Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing sets sail on epic Volvo Ocean Race Challenge

Abu Dhabi (WAM): Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR), the emirate’s entry into the Volvo Ocean Race 2014–15, has set sail from Alicante, Spain on the challenge's opening leg to Cape Town, South Africa. ADOR put to sea shortly after midday local time yesterday after an emotional dockside farewell to family and friends at the quayside in the Alicante Race Village and the skipper Ian Walker gave a final wave goodbye and eased the ADOR yacht, Azzam, away from the dock. The 6,487 nautical-mile passage is expected to take the fleet of seven identical 65-foot ocean racing yachts around three weeks to complete, with an estimated arrival in Cape Town around November 3rd. The opening leg - the second longest in the nine-stopover, around-the-world race, and among the most challenging - will take the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) backed Azzam, and the rest of the fleet, out of the Mediterranean Sea via the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Atlantic Ocean. On the way to South Africa the crews must cross the Equator and round the island of Fernando de Noronha close to the coast of Brazil before pointing their bows towards Cape Town. ADOR put up a good performance during the inshore section of the course, rounding the Alicante exit marker buoy in second place, just 20 seconds behind the Dutch yacht, Team Brunel. – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/sports/1395270721231.html