British sailor on verge of Gothenburg double
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 26 Jun, 2015 CET.
Updated: Fri 26 Jun 2015 16:53 CET
Briton Ian Walker aims to complete a rare Volvo Ocean Race double on Saturday as the biggest yachting race in the world finally reaches its climax in the Swedish port of Gothenburg.
Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing already claimed the overall, offshore trophy, the main event of the nine-month, 38,739-nautical mile offshore marathon, in Gothenburg on Monday.
His team are also six points ahead in the in-port series that has been held in the 10 ports hosting the triennial event since it started in Alicante, Spain, on October 4th last year.
Anything other than a failure to finish or last place in the seven-strong fleet coupled with a victory for closest rivals, Team Brunel (Netherlands), in Saturday's Gothenburg race will see the Emirati-backed crew over the line as in-port champions.
Brunel were also second to Abu Dhabi in the offshore race.
The offshore and in-port double is not unique in Volvo Ocean Race history -- Mike Sanderson's ABN AMRO ONE achieved it in 2005-06 -- but victory would be another major feather in the cap for a region which only entered the 41-year-old event for the first time in 2011-12 under the Abu Dhabi flag.
The Volvo race ends in Gothenburg this weekend. Photo: TT
Walker, 45, was taking nothing for granted in the nine-month race's final press conference on Friday.
"We try to win everything we do," he said. "Basically, we just have to make sure we don't finish last.
"But it's a pretty tight race course and there's plenty of trouble out there if you're not careful."
Team Brunel skipper Bouwe Bekking, 52, could be forgiven for being sick of the sight of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's stern after trying to catch it over 38,739 nautical miles and nine offshore legs.
However, he has not totally given up hope of an upset result that will rely on his opponents slipping up uncharacteristically badly.
"We will fight for it and we still have a slight chance," he told reporters. "It would certainly be nice to win that trophy."
The action will start at 2pm local time (12pm GMT) and so far the forecasters are predicting strong enough winds to offer the prospect of a fitting finale to the memorable and extraordinarily close-run global event.
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Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing already claimed the overall, offshore trophy, the main event of the nine-month, 38,739-nautical mile offshore marathon, in Gothenburg on Monday.
His team are also six points ahead in the in-port series that has been held in the 10 ports hosting the triennial event since it started in Alicante, Spain, on October 4th last year.
Anything other than a failure to finish or last place in the seven-strong fleet coupled with a victory for closest rivals, Team Brunel (Netherlands), in Saturday's Gothenburg race will see the Emirati-backed crew over the line as in-port champions.
Brunel were also second to Abu Dhabi in the offshore race.
The offshore and in-port double is not unique in Volvo Ocean Race history -- Mike Sanderson's ABN AMRO ONE achieved it in 2005-06 -- but victory would be another major feather in the cap for a region which only entered the 41-year-old event for the first time in 2011-12 under the Abu Dhabi flag.
The Volvo race ends in Gothenburg this weekend. Photo: TT
Walker, 45, was taking nothing for granted in the nine-month race's final press conference on Friday.
"We try to win everything we do," he said. "Basically, we just have to make sure we don't finish last.
"But it's a pretty tight race course and there's plenty of trouble out there if you're not careful."
Team Brunel skipper Bouwe Bekking, 52, could be forgiven for being sick of the sight of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's stern after trying to catch it over 38,739 nautical miles and nine offshore legs.
However, he has not totally given up hope of an upset result that will rely on his opponents slipping up uncharacteristically badly.
"We will fight for it and we still have a slight chance," he told reporters. "It would certainly be nice to win that trophy."
The action will start at 2pm local time (12pm GMT) and so far the forecasters are predicting strong enough winds to offer the prospect of a fitting finale to the memorable and extraordinarily close-run global event.
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