The Velux 5 Oceans Race was a round-the-world single-handed yacht race , sailed in stages , managed by Clipper Ventures since 2000. Its most recent name comes from its main sponsor Velux . Originally known as the BOC Challenge , for the title sponsor BOC , the first edition was in 1982. In the late 1990s the race was renamed the Around Alone . The 2010-11 race was the last to take place and attracted just five entries. The event has not been held since.
94-660: The race was established in 1982 as the BOC Challenge , with main sponsorship from BOC . The race was inspired by the Golden Globe Race , which was the first single-handed round-the-world yacht race . Although the Golden Globe was a non-stop race, the BOC Challenge concept was for a single-handed round-the-world race, to be run in stages (in contrast to the Vendée Globe , which is non-stop). As
188-520: A Swatch watch. Many of these watches quickly appeared on eBay . On 12 March 2007, the Linde Group divested the vacuum business known as BOC Edwards to the private investment group CCMP Capital . The BOC business activities included: When BOC was a global company, the head office of BOC was in Windlesham , a small village approximately 25 miles south-west of London . The office, built in
282-650: A municipal charter dated in Valladolid on 15 June 1300 and confirmed by King Ferdinand IV of Castile in Burgos , on 4 January 1301. Diego López established the new town on the right bank of the Nervión river , on the grounds of the elizate of Begoña and granted it the fuero of Logroño , a compilation of rights and privileges that would prove fundamental to its later development. In 1310 María Díaz I de Haro , niece of Diego López V and Lady of Biscay, grants
376-488: A hundred bombs on the city. In May 1937, the Nationalist army besieged the town. The battle lasted until 19 June of that year, when Lieutenant Colonel Putz was ordered to destroy all bridges over the estuary, and the troops of the 5th Brigade took the borough from the mountains Malmasin, Pagasarri, and Arnotegi. With the war over, Bilbao returned to its industrial development, accompanied by steady population growth. In
470-627: A joint venture called BOC-Linde Refrigeration, with Linde of Germany in 1968. It also acquired Ace Refrigeration Ltd and J. Muirhead Ltd, quick-frozen food suppliers, in 1969. With the plan of expanding into the Far East , it set up British Oxygen (Far East) Ltd, based in Tokyo . It established subsidiaries and joint ventures in Jamaica , the Netherlands , South Africa , Sweden and Spain for
564-622: A new municipal charter to the city, which extends its commercial privileges even further, transforming the city in a mandatory stop for all the trade coming from Castile towards the sea. This second charter established that the road from Orduña to Bermeo , at the time the most important trade route in the lordship, had to traverse the San Antón Bridge in Bilbao instead of the pass in Etxebarri , as it did until then. This strengthened
658-500: A number of products; which included transformers, magnetising equipment, frozen foods, stable isotopes, radioactively labelled compounds and cryogenic systems. In 1971, the company installed the largest mainframe computer in the United Kingdom , linking a network of computers throughout the country, and sold computer time to outside customers. As a result, BOC diversified into the computer business. The 1973 oil crisis led to
752-467: A peak of 433,115 inhabitants in 1982, the municipalities of the Txorierri valley were removed from Bilbao, with the corresponding loss of their population. Spanish is the most spoken language in the city, followed by the vernacular Basque language . According to the city government of Bilbao, at least 51% of the population can speak "some Basque", while 29% consider themselves to be fluent. Out of
846-579: A population of 875,552, the comarca of Greater Bilbao is the fifth-largest urban area in Spain. Bilbao is also the main urban area in what is defined as the Greater Basque region . Bilbao is located in the north-central part of Spain, some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of the Bay of Biscay , where the economic social development is located, where the estuary of Bilbao is formed. Its main urban core
940-537: A rethinking of BOC's future strategy. It divested non-strategic assets; and concentrated on its primary business, especially the gases and health care markets, and the expansion of these businesses to Europe, the Americas and the Far East. In 1975, the company became BOC International Ltd, reflecting its success in developing business outside of Britain, and in products beyond oxygen. An important part of BOC's history
1034-692: A route of 30,140 nautical miles (55,820 km). The race started in Bilbao (Spain), on October 22, 2006, and finished there. There were only two stops, in Fremantle (Australia) and Norfolk (USA). The race was open to monohull yachts conforming to the Open 50 and Open 60 class criteria. The Open classes are unrestricted in certain aspects but a box rule governs parameters such as overall length, draught, appendages and stability, as well as numerous other safety features. The race took place in stages, with
