ADOR hoist UAE flag in Cowes to mark second Volvo Ocean Race campaign
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 7 August 2014: A large UAE flag was hoisted yesterday in Cowes in the UK from the towering black carbon mast of Azzam, the Volvo Ocean 65 sailing yacht of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) to mark the Abu Dhabi-backed squad’s second Volvo Ocean Race campaign.
In a Trinity Landing ceremony, crowds at the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week regatta – the biggest in the UK – waved on the team as each member was introduced to the public audience.
ADOR is backed by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which also mounted a destination ‘Oasis’ in the Cowes Yacht Haven with falcons, henna and Arabic coffee winning over crowds.
“There’s no doubt we created a buzz here in Cowes and people are asking more questions about Abu Dhabi, its watersports offering and about our three weeks Volvo Ocean Race stopover which starts in the middle of December,” said Nabeel Al Zarouni, Country Manager UK, TCA Abu Dhabi.
ADOR’s skipper, British double Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker introduced the Cowes crowd to the eight sailors and one on board reporter he has handpicked to race around the world with him in the Volvo Ocean Race which starts in Alicante, Spain this October.
Walker said he was proud of the way the team had bonded into a cohesive force in the six months since it came together in nearby Abu Dhabi in February.
“When you are picking a team for a 39,000 mile nine month around the world yacht race you need to pick talented sailors but you also need to have people who won’t crumble when times get tough – which they inevitably will,” Walker said.
“I am very pleased with where we have got to as a crew and I’m feeling as confident as I can ever remember being this close to a major event.”
The presentation of Azzam and her crew at Cowes Week came on the eve of the team’s participation in the Artemis Challenge charity race on Thursday and three days before they take on four other Volvo Ocean Race teams in the gruelling week long, 1800 mile Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.
-ENDS-
ABOUT ABU DHABI TOURISM & CULTURE AUTHORITY
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction which enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The authority manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. TCA Abu Dhabi supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key authority role is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.
For more information on the Abu Dhabi VOR Stopover please contact:
Nathan Wilson – ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
d. +971 2 633 4133
For more information on Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing please contact:
Justin Chisholm - Communications Officer, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
d. +44 7769 938 722
For more information on Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority please contact:
Matt Ross
Arabic enquiries please to:
Saood Al Harethi
For media information on the Volvo Ocean Race, please contact:
Jon Bramley - Director, News and Media
Volvo Ocean Race HQ (Spain)
Tel +34 966 011 150
Christina Gaither - Media Relations Manager
Tel +34 676 675 931
Editors’ Notes
- The next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race will be the 12th running of the 40-year-old event, which started in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race.
- The race will start on October 4, 2014, day of the first In-Port Race in Alicante, Spain, and finish with one last In-Port Race on June 27, 2015 in Gothenburg, the Swedish home of Volvo.
- The 38,739-nautical mile route will also include stopovers in Cape Town (South Africa), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sanya (China), Auckland (New Zealand), Itajaí (Brazil), Newport, Rhode Island (USA), Lisbon (Portugal) and Lorient (France). A 24-hour pit-stop in The Hague is scheduled between France and Sweden.
- The next two editions will be contested in a new high-performance boat, the Volvo Ocean 65, designed by Farr Yacht Design in the United States and built by a consortium of boatyards in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Switzerland.
- The new 65-foot (19.8-metre) monohull racing yachts will be strictly One Design and delivered “ready to sail” for the next two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race. The boats incorporate the latest video, satellite and content production facilities to further enhance the Onboard Reporter programme that has been in place since 2008-09.
- Six teams have been announced so far. The all-female Team SCA is the first all-women's team to compete in the race since 2001-02. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing is once again skippered Britain's twice Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker. Dongfeng Race Team come from China and is backed by Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle. Team Brunel from the Netherlands is skippered by race veteran Bouwe Bekking. Team Alvimedica, the youth challenge will be led by All American Ocean Racing and carry a double Turkey/USA flag. A Spanish entry has been confirmed and the name of the team will be announced shortly.
- The previous Volvo Ocean Race started in October 2011 in Alicante and was won by Groupama sailing team, skippered by Frenchman Franck Cammas, in July 2012.
- The previous Volvo Ocean Race started in October 2011 in Alicante and was won by Groupama sailing team, skippered by Frenchman Franck Cammas, in July 2012.
