The Volvo Ocean Race Sails into Newport

Team Alvimedica sails into Newport this month.

Since this October, Bristol native and team Alvimedica skipper Charlie Enright and crew have been sailing across the world’s oceans as the youngest team in the twelfth edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. The multi-leg circumnavigation race totals nearly 40,000 nautical miles and takes nine months to complete.

From May 5 to 17, the teams will be in Newport for the only North American stopover on their way to the next port in Lisbon. This is New Englanders’ chance to celebrate with the home team, Alvimedica, by participating in events and activities planned for the whole family at Fort Adams State Park. “Pulling into Newport will be something special,” says thirty-year-old Enright, who is expecting his first child with his wife, Meris. The couple live in Bristol and met while students at Brown University. “It’s the best sailor’s town in the world. I’ve done a lot of racing there and have a lot of friends who’ll be there rooting for us. I’m really looking forward to that moment.”

Four of the nine crew members have ties to Rhode Island, including twenty-six-year-old Mark Towill who graduated from Brown University in 2011; Nick Dana, twenty-nine, who grew up in Newport, and whose family owns and runs Newport Shipyard; and thirty-year-old Armory Ross of Newport, who is the onboard reporter documenting the around-the-world ocean endeavor in blogs and photos.

"Being an American and sailing for the hometown team means a lot to me,” says Dana. “This team has a nice mix of young Americans. We’re all familiar with each other from town, and we’ll all be proud to sail into Newport.”

Visitors to Newport will see the vessels up close at the pier, experience two concerts on May 9 and 14, and enjoy afternoon dock parties with live music. Lots of family-friendly activities are planned like a pancake breakfast, a NewportFILM screening and free sailing tours of Newport Harbor provided by Sail Newport. volvooceanracenewport.com