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#17327798060471128-834: A service economy, supported by investment in infrastructure and urban renewal , starting with the opening of the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum (the so-called Guggenheim effect ), and continuing with the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall , Santiago Calatrava 's Zubizuri , the metro network by Norman Foster , the tram , the Iberdrola Tower and the Zorrozaurre development plan, among others. Many officially supported associations such as Bilbao Metrópoli-30 and Bilbao Ría 2000 were created to monitor these projects. Bilbao
1222-427: A simple stability check. Results: The course was changed for this edition, although it was still divided into four legs: Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Punta del Este — Newport. Three classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 50–60 feet (15.2–18.3 m); Class 2, 40–50 feet (12.2–15.2 m); and a Corinthian class. Results: The course was again changed for this edition, although it
1316-464: Is a city in northern Spain , the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain, with a population of more than 347,000 as of 2023. The Bilbao metropolitan area has 1,037,847 inhabitants, making it the most populous metropolitan area in northern Spain; with
1410-463: Is also a drying trend in summer with only around 50 millimetres (2.0 in) of rainfall in July – but not dry enough to be considered Mediterranean. The proximity of the ocean also means that the two best defined seasons (summer and winter) remain mild, with low intensity thermal oscillations. Average maximum temperatures vary between 25 and 26 °C (77.0 and 78.8 °F) in the summer months, while
1504-535: Is also present in nearby Sestao and Ugao , that could be explained from Basque aho , "mouth". The demonym is bilbaíno, -a ", although the popular pronunciation bilbaino/a (sic) is also frequent. In Basque , it is bilbotar , which is sometimes also used in Spanish, generally within the Basque Country. The village is affectionately known by its inhabitants as the botxo meaning "hole", since it
1598-527: Is also the core of the comarca of Greater Bilbao . It is surrounded by the municipalities of Derio , Etxebarri , Galdakao , Loiu , Sondika , and Zamudio to the north; Arrigorriaga and Basauri to the west; Alonsotegi to the south; and Barakaldo and Erandio to the east. Bilbao is located on the Basque threshold , the range between the larger Cantabrian Mountains and the Pyrenees . The soil
1692-464: Is also the natural border between Bilbao and Barakaldo. The river has frequently suffered from human intervention, as seen in the dredging of its bottom, the building of docks on both banks and especially in the Deusto canal, an artificial waterway dug between 1950 and 1968 in the district of Deusto as a lateral canal , with the aim of facilitating navigation, sparing ships from the natural curves of
1786-580: Is located near the northern edge of the Iberian Peninsula , about 16 kilometres (10 mi) from the Bay of Biscay . It covers an area of 40.65 square kilometres (15.70 sq mi), of which 17.35 square kilometres (6.70 sq mi) are urban and the remaining 23.30 square kilometres (9.00 sq mi) consist of the surrounding mountains. The official average altitude is 19 metres (62 ft), although there are measurements between 6 metres (20 ft) and 32 metres (105 ft). It
1880-478: Is predominantly composed of mesozoic materials ( limestone , sandstone , and marl ) sedimented over a primitive paleozoic base. The relief of the province is dominated by NW-SE and WNW-ESE oriented folds. The main fold is the anticline of Bilbao which runs from the municipality of Elorrio to Galdames . Inside Bilbao there are two secondary folds, one in the northeast, composed of Mounts Artxanda , Avril, Banderas, Pikota, San Bernabé, and Cabras; and other in
1974-447: Is surrounded by mountains. The nickname botxero is derived from this nickname. Another nickname that Bilbao receives is that of chimbos , which comes from birds that were hunted in large numbers in these places during the 19th century. The titles, the flag and the coat of arms are Bilbao's traditional symbols and belong to its historic patrimony, being used in formal acts, for the identification and decoration of specific places or for
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#17327798060472068-459: Is surrounded by two small mountain ranges with an average elevation of 400 metres (1,300 ft). Its climate is shaped by the Bay of Biscay low-pressure systems and mild air, moderating summer temperatures by Iberian standards, with low sunshine and high rainfall. The annual temperature range is low for its latitude. After its foundation in the late 13th century by Diego López V de Haro , head of
2162-498: Is the capital of the province of Biscay and as such it is home of the administrative entities that pertain to the provincial administration, both from the autonomous and central governments. Settled in the city are the provincial delegations of the different departments of the Basque autonomous government , each coordinated by a representative. In addition, the Government of Spain has the official Government Subdelegation in
2256-567: The Basque Statistics Office , the population of Bilbao is 342,397 people as of 2017, distributed on a land area of 40.59 km (16 sq mi), making Bilbao the largest city by population of the Basque Autonomous Community and of the Basque Country as a whole. Bilbao makes the main component of the Bilbao metropolitan area , with a population of 1,037,847 people. The first credible data on
