HCL to enable Information Technology that powers Volvo Ocean Race

HCL Technologies, the leading global IT services company, has been chosen as the strategic IT services provider to the Volvo Ocean Race. HCL will be responsible for developing and delivering IT solutions for the 2017-18 edition of the race around the world.

The Volvo Ocean Race held every three years witnesses the coming together of the best sailors across the world to compete in the toughest offshore challenge.

"The upcoming edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will be more digitally focused than ever before. Connecting the expected three million Race Village visitors, the 5,000 accredited journalists and our tens of millions of fans around the world is an immense task. Building the complex IT infrastructure to support this is a huge challenge, and we're confident that this partnership with HCL Technologies will allow us to provide fans, media and stakeholders with a more connected experience than ever before," said Mark Turner, CEO, Volvo Ocean Race.

The IT infrastructure being developed in collaboration with HCL will form the backbone of Volvo Ocean Race's streaming and TV production for key events such as arrivals, departures and the In-Port Race series.

HCL will support vital services, such as inter-site connectivity at the race's global stopovers, digital content delivery, mobile data centers and infrastructure with full redundancy, best-in-class Wi-Fi networks, and multimedia facilities for media centers and race offices.

HCL will provide end-to-end IT support in setting up the Race Villages in all 12 ports, enabling Volvo Ocean Race to provide a great viewing experience to its fans as they follow the boats during the eight-month ocean marathon and stopovers at host cities around the world.

"We are excited to be supporting such a momentous event in the extreme sporting calendar. The Volvo Ocean Race has become the Everest of racing; representing a life-changing experience for the crews and teams that take part," said Ashish Gupta, Corporate Vice President and Head of EMEA, HCL Technologies.

"HCL teams from around the world will come together and work tirelessly to drive a world-class, experience for the millions of race followers, who will be using the latest digital technologies to get closer than ever to the action," added Gupta.

The race will depart from Alicante, Spain, on October 22, 2017. At a projected 45,000 nautical miles, the 2017-18 race is the world's longest professional sporting event. This edition of the race features three times as many Southern Ocean miles than its previous edition. An additional ring is added to the Volvo Trophy with each edition, and the 13-ringed incarnation of the trophy awaits its 2017-18 winner.

The Volvo Ocean Race partnership furthers HCL's credentials in the sporting arena and follows the company's global engagement with Manchester United where HCL was selected as the club's official 'digital partner'.