The ‘Everest of sailing’

Sailing-lovers in the Middle East are blessed this week by the presence in Abu Dhabi of the teams competing in the Volvo Ocean Race. This round-the-world race, known to some as ‘the Everest of sailing’, is the modern day equivalent of the former Whitbread race, founded in 1973.

The first race was almost the last as the loss of three competing sailors led to calls for the race to be scrapped. Even today with modern technology it is considered to be an exceptional test of sailing prowess and human endeavor.
 
Re-named as the Volvo Ocean Race in 2001, the teams will cover over 39,000 nautical miles(nm’s) over the world’s most treacherous seas. This combination of competition and adventure has attracted six teams, each of which comprises of 11 crew members.  They will experience temperatures ranging from -5 Celsius to 40+.
 
This race started in Alicante and will finish in Galway, Ireland, in early July. It is the first time that this prestigious race has stopped in the Middle East.

The teams arrived in Abu Dhabi last week having faced one of the most intriguing legs in the history of the race. Starting in Cape Town, South Africa, the teams raced over 4,000nm’s over a 15 day period with less than two minutes separating the top two at the finish line.

With Emirates Team New Zealand leading the race on Christmas Day they were passed by Camper who, for the last day of the race, were holding a lead of 100m over Telefonica. Yet with 8nm’s left they lost their lead allowing a thrilling tussle to ensue with Telefonica ultimately taking the line honours. The winning margin of one minute 57 seconds was the closest finish in the history of the race.

In an additional and bizarre twist, the final location of the yachts was kept secret due to the threat of piracy, with the teams even switching off their location trackers.

With high-profile sponsor’s logos adorning sails attached to 31-foot masts, and pirating activity an ever-present danger, it was considered to be too high risk to allow teams to race through these treacherous waters.
 
Fending off the pirates was not the only hazard, as teams had to be wary navigating through the Strait of Hormuz, as those aboard the Bahrain-sponsored Team Pindar in 2009 will testify, particularly with the recent Iranian missile-tests adding to the tension. With the threat of imprisonment for teams venturing too close to Iranian waters, sailors were advised to maintain a distance of no less than 10 miles from disputed islands, including Sirri, the island by which team Pindar were arrested.

On arrival, the 15,000 tonne vessels were then loaded onto cargo ships and deposited at another secret location off the coast of Sharjah, leading to a short race into the port of Abu Dhabi.

It was at this point that Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was hoping to repeat its first race victory in Alicante in front of an expectant home crowd. Unfortunately, it was not to be as they trailed home in fifth place.

However, one member of their team still had cause to celebrate.Adil Khalid, 23, became the first Emirati to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race. The Laser Class Olympian fought off hundreds of hopefuls in a TV audition. Before he was allowed to race, Khalid was put on an intensive course in the UK before taking his yachting exams. 

Khalid was ‘bursting with pride’ for both his country and his own achievements while remaining positive about his team’s overall prospects.

The short race from Sharjah was snatched by Groupama, who edged past Telefonica with a late sprint in the dying moments of the race. The French challengers closed the gap to two boat lengths before clinching the lead with slick manoeuvres at the final turn. Despite racing with a cracked hull, which the sailors attempted to fix just before the start of the race, they clinched victory in another thrilling finish.

The teams now turn their attention to the in-port race in Abu Dhabi on Friday before setting sail for Sanya in China on Saturday.

Having won the first in-port race in Alicante, Abu Dhabi’s skipper Ian Walker, who visited Bahrain for Volvo’s inaugural Champions’ golf event last year, was in a bullish mood. Having subsequently broken their mast only a day after leaving port, and found themselves off the pace leaving Cape Town, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing has lost much desired competitive racing.

“To really start with a bang was great and it is easier to get through our current difficult patch when you have tasted success and know more success could be just around the corner,” Walker said.

In a refreshing change, sailors were able to swap their state-of-the-art yachts for traditional dhows when they took part in a dhow regatta.