2350-464: The Basque language was edited, entitled Doctrina Christiana en Romance y Bascuence by Dr. Betolaza. In 1602 Bilbao was made the capital of Biscay , a title previously held by Bermeo . Around 1631, the city was the scenario of a series of revolts against the increased taxation on salt, which had been ordered by the Crown, an event locally known as the " Machinada of the salt". The revolt ended with
2444-655: The Church of Saint Anthony the Great was enshrined, having been built in the place of an old alcázar . Still today the church is one of the oldest extant buildings of the city. On 5 September 1483, the Queen Isabella I of Castile traveled to Bilbao to swear fealty to the fueros of Biscay . Her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon had already done so in 1476 in Gernika . On 21 June 1511, Queen Joanna of Castile ordered
2538-605: The First World War , the business increased significantly as the mass production of needed war machinery—ships, tanks and trucks—involved either metal cutting or welding. In the post-war period, it grew by acquisitions, which included Sparklets Ltd, Allen-Liversidge Ltd and the Quasi-Arc Company . During the Second World War , the gases for munitions and for medical needs were provided by BOC. As in
2632-555: The London Stock Exchange , since 2006 it has been a subsidiary of Linde plc . Brin's Oxygen Company was formed in 1886, by two French brothers, Arthur and Leon Brin. In the early years, the company manufactured oxygen using a high-temperature barium oxide process, known as the Brin process , developed from the work of French scientist Jean-Baptiste Boussingault . The main application for gaseous oxygen at that time
2726-484: The Mount Cobetas , such as Errekalde and Basurto . Starting in the 20th century it started annexing the elizates on the right bank of the river, including Begoña and Deusto . In the decade of 1960 as an effort to stop the increasing problem of slums , new neighbourhoods were created from the ground up, among them Otxarkoaga and Txurdinaga, which were joined together as a new district, Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga in
2820-623: The Third Carlist War ; in April 1874 the city suffered a third siege which lasted two months. Despite the warfare, Bilbao prospered during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when it rose as the economic centre of the Basque Country. It was during this time that the railway first arrived to the city and the Bank of Bilbao (which later would go on to become the BBVA ) was founded, as well as
2914-484: The airport terminal , the rapid transit system , the tram line , the Azkuna Zentroa , and the currently under development Abandoibarra and Zorrozaurre renewal projects. Bilbao is also home to football team Athletic Club , a significant symbol for Basque nationalism due to its promotion of only Basque players and being one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football history. On 19 May 2010,
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3008-472: The siege of Bilbao , during the First Carlist War , on 25 December 1836, the title of "Unbeaten" was added. The coat of arms is emblazoned as follows: In a silver field a bridge with two eyes, added to the church of San Antón of its colour and to its sinister two sable wolves walking and in stick, on waves of azure and silver. It has its origins in the 14th century and has remained with
3102-478: The 1940s, the city was rebuilt, starting with the bridges and by 1948, the first commercial flight took off from the local airport . Over the next decade, there was a revival of the iron industry, which became a strategic industrial sector in Spain, as a consequence of the economic model promoted by Francoism . The city received migrants from other Spanish regions looking to work in the iron industry. The demand for housing outstripped supply, and workers built slums on
3196-700: The 1980s is a fine example of modern architecture and when seen from the air resembles the shape of an oxygen molecule. This office was used by Kamkorp Group and then stood empty before being sold to Gordon Murray Automotive in February 2020. Many of the staff that was based in the Windlesham office have since moved to the BOC office in Woking and Linde plc's head office in Munich , Germany. Bilbao Bilbao
3290-565: The 20th century it was discussed in a municipal plenary session about the determination of a flag for the town. There was talk about "the use of the crimson colour of the Lordship of Biscay , or of the cross of Saint Andrew " but without reaching any resolution to the effect. Remains of an ancient settlement were found on the top of Mount Malmasín , dating from around the 3rd or 2nd century BC. Burial sites were also found on mounts Avril and Artxanda, dated 6,000 years old. Some authors identify
