an entry in the next race."
-Lee Tawney, Ocean Race Chesapeake
"We're actually their best market. We are the No. 1 market and had always been, so it is as it is. They want to try to pick up markets north of here, but we are the center where the spirit is and the sailing center."
-Ellen Moyer, Mayor of Annapolis
"We certainly made it clear to the Volvo folks that we would be delighted to host the race again. "We have heard nothing from Glenn or his people since then."
-Lee Tawney, Ocean Race Chesapeake
"They sell cars and if they believe they have saturated this market and need to move somewhere else, that's their strategy. It really has little to do with us as a sailing mecca, just with where they want to extend their reach."
-Ellen Moyer, Mayor of Annapolis
"The Whitbread/Volvo had a great run here in Annapolis. It was a huge effort to host this event and everyone who played a role should be proud. It is the nature of these events to move around to different locales. PUMA pushed hard to have the stopover in Boston, where it is headquartered. Obviously, the fact PUMA is sponsoring a competing syndicate gave Boston a big edge."
-Gary Jobson
"I don't think there is any question that Baltimore-Annapolis has been a monumental success as a host port for the Volvo Ocean Race. By any measure, this region has done a wonderful job."
-Gary Jobson
"Ultimately, it is healthy for these types of major events to move around and expand their audience. Baltimore can't host the NCAA lacrosse championships every year even though the crowds are always great. This is a similar situation. This is a resilient sailing town and will move on to the next exciting event."
-Dave Gendell, SpinSheet Magazine
"I don't blame them. It's a global event and you got to keep it fresh. (Annapolis) has so much sailing and so many wonderful events, it was great having them here, but you have to go to different places to keep it interesting."
-Dick Franyo, Ocean Race Chesapeake
"I'm not surprised. The boats determine the race course. Given all the things we did right, we just didn't have that one element."
-Greg Barnhill, Ocean Race Chesapeake
"It is unfortunate, but it's not easy to find a sponsor with $20 million."
-Hannah Byron, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
"We're disappointed, but we're glad to have had it for three years. It is an economic loss for the city and state, but maybe someday it will come back."
-Tracy Baskerville, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts
Linkage:
The (Annapolis) Capital story
Baltimore Sun story (published as an "Exclusive" nearly 24 hours after The Capital broke the news)
The (Annapolis) Capital editorial
The Storm Trysail Club's Chesapeake Station and the Team Tsunami program have joined forces in Annapolis where they are campaigning a pair of J/105s in Wednesday Night and weekend racing. The program is open to junior sailors for free and young sailors are encouraged to apply for a spot. 
