Knut Frostad, CEO of the grueling Volvo Ocean Race, considered by many as the most challenging sporting event in the world, has not only praised the quality of the stopover in Abu Dhabi the last time, but said it has only increased in significance this year.
The seven boats, including Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR), are expected to sail into the capital in time for Christmas. The fleet leaves for Sanya in China on January 3.
And Frostad, himself a four-time participant of the race, said: “To become involved with Abu Dhabi was a very strategic decision on our part. It helped us include the Middle East to the race, and we all know how hard the region is trying to grow the sport. Not only Abu Dhabi, but if you look at Dubai and Oman, and they are all trying to support sailing.
“This is the second year that Abu Dhabi is part of the Volvo Ocean Race, not only as a team, but also as a stopover. And this year, Abu Dhabi is going to be the longest stopover of the entire race.
“The team (ADOR) is learning and there is no secret that they are extremely ambitious. Ian Walker has been very clear that they are in the race to win it. They are very competitive. They are one of the top contenders in the race this year.
“I am excited about the stopover. Abu Dhabi really was one of our most exciting stopovers during the last race. It was extremely high- quality, and there was a lot of local interest in sailing. That is something many people are unaware of – Abu Dhabi and the UAE have a strong heritage of sailing with all the dhow racing that they have.
“I’m sure Christmas in Abu Dhabi will be a very enjoyable time for Volvo Ocean Race and the sailors.”
The one week stopover in Abu Dhabi also serves another very important purpose – it gives organisers the flexibility to work out different options to tackle any threats of the Somalian pirates on the journey from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi.
During the last race, the five participating yachts were loaded on an armed ship to negotiate the dangerous water and carried all the way to Sharjah, which not only posed a danger to the fragile multi-million dollar boats, but also incurred additional logistical expense.
“The one-week stopover not only helps everyone involved enjoy Abu Dhabi better, but it also allows us to meet some of the different challenges we face on our way to Abu Dhabi,” added Frostad.
“We work with risk, very honestly, every single day, every single leg, at the Volvo Ocean Race. We analyse and plan for every scenario, and piracy is just one of them.
“We monitor the pirates all the time – both with military and private intelligence – and we have weekly assessment of the threat.
“It all depends on the advice that we get, and currently, we have been told that we can sail all the way from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. But we will continue to monitor it regularly, because if we have to take measures like the last race, it is not ideal for us.
“That said, if we have to make a change of plan, we will do things differently, because we had the challenge of limited time that year. So, the one extra week of stopover in Abu Dhabi becomes even more significant. That gives us a lot of space to work out alternate solutions.”
The 38,739nm race starts in Alicante on October 4 and finishes in Gothenburg on June 27 next year.
