Marcus Hutchinson is new race Communications Director

Hutchinson has a wealth of experience in the yacht racing event management

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business and in the media and communications sector. Events include the
1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, several single-handed transatlantic races, the
last four America¹s Cups and most recently the exciting MedCup Circuit.

He joins the Volvo Ocean Race team at short notice but is fully prepared to
face the challenges ahead and is looking forward to leading the
Communications Department of the most prestigious round-the-world race.

³This role was offered to me at very short notice and it is with great
anticipation that I enter into the world of this legendary event, one that I
have admired and watched from the outside as a sailing fan since the very
first Whitbread Race back in 1973,² commented Hutchinson.

³I believe there are huge opportunities for the profile of sailing to grow
in the future. The Volvo Ocean Race is one of the flagship events that can
transmit sailing¹s positive messages and values to a global audience. This
is due in no small part to the legitimate and exciting sports story, coupled
with the use of some of the most amazing cutting edge communications
technology. I¹m really excited to be able to play a small part in that
process.²

Reg Gratton is leaving the Volvo Ocean Race team for personal reasons, but
wishes the race and its competitors the best of luck in the future months.

Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race believes the Communications team
is in good hands with Hutchinson at the helm. ³I have known Marcus a long
time and I think he will be a great addition to our team and will give us
some great insight from the America¹s Cup world. I am looking forward to
working with him.

³Reg is a highly experienced and respected sport media manager and it is
with great sadness he is leaving us. We wish him well in his future
endeavours. He will be missed.²

The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will be the 10th running of this ocean
marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain, on 4 October 2008, it will, for
the first time, take in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before
finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the history of the
race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, visiting 11 ports over nine
months, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world¹s premier ocean yacht race for
professional racing crews.