Volvo Ocean Race- 'We knew we were ahead of the game' - Ian Walker
by Bob Fisher on 10 Nov 2014
October 27, 2014. Leg 1 onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Ian Walker and Simon Fisher at the Navigation Station working out the strategy for the coming days. Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
The first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 has begun to prove to the naysayers that they were incorrect in believing that the one-design concept of the boats was against the chance of great racing.
Twenty-five days at sea in a wide variety of conditions over 6,487 ocean miles with the two leaders finishing a mere 12 minutes apart and the seven-boat fleet all finishing within 44 hours would firmly confirm the organisers’ decision as to the direction of the race.
One skipper would be the first to agree, however many problems it gave him. Ian Walker who sailed Azzam, the Abu Dhabi entry first across the line, knew the pressure of a fast closing Dongfeng for the entire leg across the South Atlantic. 'We had to plot their progress as well as ours to make sure we stayed in front,' he said, but there were other benefits in finishing in front. The crew were able to be first out of the water and put Azzam into the hands of the shore crew.
'It was waking up in the [next] morning and seeing only two boats in the boatyard in their cradles. We knew we were ahead of the game and there was satisfaction in that,' he said with a contented smile.
Walker is a great believer that one only finds out whether the crew choice is correct when the pressure is on. 'It was, and we were faultless – I haven’t any concern,' he confirmed, praising navigator Simon Fisher, '’Sci-Fi’ got all the moves perfect. We sailed at 100% the whole time, there was no one golden moment.'
It was late on Wednesday afternoon when the two race leaders appeared in view of the Cape Town finishing line in 18-20 knots of Southerly breeze – a typical Cape Town wind and there were a host of spectator boats to welcome the race boats that were close hauled on starboard tack.
The organization of the stopover is such that the sailing crew of Azzam was virtually ushered away from the boat as the shore crew took over, preparing her for the cradle that was scheduled to be placed close to the bascule bridge where the centreboards and rudders were removed as the interested crowd was able to observe closely. It was a further benefit of finishing first.
Less than two days later all the boats were in their cradles and their crews were nowhere to be seen. The organization of the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race had taken over and was proving its worth.
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