Volvo Ocean Race

In the battle of waterfront towns, Newport, R.I., has beaten Baltimore for the right to host the only U.S. stopover of the around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race in 2015. Volvo race CEO Knut Frostad and other officials were on their way to Providence for a Tuesday afternoon news conference at the Rhode Island State House. State officials have promised to spend more than $3 million to build a legacy sailing facility for the visit. Ocean Racing USA, the Baltimore bidder, and other officials were informed of the decision in a conference call Friday.

Volvo Ocean Race organizers wanted to come to Baltimore in May 2015 as part of their 'round-the-world competition but had one request: Could it share the spotlight with the Preakness Stakes or bump the Triple Crown horse race to another date? The city said thanks, but no way. So Tuesday, the only U.S. stopover of the Volvo went instead to Newport, R.I. "We were shocked," said Robert Housman, executive director of Ocean Racing USA, the Baltimore bidder. "It would be discouraging to work hard on something and lose, but clearly they moved the finish line.

Volvo Ocean Race officials will visit Baltimore on Monday to evaluate a bid to host the only U.S. stop of the 2014-2015 edition of the round-the-world contest known as the Super Bowl of sailing. Volvo officials are expected to begin announcing the ports along the route next week. Announcements will continue into February. "I really believe we're going to win this thing," said Rob Housman, an executive director of Ocean Racing USA, the private-sector bidder. "The success of Sailabration last summer shows Baltimore knows how to do fantastic water events.

Volvo Ocean Race officials were whisked to the top of the World Trade Center, honored as guests at a reception and squired to the grassy expanse of Fort McHenry during a 24-hour courtship meant to seal the deal to make Baltimore the event's only U.S. port of call in 2015. "I think they wanted validation on some things, and I think we delivered," Terry Hasseltine, executive director of the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing, said Tuesday of the previous day's visit. "We had an open dialogue, and I think it was conveyed to them loud and clear that we have a dynamic team in place.

The Chesapeake Bay became the center of the sailing world as a pack of Volvo Open 70 yachts sailed up from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore in Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race. After stopovers in Baltimore and Annapolis, which included maintenance, racing and a festival, the boats started the next leg of the race Sunday, heading off to New York. Thousands watched the departure from boats lining the race route and from the Bay Bridge, where the Bay Bridge Walk coincided with the restart. After New York, the racers are scheduled to head across the Atlantic Ocean to Portsmouth, England, in Leg 7 of the race.

Canceled three times in the past five years, the Bay Bridge Walk is on again and will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday. This year's walk across the 4.3-mile span should have even more spectacular views because it will coincide with the restart of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. The seven 70-foot yachts will round a buoy just south of the bridge before leaving the Chesapeake Bay on their way to New York. "This is a wonderful opportunity for Maryland's citizens and visitors to cross one of the world's most scenic over-water structures while enjoying the view of the Chesapeake Bay and the action of the Volvo Ocean Race," Trent M. Kittleman, executive secretary of the Maryland Transportation Authority, said in a statement.

Gregory H. Barnhill, a career investment banker who embraced and promoted hundreds of civic projects and charities, ended his life Friday evening in Baltimore County. He was 59 and lived in Stevenson. "Greg was a very good citizen who always believed in giving back," said former Rep. Helen Delich Bentley, a friend. "He was always one of the businessmen to be counted upon in any activity beneficial to Baltimore or to the state. " Mr. Barnhill spent much of his early career with the old Alex.

Baltimore is nearly a lock to again play host to what is now called the Volvo Ocean Race, Round the World, but if the world's top racing yachts return in 2002, chances are they won't stop in Annapolis, according to sources close to the event.The two stops so close together proved tiring and costly for the racers. Each syndicate spent tens of thousands of dollars in logistical costs -- for such things as moving supplies and equipment -- to make the second stop in Annapolis. Baltimore's Inner Harbor would be the preferred location because of its ability to handle crowds and because of intense media attention, one official said.

