Abu Dhabi yacht wins first leg of Volvo Ocean Race to Cape Town
Chinese contender Dongfeng surprises competitors with hot chase through south Atlantic to close gap
British skipper Ian Walker steered Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to a first-leg victory in the nine-month Volvo Ocean Race on Wednesday after foregoing sleep for two days.
Walker’s yacht was chased all the way through the South Atlantic by Chinese entry Dongfeng Race Team, which closed to within three miles near the end before reaching their destination, Cape Town, after 25 days.
The fleet of seven set out from Alicante, Spain, on October 11.
With Dongfeng whittling away at Abu Dhabi’s lead, Walker stayed at the helm, declining to go into the cabin to look at satellite data or sleep in the closing 48 hours.
Victory was all the sweeter for Walker, who was in charge of another Abu Dhabi entry in 2011-12, only to see his first-leg hopes scuppered on the opening night when the mast snapped in a Mediterranean storm.
