‘Are you the man for Azzam?’ competition starts Monday

Azzam, a 65-foot carbon racing yacht, will contest the Volvo Ocean Race in October. Courtesy Ian Roman

One man. One day. One unforgettable adventure.

The Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ador) team are looking for a skilled sailor to join the crew aboard Azzam in a race around the Isle of Wight during the Cowes Regatta in August.

A competition entitled “Are you the man for Azzam?” is open from Monday through July 15, and the winner will join the Volvo Ocean Racing boat for the 60-mile race around the island in the south of England.

Prospective sailors are invited to visit the Ador Facebook page and fill out the “competition app”, in which they explain their worthiness to join captain Ian Walker’s crew for one day.

“Rarely do sports fans have the chance to actually experience life as a professional athlete, but for one day we are offering our fans just that,” said Walker, the English skipper of Azzam, a technologically advanced 65-foot boat that will race in the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, beginning in October.

“I hope the winner comes prepared to work hard and race to win,” Walker said.

The competition is open to male sailors who are 18 or older on August 1.

The public will vote on the candidates and the top-five vote-getters will be reviewed by the team and the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority before a winner is selected.

The Artemis Challenge, a circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight and one of the highlights of the Cowes Week regatta, is scheduled for August 7.

Adil Khalid, the Emirati who is part of Azzam’s crew, said the Artemis Challenge is an important part of the team’s preparation for the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race, which continues with the Round Britain and Ireland Race three days later. “Whoever is lucky enough to win this spot on Azzam in August will be part of a team on a mission,” he said.

“It is an incredible opportunity for an amateur sailor. If he brings his sea legs with him, he’ll have an experience that will last a lifetime.”

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