In just under two weeks’ time, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will make history as the first Arabian team to take part in the gruelling 39,000 nautical mile round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. We caught up with skipper Ian Walker and the rest of the crew in Portugal for a day at sea and a once-in-a-lifetime experience
It’s a beautiful summer morning in the sleepy little fishing village of Cascais, just north of Lisbon, as we make the short walk from our hotel to the marina where the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team has been training since mid-July in preparation for one of the most extreme challenges in the world of sport – the Volvo Ocean Race.
Backed by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and led by double Olympic medalist Ian Walker, the team has been busy putting their brand new boat Azzam – ‘determined’ in Arabic – through its paces, using the almost constantly perfect sailing conditions provided by the Portuguese trade winds.
Walking through the security gates and round the collection of forty-foot containers and tents that comprise the team’s makeshift base, we get our first glimpse of Azzam. And what a sight it is - a glorious vision of sleek black carbon-fibre bobbing gently in the calm water.
The 13-man sailing team (11 crew plus two reserves) are on deck as Ian Walker finishes his regular morning briefing, so we’re given a quick tour of the shore base.
That houses more than 20 people who make up the shore team – a collection of boat builders, riggers, sail-makers, engineers, electricians and office staff – that will follow the crew and set up in each of the ten host ports during the nine months of the race. It really is a huge operation and a logistical nightmare – very much like Formula One, but with boats instead of cars.
As Walker completes his briefing, we clamber on board and have a quick look below deck while the crew make the final preparations and load the sails for the day.
It’s not exactly spacious down here but if anything it’s more impressive than the exterior. The quality of finish and attention to detail is mind-blowing – everything has a place and there’s a place for everything. All the ropes that you would normally expect to see snaking across deck have their own bespoke carbon-fibre tubes, there is a multitude of custom-made storage areas and there’s even a fully-functional media centre, complete with live feed from the four on-board cameras and satellite-internet access.
However impressive it is, Azzam is nonetheless a little cramped and we can only imagine how noisy and uncomfortable it must be when the boat is getting tossed about in less clement weather. So we’re happy to get back outside into the sunshine.
Casting off and motoring out of the marina, Walker tells us that we’re going to sail down to Lisbon and we’re going to get a chance to see the whole team in action as he wants to practice some of the in-shore boat handling routines – in particular the use of some of the more tricky spinnaker sails.
Within minutes, the boat is clear of the marina and the crew get to work. Six of them jump straight on to the three central ‘grinders’ – the winches that are used to pull in, let out, bring down or, in this case, haul up the sails.
Once the main sail is in place, we soon begin to pick up speed and as the skipper continues to call out orders, the crew move efficiently and swiftly around deck like a well-oiled machine.
In one of the lulls between manoeuvres, we get the chance to grab a few words with Adil Khalid, the first Emirati to compete in the race. The 22-year-old, who represented the UAE in sailing at the Beijing Olympics, has been busy learning the ropes since Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing launched Azzam in July.
It’s not been easy for him – sea-sickness, an aversion to freeze-dried food and a rigorous training regime have made the transition difficult – but Khalid’s determination is pulling him through.
“For the guys on board they have been through this sort of thing before but for me it is totally new,’’ he said. “You just need to keep pushing yourself physically and saying to yourself ‘I have to do it, I’m here, I cannot look back.’”
Then he has to scramble back to join his teammates on the grinders as the skipper decides there are a few more manoeuvres he wants to try out.
The highlight of the day for us is actually getting to steer the magnificent Azzam. We’re approaching Lisbon and Ian wants to get an advance look at the route the boats will have to take when they return here in June next year (Lisbon is the eighth host port in the race).
“Just aim for the bridge,” he tells us as we step onto the platform and he hands us the wheel. “Oh, and don’t hit anything,” he adds with a smile.
The first thing that strikes us is how light the steering is. Considering it’s 70 foot long, Azzam responds almost instantly to the slightest input from the wheel and it’s an exhilarating feeling knowing that we’re at the helm of such a finely-tuned – and expensive – racing yacht. Using the digital displays on the mast, we keep the boat on as true a course as possible as we sail towards the Lisbon suspension bridge. Fortunately, the wind is not too strong – a little over ten knots – so the chance of us doing any real damage is pretty slim.
Too soon we have to hand control back to the skipper and with some more shouted commands, furious grinding and a change of sails, we’ve turned back on ourselves and are heading northwards, back to Cascais.
It’s late in the afternoon as we moor at the marina and it’s been a long tiring day out at sea, but it’s also been one of the most amazing experiences. Our muscles are aching despite having been virtual spectators and we’re full of admiration for the whole team – one day has been enough for us but they will be out there for three to four weeks at a time.
As we head back to the hotel for some food and a hot bath, Ian Walker and his team are planning an early night as they have to pack everything up in the morning and set sail for Alicante, where the fun will begin on 29th October.
“This will be a busy few weeks for our shore team. For the sailors, it is crucial to make final preparations but also to try and take a few days off to recharge the batteries before a long and tough nine months ahead,” says Walker. “Everyone is excited to be getting to the start. The race is nearly upon us.”
Jon Muller
