Spaniards playing catch-up with Volvo Ocean Race rivals

Lack of wind working against Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing as they cross the Atlantic

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's Azzam leaving the shores of Rhode Island as she departs Newport. Photo Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

ALICANTE, Spain // Three Volvo Ocean Race 2014/15 crews – Team SCA, Team Brunel and the Spanish challengers – will go head to head in the first competitive clash of the new one-design Volvo Ocean 65s in the Round Canary Islands Race from Friday.

The 650-nautical mile race around the seven Canary Islands, which starts and finishes at Marina Rubicon in Lanzarote, is expected to take three days to complete.

The event will give an early indication of form for the half of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet so far announced before the event begins on October 4.

At opposite ends of the scale in terms of preparation, Iker Martinez's Spanish-backed boat will take on two of the most-practised crews in the fleet: the all-women crew of Team SCA and Bouwe Bekking's Team Brunel.

Martinez, who was this week confirmed as the skipper of a campaign that has yet to announce its main title sponsor, knows he faces a major challenge to catch up on his rivals who, in some cases, have had more than a year’s extra experience handling the new Volvo Ocean 65s.

As least he will not be short of serious racing know-how on board after renowned French offshore figure Michel Desjoyeaux joined the crew for the Canary Islands test as part of his role as a senior adviser for the team.

“It’s a big challenge – not only because the Volvo Ocean Race is such a long and tough race for all the crew members – but also because we know we do not have much time left before the first leg start on October 11,” said Martínez, who was skipper of fourth-placed Telefonica in the 2011/12 edition.

“We know that we’re really pressed for time and the other teams are far ahead in terms of preparation, but we are working hard to make up the difference.”

In contrast, under the strict Volvo Ocean Race rules, Team Alvimedica and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are not competing against each other as they cross the Atlantic from Newport, Rhode Island, to Britain and are forbidden from closing to within three kilometres.

The crews crossing the Atlantic have lately been bedevilled by a lack of wind. Abu Dhabi skipper Ian Walker said: “What was a race north is now a race east, which has brought Team Alvimedica right back into the race.

“We’re making our way east, just not very quickly.”

Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE