Sports | Monday 9 February, 2015 12:26 am |

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) - the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR)-contesting team from the UAE capital – has set off on Leg 4 of the epic round-the-world challenge, which takes the racing yachts from China to New Zealand, looking to maintain its record of top-three finishes in the competition so far.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture (TCA Abu Dhabi)-backed team set out from Sanya on Hainan Island at 1400 local time on Sunday in warm sunshine and around 15 knots of wind. The 5,264 nautical-mile leg is expected to take around three weeks to complete.

ADOR’s aim for another podium finish was made even more challenging at the last minute, after the team’s Emirati helmsman and trimmer, Adil Khalid, was struck down with a stomach bug, meaning skipper Ian Walker was forced into an emergency line-up change. This meant a late call up for ADOR reserve sailor Alex Higby, with the Englishman up until now working as sailmaker for the shore crew.

“It’s a big disappointment not to have Adil on board,” Walker said. “Nobody likes to change a successful combination and Adil is an important part of the crew. He is very sad not to be coming with us but he understands the risk of him getting worse or infecting the rest of us is just too great. Better that he uses the next few weeks to rest up and get himself well so that he can come back strong in Auckland.”

Stepping into an established crew at the last minute is never easy but Walker said he was confident that Higby would be up to the challenge. “We planned for this sort of eventuality – sickness or an injury to one of our under-30 sailors – and Alex did plenty of sailing with us before the race started and the crew knows him very well. I’m sure he will do a great job for us.”

Walker added he is expecting a tough opening section of the leg from Sanya to the Luzon Straight at the top of the Philippines, with strong headwinds and big seas making life uncomfortable on board.

“These new VO65s sail at very extreme angles – especially upwind,” Walker said. “Living down below on Azzam can get pretty unpleasant when she is so heeled over and you are crashing through big waves. Even simple things like making a freeze-dried meal or a hot drink can turn into a real mission and we have to be very careful to avoid picking up any injuries.”

Leg 4 sees the fleet re-cross the equator and potentially have to deal with tropical storm conditions in the southern hemisphere before they reach Auckland – also known as ‘the city of sails’.

After a short inshore section close to the Sanya Race Village, ADOR’s celebrity jump off guest, China’s leading professional golfer Lianwei Zhang, made a spectacular jump from Azzam’s stern.

Zhang - the first pro-golfer from China to play a tournament in Abu Dhabi – said he had never experienced anything like sailing on Azzam.

“The crew are amazing,” he said. “I didn’t realise how hard these boats are to sail. The crew really has to be super fit and there is a lot all going on at the same time. I was a little nervous about jumping but in the end I just stepped up and went for it.”

From there the six-boat fleet powered down the Hainan Island coastline in close formation at more than 15 knots, before rounding a final turning mark in the shadow of the spectacular 108-metre ‘Guanyin of the South Sea of Sanya’ statue just before sunset.
Walker said his strategy for the first few days would be to protect Azzam and her sails from any damage in the brutal headwinds.

“I don’t think you can win this leg on the first section to Luzon,” he said. “But you could lose it by breaking the boat or damaging a key sail. We won’t be holding back but we will be making sure we get Azzam through these first few days of tough stuff.”

Leg 4 is expected to take the fleet about 21 days to complete with the leader predicted to cross the finish line in Auckland on or around March 1.