3384-741: The 355,731 people residing in Bilbao in 2009, only 114,220 (32.1%) were born inside the municipality. Of the remainder, 114,908 were born in other Biscayan towns, while 9,545 were born in the other two Basque provinces; 85,789 came from the rest of Spain (mainly Castile-León and Galicia ), and 33,537 were foreigners. There are 127 different nationalities registered in Bilbao, although 60 of them represent fewer than 10 people each. The largest foreign communities are Bolivians and Colombians, with 4,879 and 3,730 respectively. Other nationalities with more than 1,000 inhabitants are Romanians (2,248), Moroccans (2,058), Ecuadorians (1,832), Chinese (1,390), Brazilians (1,273) and Paraguayans, with 1,204. The city of Bilbao
3478-898: The Bilbao Stock Exchange. Steelmaking industries flourished with the creation of many new factories, including the Santa Ana de Bolueta and the Altos Hornos de Vizcaya in 1902. The city was modernised with new avenues and walkways, as well as with new modern buildings such as the City Hall building , the Basurto Hospital and the Arriaga Theatre . The population increased dramatically, from 11,000 in 1880 to 80,000 in 1900. Social movements also arose, notably Basque nationalism under Sabino Arana , which in
3572-633: The Biscayan capital since the 1990s. On 8 November 2017, Bilbao was chosen the Best European City 2018 at The Urbanism Awards 2018, awarded by the international organisation The Academy of Urbanism. The official name of the town is Bilbao, as known in most languages of the world. Euskaltzaindia , the official regulatory institution of the Basque language , has agreed that between the two possible names existing in Basque, Bilbao and Bilbo ,
3666-476: The First World War, the business grew. After the war, BOC formed subsidiaries in over twenty countries. In the 1950s, due to the increased demand for automobiles, improved methods of manufacturing steel were invented which required "tonnage" oxygen. This meant a further increase in business for BOC. BOC diversified into many industries in the 1960s and 1970s. One was the refrigeration market and it set up
3760-475: The Latin Lupus (wolf)) were added by the town council to represent the founder. Later, the fortress or castle that guarded the bridge was added and, when it was demolished in 1366, it was replaced by the temple of San Antón that was built in its place and inaugurated in 1433. The flag that represents the city is white with a red block, in a ratio of three parts long by two wide. The colours red and white are
3854-509: The Municipal Transparency Prize, awarded by the Spanish division of Transparency International . In 2009 it came second, after Sant Cugat del Vallés . The municipality is divided into eight districts (Basque: barrutia ) which are further subdivided into 34 neighbourhoods (Basque: auzoa ). Most of the districts and neighbourhoods were former independent municipalities and elizates that were eventually annexed into
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3948-638: The Nervión", "of the Ibaizabal", or "of the Nervión-Ibaizabal". The estuary runs for 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) and with a low flow (with an average of 25 m (883 cu ft) per second). Its main tributary is the river Cadagua , which rises in the Mena valley and has a basin of 642 square kilometres (248 sq mi), mostly lying in the neighbouring province of Burgos . This river
4042-693: The United States Federal Trade Commission . Following the collapse of the bid, BOC developed a new strategy to stimulate business growth in new products and markets and to reshape its existing portfolio of businesses to improve Group performance. In 2001, BOC announced it was cutting 1,500 jobs. In late 2002, the company merged its Japanese industrial and medical gas businesses with those of Air Liquide to form Japan Air Gases. BOC also acquired Praxair's operations in Poland . In November 2003, BOC announced that it would complete
4136-502: The annual total. The rainiest season is between October and April, November being the wettest. Snow is not frequent in Bilbao, although it is possible to see snow on the top of the surrounding mountains. Sleet is more frequent, about 10 days per year, mainly in the winter months. Bilbao is nearest to the subtropical boundary of all the Atlantic coastal cities in the country with an August daily mean of 20.9 °C (69.6 °F). There
4230-482: The approval of the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country in 1979, Vitoria-Gasteiz was elected the seat of the government and therefore the de facto capital of the Basque Autonomous Community , although Bilbao was larger and more powerful economically. In the 1980s, several factors such as labour demands and the arrival of cheap labour from abroad led to a devastating industrial crisis. On 26 August 1983 during
4324-400: The average minimum in winter is between 6 and 7 °C (42.8 and 44.6 °F). Extreme record observations in Bilbao are 42.9 °C (109.2 °F) maximum (on 11 August 2024) and −8.6 °C (16.5 °F) minimum (on 3 February 1963). The maximum precipitation in a day was 225.6 mm (9 in) on 26 August 1983 when severe flooding was caused by the Nervión river. According to
4418-464: The breakup of the talks, France's Air Liquide and Air Products & Chemicals made a series of cash offers to acquire the group. On 13 July 1999, the BOC board approved a pre-conditional cash offer of £14.60 per share. BOC's assets were to be divided between Air Liquide and Air Products in the US$ 11 billion deal. On 12 May 2000, the bid lapsed, following failure to reach a satisfactory agreement with
