Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing ready for Rolex Fastnet Race
by Samuel James Dulka 13 Aug 2011 13:57 BST
14 August 2011
‘Azzam’ first Arab entry in iconic 600 Mile, multi-cornered sailing challenge
The state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70 racing yacht ‘Azzam’ (Determined) and her international Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing crew will this weekend become the first Arab entry in the UK’s iconic, 600-mile, Rolex Fastnet Race.
‘Azzam’ and her talented crew – who will later this year contend the 2011/2012 Volvo Ocean Race – will compete in the Fastnet against her Volvo Ocean Race competitors Team Sanya and Groupama and Abu Dhabi’s skipper, double Olympic silver medallist, Ian Walker, says his outfit is ready for this global debut challenge.
“We have a lot of respect for this race and it is always tough,” said Walker. “It’s a great challenge being the first race in our new Azzam yacht. It will be a race-within-a-race as we test ourselves against some of our Volvo Ocean Race competitors and I am sure everyone will be keeping their cards very close to their chests.”
Adil Khalid, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s young Emirati crew member, will make his international debut in the Rolex Fastnet Race.
“He has come on leaps and bounds and this will be a great test for him,” said Walker.
Azzam will line up alongside a record Rolex Fastnet Race fleet of around 320 vessels – a fact organisers claim is demonstrating “that enthusiasm for offshore racing is coming back.”
And Azzam’s competitors admit they will be closely monitoring the performance of the striking, purpose-built Volvo 70. “The guys have done some good miles and they will have to be watched,” said Mike Sanderson, Skipper, Team Sanya.
Meanwhile as race officials prepared to take the iconic competition to the water, Fastnet Veteran Ken Newman - who at almost 83-years-old is preparing for his 27th Fastnet challenge - stopped in a press conference in the UK’s famous Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week regatta to welcome Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s Emirati members 22-year-old Khalid and 27-year-old Butti Al Muhairi to the international sailing fraternity.
“I wish these boys all the very best and can’t tell you how good it is to see them join the international sailing fold – it is good for us, good for them, good for their country and for all in global sport. If I was to give them any advice it would be not to fall overboard! But seriously it is so heartening to see two young men from a nation new to international sailing competition presenting themselves so well on the worldwide scene. They make the future look very bright indeed,” said Newman.
Visit www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com for all the latest updates on the team and Abu Dhabi’s plans for hosting the Volvo Ocean Race this New Year.