Top Italian firm to build Abu Dhabi's VO70

by Mariam Ibrahim Al Sayed Al Hashmi, ADTA on 12 Oct 2010 Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has appointed leading global manufacturing firm, Persico S.p.A., to build its state-of-the-art racing yacht for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team to participate in the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race, widely considered the ‘Everest of Sailing’.

Persico of Bergamo, Italy, was appointed following a competitive tender exercise involving local and international suppliers from the UAE, Europe and the Far East.

The yacht build has already commenced in Persico’s dedicated manufacturing facility in Northern Italy, in tandem with works in progress by Farr Yacht Design (USA) - one of the world’s foremost racing-yacht design teams - which is responsible for final design geometry.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing expects to take delivery of its cutting-edge Volvo Open 70 yacht in June 2011, for the final training push before the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 sets sail on its nine-month, 39,000 mile journey in October from Alicante, Spain.

'This is becoming a truly international project,' said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA, which lead-manages the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team. 'We are intent in tapping on the best minds and resources the yachting industry can offer to press forward our Volvo Ocean Race ambitions.'

Persico has close to two decades experience in the manufacturing of competitive racing yachts, having been behind a number of America’s Cup entrants from Moro di Venezia in 1992 up to Luna Rossa in 2007, which qualified for the event’s semi-finals. The company has also developed RC44 yachts for world-renowned sailor, Russell Coutts.

'We believe Persico has the right credentials in terms of manufacturing experience, product innovation and its ability to deliver a highly competitive integrated build solution, so as to be a key enabler of our Volvo Ocean Race ambitions,' explained Al Muhairi.

Being led by Persico’s Operations Manager, Mark Somerville, who has been involved with the manufacture of five Volvo Ocean Race yachts and 10 America’s Cup entries, the build will take approximately 45,000 man hours.

'Over the next eight months, under ADTA’s supervision, the team will be involved in every step of the manufacturing process as we continually refine and enhance our Volvo Open 70. Getting it right can mean the difference between first and last,' said Ian Walker, team skipper of the 11-strong Abu Dhabi crew hoping to stake its claim in one of the world’s toughest, most extreme sporting challenges.

Meanwhile, plans are also being progressed with Abu Dhabi stakeholders for the UAE capital’s New Year 2012 hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race prior to the yachting fleet embarking on to its third leg to Sanya, China. The emirate will be the first Middle East stopover in the event’s 37-year history.

'We are determined to make our port stopover the best in race history and the race highlight as befits our three-pronged involvement. We are making Volvo Ocean Race history on three levels - we are the event’s first destination partner, the only Middle East organisation to enter the race, and the first Middle East host port,' said Al Muhairi.

The 2011/2012 race will start in Alicante, Spain, in October 2011 and end in Galway, Ireland, in the summer of 2012. The Volvo Open 70 racing yacht is sailed by professional athletes, who race around the world with the prevailing winds.