4512-418: The celebration of the local festivities known as Aste Nagusia , the estuary overflowed up to five metres in some areas due to the continuous raining, killing two people and causing important destructions in the city's infrastructure, with a total economic cost that reached 60,000 million pesetas (around €360 million) Since the mid-1990s, Bilbao has been in a process of deindustrialization and transition to
4606-439: The centre of the second-most industrialised region of Spain, behind Barcelona . At the same time an extraordinary population explosion prompted the annexation of several adjacent municipalities. Nowadays, Bilbao is a vigorous service city that is experiencing an ongoing social, economic, and aesthetic revitalisation process, started by the iconic Bilbao Guggenheim Museum , and continued by infrastructure investments, such as
4700-655: The centric Ernesto Erkoreka Plaza and by the Estuary of Bilbao . It is the fourth city hall building to have been used since the year 1300. The first three city halls were located by the San Antón Church but were destroyed due to floodings. The current building was designed by the Spanish architect Joaquín Rucoba in Baroque style and was built in the former site of the San Agustín Monastery, which
4794-664: The city during the siege of Bilbao of 1835, but he was wounded during a battle near Begoña and died some time after in the town of Zegama . The next year, the city resisted a second siege during which the liberal general Baldomero Espartero defeated the Carlists in the Battle of Luchana . The city was untouched by the Second Carlist War , which took place mostly in Catalonia , but was again an important scenario during
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#17327798060474888-614: The city of Bilbao was recognised with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize , awarded by the city state of Singapore . Considered the Nobel Prize for urbanism , it was handed out on 29 June 2010. On 7 January 2013, its mayor, Iñaki Azkuna , received the 2012 World Mayor Prize awarded every two years by the British foundation The City Mayors Foundation, in recognition of the urban transformation experienced by
4982-677: The city was under the command of Pierre Thouvenot , general of the French army and Baron of the Empire , who had become the head of the Military Government of Vizcaya , which included the three Basque provinces. Thouvenot intended to move forward with the plan of total annexation of the Basque provinces into France, but the Peninsular War and ultimately the Battle of Vitoria made those plans impossible. The Basque Country
5076-411: The city who are citizens of Spain or of any member state of the European Union . The executive branch is composed of the mayor and a board of governors. The number of members of the board cannot be more than a third the number of members of the legislative plenum and the mayor can appoint them at his or her own discretion. Since 1892 the seat of the government has been the Bilbao City Hall , located on
5170-449: The city. Bilbao is a municipality and has a mayor-council government system . The municipal government is elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage and it is divided into two branches, executive and legislative. The legislative side consists of a municipal plenum composed of 29 councillors . These councillors represent the different political parties elected in the local elections, for which can vote all residents registered in
5264-438: The city. Originally, the city of Bilbao comprised the Old Town and some houses on the left side of the estuary, today known as Bilbao la Vieja . The first expansion included the annexation of the elizate of Begoña and the river side of Uribarri . In the 19th century the merge of Abando into the city brought along small neighbourhoods of farm houses and hamlets that were clustered close to the former municipality's town hall and
5358-412: The councillors of the plenum have the following political distribution: 14 seats for the Basque Nationalist Party, 5 seats for the Socialist Party of the Basque Country, 4 seats for the EH Bildu coalition, 3 seats for Udalberri and 3 seats for the People's Party . The mayor is Juan Mari Aburto , chosen with 19 votes from the Basque Nationalist Party and the Socialist party. In 2008 and 2010, Bilbao won
5452-493: The creation of new neighbourhoods like Otxarkoaga and the motorway to the French border. In June 1968 the University of Bilbao, the first public university, was established. It would later be integrated into the University of the Basque Country . After the end of Francoist Spain and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy , in a process known in Spain as the transition , Bilbao was able to hold democratic elections again. This time Basque nationalists rose to power. With
5546-405: The creation of the Consulate of the Sea of Bilbao. This would become the most influential institution of the borough for centuries, and would claim jurisdiction over the estuary, improving its infrastructure. Under the Consulate's control, the port of Bilbao became one of the most important of the kingdom. The first printing-press was brought to the town in 1577. Here in 1596, the first book in
