Iker Martínez is stepping down as Mapfre skipper for the next leg of the Volvo Ocean Race to concentrate on a pre-arranged commitment to prepare for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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His best friend and long-time sailing partner Xabi Fernández is taking the helm of the Spanish boat for leg three, from Abu Dhabi to Sanya, China.
The Spanish pair are joint gold and silver Olympic medallists as well as 2011 joint ISAF Sailors of the Year.
Martínez said: “I have to go and focus on this (Olympic) project now. When we started the Volvo Ocean Race, we knew that I already had another commitment with the Olympic campaign.
“That’s why I won’t be able to be onboard for the next leg from Abu Dhabi to Sanya.”
Martínez is now leaving Abu Dhabi, where he and Mapfre finished fourth in leg two from Cape Town earlier this month, and head for Miami where he will train and compete in Nacra 17 with Marina Lopez, his partner on the Olympic class catamaran.
Another Spaniard and Olympic silver medallist, Rafael Trujillo, will also sail the leg with Fernández and the rest of the crew.
Fernández is confident Mapfre, billed as one of the pre-race favourites, can continue their second leg progress after finishing a disappointing seventh in the opening leg from Alicante to Cape Town.
“Being skipper represents more responsibilities than I usually have because you’re ultimately the one who is in charge,” said Fernandez.
“We won’t face the next leg like we faced the other ones because the truth is that Iker was always the one making the final call.
“That will change but I believe we have a group that will help me in this new role.”
Martinez added: “We’re organised this transition together. We used the second leg to tackle this in the best possible way. I’m sure Xabi will do very well.”
The fleet departs Abu Dhabi for Sanya on January 3.
