Rolex Fastnet Race - The first clash / Volvo Ocean Race

The next Volvo Ocean Race is still more than one year away but Team SCA and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are lining up for their first battle this weekend. The all-female entry and Ian Walker’s team will both be sailing the Fastnet Race which starts on Sunday.

IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race

“We’ve been looking forward to this race for a while,” said Carolijn Brouwer onboard Team SCA. “We’ve been sailing in Lanzarote and preparing for this race for a couple of months now. It’s been nice to be able to build up for this regatta.”

Training for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, the all-female entry is going to face their future competitor Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing for the first time in the Fastnet Race. Both will be racing in Volvo Open 70s. The 608-mile route will take them from Cowes in the UK to the Fastnet rock in Southern Ireland and back to the British port of Plymouth.

Five confirmed crewmembers, four candidates and three male coaches* will sail onboard Team SCA’s training boat, the repurposed Volvo Open 70 Mar Mostro which took part in the 2011-12 edition under the PUMA colours, finishing second overall.

The Abu Dhabi team** skippered by Ian Walker are trying candidates out with Emirati sailor Adil Khalid the only confirmed crewmember so far. With the same boat that contested the last Volvo Ocean Race, Azzam, but a new crew, can Walker defend the Fastnet monohull record he broke in 2011 in 1 day, 18 hours, 39 minutes?

“In order to win the race, we’re going to need a lot of things to go in our favour, starting with the weather,” conceded Britain’s double Olympic silver medalist. “The more reaching there is, the better it is for a Volvo Open 70. We’re going to try to defend that record.”

But the Fastnet Race is more a training race than anything else for both teams. With more than a year to go to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race and with their One Design Volvo Ocean 65 still being built, Walker doesn’t want to focus on the result this week.

“Obviously we are not going to be starting the Volvo Ocean Race this October and we won’t be using this boat. So in terms of results and performance, I don’t think you can read too much into it at all. From our point of view, it’s all about giving some young guys a chance; it’s about Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing back on the water and starting to build what we hope will be race winning team.”

Team SCA are not focused on winning either, according to Australian sailor Liz Wardley: "It’ll be a good opportunity to put our new learnt skills of sailing a Volvo 70 to the test and seeing how the crew works together in an offshore race mode. We still have lots to learn, not just about the boat, but about each other so I think this will be a good stepping stone.”

The weather forecast is light and both teams will start on Sunday at 1:50pm with all other IRC Z & CK class boats in front of the Isle of Wight off Britain's southern coast.

The Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 begins in Alicante, Spain on October 4 next year with an in-port race and the first leg sets off a week later.

We will call our teams while at sea and bring you the latest news on volvooceanrace.com. Race mode is back!
*Team SCA - Crew for the Fastnet Race 2013:
Annemieke Bes NED
Carolijn Brouwer NED
Sophie Ciszek AUS
Sam Davies GBR - Navigator
Brad Jackson NZL - Coach
Sarah Lihan USA
Annie Lush GBR
Justine Mettraux SUI
Pepe Ribes ESP - Coach
Joca Signorini BRA - Coach
Liz Wardley AUS - Boat Captain
Klaartje Zuiderbaan NED

** Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Crew for the Fastnet Race 2013:



Ian Walker GBR – Skipper
Simon Fisher GBR – Navigator
Adil Khalid UAE - Trimmer / helmsman
Nick Dana USA – Bowman
Jeremy Elliott GBR – Trimmer
Phil Harmer AUS – Trimmer / driver
Tony Mutter NZL – Watchleader / helmsman
Cameron Dunn NZL – Watchleader / helmsman
Tom Johnson AUS – trimmer / driver
Jeremy Wilmot AUS – Trimmer / driver
Phillip Carlson SWE – Trimmer / driver
Jack Boutell GBR/NZL - Trimmer / driver
Guy Barron GBR - pitman – ADOR shore manager
Cameron Dueck CAN - Onboard reporter