5640-401: The entire fauna and flora. However, in recent years this situation is being reversed, thanks to a dumping ban and natural regeneration. now it is possible to observe algae , tonguefishes , crabs, and seabirds , as well as occasional bathers in the summer months. The estuary is also a natural border for several neighbourhoods and districts within the borough. Entering the municipality from
5734-486: The estuary, rather than from the estuary itself. The first, where the present Casco Viejo is located, would be called billa , which means stacking in Basque, after the configuration of the buildings. The second, on the left bank, where now Bilbao La Vieja is located, would be called vaho , Spanish for mist or steam. From the union of these two derives the name Bilbao, which was also written as Bilvao and Biluao , as documented in its municipal charter . An -ao ending
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#17327798060475828-427: The estuary. The project was stopped with 400 metres (1,300 ft) left to complete, and it was decided to leave it as a dock. However, in 2007, a plan was approved to continue the canal and form the island of Zorrozaurre . This human intervention has also brought negative results in the quality of the water, after decades of toxic waste dumping causing a situation of anoxia (lack of oxygen), which almost eliminated
5922-422: The execution of several of its leaders. The city had seen a continuous increase of its wealth, especially after the discovery of extensive iron deposits in the surrounding mountains, and by the end of the century it managed to overcome the economic crises that affected the rest of the kingdom, thanks in part to the increased trading of wool (which now used the port of Bilbao instead of the one in Santander ), and to
6016-410: The hillsides. It was in this context that the first social movements arose and the strike of the Euskalduna shipyard in 1947 was the first one to take place during the Francoist dictatorship. In this environment of social repression, on 31 July 1959 the separatist organisation ETA was created from Basque nationalist movements. During the 1960s the city was the scenario of several urban projects, with
6110-415: The historical name is Bilbo , while Bilbao is the official name. Although the term Bilbo does not appear in old documents, in the play The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare , there is a reference to swords presumably made of Biscayan iron which he calls " bilboes ", suggesting that it is a word used since at least the sixteenth century. There is no consensus among historians about
6204-422: The historical ones of the villa. The Royal Order of 30 July 1845 determined the maritime password for the population. This was defined as a white flag with an upper red die next to the pod. The die should be square and the length of its side should equal half of the pod. Previously, at least since 1511, the banner that the Bilbao Consulate was wearing was white with a red Cross of Burgundy . The relationship of
6298-427: The iron ore and its commerce with England and the Netherlands. The French invasion of Spain saw the occupation of several Basque cities, but Bilbao was not among them. The first open uprising against Napoleonic rule took place on 6 August 1808, a month after the Battle of Bailén . French troops sieged and sacked the city, alongside the neighbouring towns of Deusto and Begoña on 16 August. Beginning in February 1810,
6392-945: The longest single-handed event in the world, it was regarded as one of sailing's ultimate challenges. The race was run every four years. The first edition was won by Philippe Jeantot , who won all four legs of the race with an overall elapsed time of just over 159 days. In 1998, the race was renamed the Around Alone ; for 2006, it is known as the Velux 5 Oceans Race. Raced over four legs; Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Rio de Janeiro — Newport. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 45–56 feet (13.7–17.1 m); and Class 2, 32–44 feet (9.7–13.4 m). Results: Raced over four legs; Newport, Rhode Island — Cape Town — Sydney — Rio de Janeiro — Newport. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 50–60 feet (15.2–18.3 m); and Class 2, 40–50 feet (12.2–15.2 m). New safety rules were introduced for this race, including compulsory watertight bulkheads and
6486-582: The old settlement of Bilbao as Amanun Portus , cited by Pliny the Elder , or with Flaviobriga , by Ptolemy . Ancient walls, which date from around the 11th century, have been discovered below the Church of San Antón . Bilbao was one of the first towns founded in the fourteenth century, during a period in which approximately three-quarters of the Biscayan cities were developed, among them Portugalete in 1323, Ondarroa in 1327, Lekeitio in 1335, and Mungia and Larrabetzu in 1376. Diego López V de Haro , then third Lord of Biscay , founded Bilbao through
6580-405: The origin of the name. Generally accepted accounts state that prior to the 12th century, the independent rulers of the territory, named Lords of Zubialdea, were also known as Lords of Bilbao la Vieja ("Old Bilbao"). The symbols of their patrimony are the tower and church used in the shield of Bilbao to this day. One possible origin was suggested by the engineer Evaristo de Churruca . He said that it
