ON BOARD a yacht out on the high seas is where they are in their element.

But last night, the team skippers of the Volvo Ocean Race looked equally comfortable in a different mode of transport, as they made their way by trishaw to the Singapore Stopover opening ceremony at Sentosa's One Degree 15 Marina Club.

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The seven teams - Ericsson 3, Ericsson 4, Telefonica Blue, Telefonica Black, Puma, Green Dragon and Delta Lloyd - were also treated to a lion dance.

Singapore is the third stop in the 10-leg race. It is the first time that the Republic is playing host to the world's premier offshore yachting challenge.

The 37,000-nautical mile round-the-world race began in Alicante, Spain last October. The gruelling journey will end only in June, in St Petersburg, Russia.

The race features some of the world's best sailors, and the field boasts America's Cup champions and 12 Olympic medallists.

Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, the guest of honour at yesterday's ceremony, said that hosting the stopover marked another milestone for Singapore, following the successful staging of the world's first Formula One night race last September.

He added: 'We would continue to leverage on exciting signature events like this, as well as other sectors like Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions; education and in our health-care sector.'

From now till the teams depart for leg four to Qingdao, China on Jan 18, the Race Village at Sentosa Cove is open to the public for free.

Besides attractions like the Volvo Simulator and Grinding Challenge, there are daily highlights such as performances from local bands.

Volvo Ocean Race chief executive officer Knut Frostad believes the race village experience will be a hit, saying: 'One Degree 15 Marina Club is the jewel among all our stopovers.'

Since the teams arrived in Singapore on Dec 23 and 24, the stopover has provided them time off to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

But the sailors will be back to work today, when they head out to the waters off East Coast Parkway for a practice session, ahead of tomorrow's in-port race.

However, one team that will be missing is Delta Lloyd, which saw their port side keel structure break midway through leg three from Kochi, India, to Singapore.

The Singapore race marks the second in-port competition of this campaign.

Ericsson 4 bowman Phil Jameson said: 'It's been almost 100 days since the last in-port race in Alicante.

'We're looking forward to the race - it's going to be hard work though.'

lxinyi@sph.com.sg

jonwong@sph.com.sg

Additional reporting by May Chen