At nearly 39,000 nautical miles long and taking place over nine months, it is the most enduring and arduous sporting event on the planet.
After claiming victory in the Volvo Ocean Race, however, Ian Walker and his fellow crew mates on board Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will surely tell you the sleepless nights, perilous storms, 40 knot winds, unpredictable seas, the countless times getting soaked to the skin and unpalatable taste of freeze dried food has all been worth it.
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After 244 days spent sailing around the world, ADOR arrived in Lorient on Thursday in third place, a combination of their leg eight finishing position and that of their nearest rivals Team Brunel and Dongfeng Race Team, who finished sixth and seventh respectively, handing them overall victory with a leg to spare.
There is now an eight point gap between ADOR and second-placed Brunel, with Dongfeng 10 points behind in third, meaning even if Abu Dhabi were to crash out of leg nine and accumulate an eight-point penalty, they could not be caught.
Following an epic journey that’s tested their mental and physical resolve to the limits, the end of the race’s shortest leg will have left the nine crew members with a longing sense of pride and joy.
Walker, 45, has tried and failed twice previously as a skipper in the VOR, and told Sport360 the overriding feeling he has experienced since his team secured the title two days ago is vindication.
The triumphant ADOR crew at a photo shoot w/ team formal wear supplier @edenpark in Lorient this morning. #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/7REN7jnpZ0
— AbuDhabiOceanRacing (@ADORlog) June 12, 2015
“It’s pretty special,” said the victorious Azzam skipper.
In a 20-year career, Walker has become one of Britain’s most successful sailors, winning two Olympic silver medals and involved in two America’s Cup campaigns.
However, he has spent the best part of a decade trying to win the VOR, and having previously failed as skipper in 2008/09 with Green Dragon and 2011/12 on his maiden voyage with Abu Dhabi, he said from the start he wanted to win it this time around.
“I like to think we’ve deserved it. From the word go we said we wouldn’t have been happy with second place,” he said.
“That’s not being arrogant. We had the resources and the plan to win. Every decision has been based around that. We wouldn’t have been happy with anything other than first.
“It’s been a calculated programme from the word go and it’s been a good plan, without too many ups and downs. We’ve had a bit of luck too and looked after the boat too. Our shore crew do a fantastic job and I can’t thank them enough.
“I’m grateful for the second chance from Abu Dhabi. They stood by me and the team when they could have chosen someone else, but we’ve repaid the faith. It’s exciting to share this with the crew and the one word I’d use is vindication. It’s very satisfying.”
The major factor behind their victory, according to Walker, is the men he’s sailed alongside for the past eight months.
It’s been a lot longer in the making, however, with ADOR one of the first teams to start training, in February 2014, and one of the teams who sailed the most miles in the build-up to the start.
“I very carefully chose people who would be assets to the team and who could create a good atmosphere,” said Walker.
“We’re a very experienced group, they are people who I like.
“We’ve been very strong when things haven’t gone well. There haven’t been many times but there was the leg seven finish, coming last in the Auckland in-port race, but the guys have been solid and very professional.
“We’ve showed our strengths when it’s been windy and we’ve been weak in light winds, we’ve never got to grips with that, but I’m really proud of what we’ve done.”
“From the word go we said we wouldn’t have been happy with second place” – Walker
Despite claiming overall victory on the leg, Walker admits it was strange few days at sea.
He said: “There was no wind the first few days and then there was separation in the fleet, and we stuck very close with Brunel.
“The leg shaped up well with SCA tying up first place and I would have bitten your hand off if someone had said SCA and Vestas would be the top two boats.
“There were some rough seas and we had to hold it altogether, and then Dongfeng almost got back in at the end to overtake us, but the result was perfect.
@adil_sailing & @ADORSkipper celebrate @ADORlog’s unassailable lead in the @volvooceanrace #InAbuDhabi #GoAzzam pic.twitter.com/NOAngnfLx9
— AbuDhabiOceanRacing (@ADORlog) June 11, 2015
“The last two legs have been frustrating though because we’ve sailed just being concerned with what other boats are doing, making tactical decisions based on their movements rather than our own strategy.”
And although he is quite rightly thrilled with achieving sailing’s holy grail, Walker admits winning the VOR with another leg still left to complete is an odd feeling.
“It’s strange. We want to celebrate but it’s almost like we don’t have time because we have the rest of the race to sail,” said the Briton.
“The celebrations will have to be put on ice until it’s signed and sealed in Gothenburg. We want to win the last leg and finish the race in style.”