6674-428: The patent for the process. The Brin brothers negotiated an agreement to use the Linde patents. In exchange, von Linde was given a stake and a board position in Brin's Oxygen Company, which he held until 1914. The new process replaced the inefficient barium oxide process, paving the way for larger-scale and more efficient production. In 1906, the Brin brothers renamed the company the British Oxygen Company (BOC). During
6768-468: The population of Bilbao are post-1550. It is known that in 1530 Biscay had approximately 65,000 inhabitants, a number that could have been reduced by plagues that struck the city in 1517, 1530, 1564–68, and 1597–1601, the last being especially devastating. This trend for periodic reverses in population growth was maintained until the nineteenth century. Since then, Bilbao has experienced an exponential growth in population thanks to industrialisation. After
6862-522: The position of Bilbao as a trading post, in detriment of Bermeo, city which until then had acted as the main port of the territory. In addition, Bilbao was granted exclusive rights to all trade between the city and Las Arenas . In 1372, John I of Castile strengthened even more the city's position by naming Bilbao a free port and granting it special privileges concerning the trade of iron. This caused Bilbao to become an important port, particularly due to its trade with Flanders and Great Britain. In 1443
6956-482: The powerful Haro family, Bilbao was one of the commercial hubs of the Basque Country that enjoyed significant importance in the Crown of Castile . This was due to its thriving port activity based on the export of wool and iron commodities extracted from the Biscayan quarries to all over Europe . Throughout the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, Bilbao experienced heavy industrialisation, making it
7050-508: The race started in La Rochelle (France), on October 17, 2010, and finished in the same port. Stopovers were Cape Town (South Africa), Wellington (New Zealand), Punta del Este (Uruguay), and Charleston, South Carolina (USA). The sailboats were all in the "Eco 60" class (Open 60 yachts built before 1 January 2003). BOC (company) BOC Limited is a British based multinational , industrial gas company. Formerly listed on
7144-733: The race technically started and ended in Newport, it was preceded by a "prologue race", in which the boats with crews of up to five raced to New York, to take part in Sail for America , a major sailing event marking the first anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks . The main Around Alone event started from New York, and finished back in Newport. Three classes of boat were entered: Class 1, IMOCA Open 60; Class 2, IMOCA Open 50; and Class 3, IMOCA Open 40. Results: The 2006 edition covered
7238-482: The sale of Afrox Healthcare—a hospital and managed health care group operating in South Africa —to a consortium led by Black Economic Empowerment investors. The BOC's total revenues in 2005, including its share of joint ventures and associate companies, were £4.6 billion and was then the second largest industrial gas supplier in the world. Industrial gases business made up for more than 80% of sales. The group
7332-438: The same symbols since then, although its presentation has been adapted according to the destiny of the coat of arms. The durability of this shield is due to the representativeness of the symbols that appear. The navigable estuary and the stone bridge, prior to the founding of the town. The wolves, typical of the coat of arms of the founder of the town in 1300, Diego López de Haro, son of Diego Lope Díaz de Haro (Lope comes from
7426-420: The skippers having the chance to rest and refit at each stop-over point. Different staging points have been used over the years; the races prior to the 1998 event were run in four legs, and the 1998 event in five legs. The 2006 edition had the longest stages of any edition to date, with just three legs: The total length for the 2006 edition was 30,140 nautical miles (55,820 km). The 2010 edition of
7520-511: The south, composed of Mounts Kobetas, Restaleku, Pagasarri and Arraiz. The highest point in the municipality is Mount Ganeta, of 689 metres (2,260 ft), followed by Mount Pagasarri, of 673 metres (2,208 ft), both on the border with Alonsotegi. The main river system of Bilbao is also the hydrological artery of Biscay. The rivers Nervión and Ibaizabal converge in Basauri and form an estuary named variously " estuary of Bilbao ", "of
7614-733: The subsequent decades would grow to become the Basque Nationalist Party . The Spanish Civil War in Bilbao started with a number of small uprisings suppressed by the Republican forces. On 31 August 1936, the city suffered its first bombing, with a series of air bombs dropped by Nationalist airplanes. In September, the Nationalists distributed pamphlets threatening further bombing if the city did not give up, which finally took place on 25 September when German planes, in coordination with Francoist forces, dropped at least
7708-468: The town with the mercantile and marine activities was always very strong coming to share headquarters. In 1603 the new consistorial house is inaugurated and in it the headquarters of the city council and of the referred one Bilbao Consulate are located. The intimate relationship made the flag of the Consulate was related as a flag of the town by citizenship. The definition of the maritime flag in 1845
