Volvo Ocean Race won, Abu Dhabi now celebrate – and assess future of Azzam project

Osman Samiuddin catches up with the Azzam crew, returned to Abu Dhabi winners of offshore sailing's most sought title, to find what comes next for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.

Emirati sailor Adil Khalid, right, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing sailor Ian Walker, left, and the rest of the Azzam team members pose with the Volvo Ocean Race trophies on Monday back in the UAE. Mona Al MarShow more

First, becoming the first Arab to sail around the world was not enough. Now, becoming the first Arab to win the most prestigious round the world sailing race may also not be enough.

Adil Khalid, the Emirati sailor who won the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR), is keen for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ador) to continue its participation in the race.

The nine-man crew of Azzam, as well as members of its shore team, arrived in the capital on Monday from Gothenburg, where they sealed a historic double triumph. Last week they sealed the overall race title and on Saturday picked up the in-port race trophy as well.

The crew were in Abu Dhabi to present the trophy to Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA).

"There is more to come for sure," Khalid said, adding also that he may participate in Olympic races as well. "I would do VOR again, why not? Azzam should continue. I will try my best to convince them."

In the warm afterglow of triumph, Khalid’s sentiments are understandable. Others in the crew and shore team have also expressed a preference for the project to continue, including the skipper Ian Walker.

As the organisation that ran the project, any decision on the future is the TCA’s to make. The next race will begin in 2017 but the preparation required means a decision on participation, ideally, should be made much earlier.

A TCA official said for now the focus remained on celebrating the win, before moving to a wider audit of the entire project.

“I think in 6 months’ time, we might start thinking about it,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, director of events bureau, TCA.

“It might be earlier but this is based on all the facts we receive here. How likely it is I can’t say now, because we have to do our homework. Looking at it from the top, it is more challenging.”

Walker may want the project to continue as well, but he is not sure of his own future involvement. Seen one way, it is only natural that less than a week after achieving a lifelong ambition – and one as gruelling as this – he cannot commit to another race.

Indeed the common reaction for most sailors on completing a VOR is to say “no more”. Walker did so after the last race. But a few months later, at the Singapore Grand Prix in September 2012, he had decided to give it another go.

Walker is in Abu Dhabi this week, wrapping up the project before he gets on Azzam one final time. Along with Guy Barron, the shore manager, and some young sailors, he will sail the boat back to Lisbon, in much more relaxed style. Then he has the summer with family.

“I stopped Olympic sailing the day I woke up and it wasn’t the most important thing for me,” he said. “If you wake up and don’t want to go to the gym and train and put everything into it, then you shouldn’t be doing it, especially as the leader of the group. Right now I couldn’t do that.

“Who’s to say in three months’ time I won’t have recharged? This is what I do. Realistically, it is a massive commitment and I owe it to my family not to go away. I’ve been home 53 days in the last 18 months. My kids are growing up and it may come down to if you want to see your kids growing up.”

It may be that as he gets older – he is 45 – in a race that is attracting younger sailors, the nature of his involvement changes. Staying on in a coaching or managerial role could be an option if the project continues.

As he admitted, walking away from a project in which he is so emotionally invested, while it continued, would be difficult. ​

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