ESPN commentator Gary Jobson gives his take on the evolution of the Volvo Ocean Race. PG 5B

Look what the Volvo Ocean Race blew in. Grammy Award-winning soul newcomer John Legend will perform Sunday night at 7:30 at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St. Legend's appearance was to have been closed to the public as part of the prize ceremony for the Volvo Ocean Race, which has paused in Baltimore and Annapolis through May 7. But now tickets - a limited number of them anyway, at $100 a pop - have been made available for the show and a reception...

Volvo Ocean Race officials will visit Baltimore on Monday to evaluate a bid to host the only U.S. stop of the 2014-2015 edition of the round-the-world contest known as the Super Bowl of sailing. Volvo officials are expected to begin announcing the ports along the route next week. Announcements will continue into February. "I really believe we're going to win this thing," said Rob Housman, an executive director of Ocean Racing USA, the private-sector bidder. "The success of Sailabration last summer shows Baltimore knows how to do fantastic water events.

Gregory H. Barnhill, a career investment banker who embraced and promoted hundreds of civic projects and charities, ended his life Friday evening in Baltimore County. He was 59 and lived in Stevenson. "Greg was a very good citizen who always believed in giving back," said former Rep. Helen Delich Bentley, a friend. "He was always one of the businessmen to be counted upon in any activity beneficial to Baltimore or to the state. " Mr. Barnhill spent much of his early career with the old Alex.

The Annapolis-based National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame will induct the following nine people Oct. 14 in an invitiation-only event at the Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans: navigator Stan Honey (Palo Alto, Calif.), winner of the 2006 Volvo Ocean Race as well as the 2010 Trophée Jules Verne for fastest nonstop circumnavigation of the globe; yacht designer Bruce Kirby (Rowayton, Conn.); 1988 Soling Olympic silver medalist, winning Volvo Ocean Race skipper and America's Cup tactician John Kostecki (Reno, Nev.)

The next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race has its first entry. Ericsson Racing Team, which finished fifth in the seven-boat competition that ended in June, announced yesterday that it will be at the starting line in Alicante, Spain, in the fall of 2008. Race organizers have decided to shorten the down time between the around-the-world competition from four years to three years. The Ericsson venture will again be managed by Atlant Ocean Racing, which managed the Disney-backed boat Pirates of the Caribbean in the last race.

Hours before the first of the multimillion-dollar yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race crossed the finish line in Goteborg, Sweden, yesterday, seven months and five days after they started, race organizers removed any doubt about the competition's future. Not only will there be another global circumnavigation, but it will also return in three years, a break in the traditional four-year cycle, and include new ports of call. "This is an exciting time in the long and proud history of the Volvo Ocean Race," said Glenn Bourke, chief executive of the race, as he unveiled the outline for a bigger, bolder competition.

Barbaro archive Coverage of recovering racehorse Barbaro. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/barbaro Those Fantasy Guys Postings by Dave Alexander and Sheil Kapadia. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/fantasy Volvo Ocean Race Follow the around-the-world sailing race. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/volvorace High school photos Readers can upload digital images from high school games. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/hsphotos Golf guide A duffer's guide to area courses. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/golfguide

Volvo Ocean Race Follow the around-the-world sailing race. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/volvorace High school photos Readers can upload digital images from high school games. Go to www.baltimoresun.com/hsphotos

The Chesapeake Bay became the center of the sailing world as a pack of Volvo Open 70 yachts sailed up from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore in Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race. After stopovers in Baltimore and Annapolis, which included maintenance, racing and a festival, the boats started the next leg of the race Sunday, heading off to New York. Thousands watched the departure from boats lining the race route and from the Bay Bridge, where the Bay Bridge Walk coincided with the restart. After New York, the racers are scheduled to head across the Atlantic Ocean to Portsmouth, England, in Leg 7 of the race.