7802-466: The validation of documents. Bilbao holds the historic category of township ( villa ), with the titles of "Very noble and very loyal and unbeaten" ( Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta ). It was the Catholic Monarchs who awarded the title "Noble Town" ( Noble Villa ) on 20 September 1475. Philip III of Spain , via a letter in 1603 awarded the town the titles of "Very noble and very loyal". After
7896-429: The west it separates the districts of Begoña and Ibaiondo , then Abando and Uribarri and lastly Deusto and Basurto-Zorroza . Its proximity to the Bay of Biscay gives Bilbao an oceanic climate ( Cfb ), with precipitation occurring throughout the year and without a well-defined dry summer. Precipitation is abundant, and given the latitude and atmospheric dynamics, rainy days represent 45% and cloudy days 40% of
7990-428: Was a Basque custom to name a place after its location. For Bilbao this would be the result of the union of the Basque words for river and cove: Bil-Ibaia-Bao . The historian José Tussel Gómez argues that it is just a natural evolution of the Spanish words bello vado , beautiful ford. On the other hand, according to the writer Esteban Calle Iturrino, the name derives from the two settlements that existed on both banks of
8084-401: Was accepted and takeover was completed on 5 September 2006. After nearly a century of intermittent courtship, BOC became a part of Linde Group and the synergy overtook Air Liquide as the global market leader. On 6 September, BOC employees received a welcome pack including a letter from Linde CEO Professor Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle , a small badge representing the new logo of The Linde Group and
8178-476: Was assumed by the population, who accepted it as their own, and so did the city council. At the inauguration of the Bilbao-Miranda de Ebro railway line, it was already used as a symbol of the town's representation, being permanently adopted in 1895 although no resolution has been adopted for this purpose. Although it has always been assumed by the municipal institution and citizenship, at the beginning of
8272-590: Was destroyed during the First Carlist War . Since the Spanish transition to democracy , the city has been governed by the Basque Nationalist Party , often with support of the Socialist Party of the Basque Country . Iñaki Azkuna served as mayor from 1999 until his passing in 2014, when he was replaced by Ibon Areso . Azkuna was awarded the World Mayor prize in 2012. Since the 2019 municipal election,
8366-408: Was getting nearly one-third of its revenues from Asia Pacific ; Europe accounted for 28% and the Americas 27%. In January 2006, the Linde Group made a preliminary proposal to acquire BOC based on a £15 per share all-cash offer, which was rejected by the BOC board of directors. In March 2006, the second proposal based on a £16 per share all-cash offer, valuing the company at £8.2bn (US$ 14.4bn; €12bn),
8460-594: Was in connection with the generation of limelight , used in magic lanterns and theatre lighting. A major new market emerged around 1903, with the development of the oxyacetylene welding process. Around the same time, new cryogenic air separation processes had been devised independently in Britain , the United States and Germany . The German engineer and founder of the Linde Group , Carl von Linde , won
8554-408: Was one of the main sites of battles during the First Carlist War , a civil war between supporters of the Spanish regent Maria Christina , known as liberals, and those of the late king's brother Carlos of Borbón , known as Carlists. The Carlists were particularly focused on capturing Bilbao, a liberal and economic bastion in northern Spain. The Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui tried to take
8648-588: Was rescued by fellow competitor Giovanni Soldini when her boat PRB capsized approximately 1,900 nautical miles (3,500 km) west of Cape Horn . The results: Viktor Yazykov is noted for performing surgery alone, at sea, on his elbow to drain a dangerous infection after injuring his elbow during the race. He emailed a doctor who provided instructions for his treatment The course was again changed for this edition, this time spanning five legs: Newport, Rhode Island / New York — Brixham , Devon — Cape Town — Tauranga — Salvador, Brazil — Newport. Although
8742-607: Was still divided into four legs: Charleston, South Carolina — Cape Town — Sydney — Punta del Este — Charleston. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 50–60 feet (15.2–18.3 m); and Class 2, 40–50 feet (12.2–15.2 m). Results: The course was again changed for this edition, although it was still divided into four legs: Charleston, South Carolina — Cape Town — Auckland — Punta del Este — Charleston. Two classes of boat were entered: Class 1, 50–60 feet (15.2–18.3 m); and Class 2, 40–50 feet (12.2–15.2 m). In this race Isabelle Autissier
8836-488: Was the acquisition of Airco Industrial Gases, an American competitor. After 11 years of litigation, in 1978 Airco became a wholly owned subsidiary of BOC. The enlarged company changed its name to the BOC Group. In 1999, reports emerged that the U.S. industrial gases company Praxair , which in 1992 spun off from Linde's U.S. division, 'Union Carbide Industrial Gases', were in possible merger discussions with BOC. Following
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