While some are sailing across the Atlantic, others are showing off their new sports equipment. The new VO 70 from Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, designed by Farr Yacht Design in the USA and built by Persico SpA in Bergamo with a labour input of 49,000 hours, was presented yesterday in Portofino, Italy. This is Abu Dhabi's first appearance in the Volvo Ocean Race. The yacht is skippered by two-time Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker from Great Britain.
The black ship sails under the flying falcon, the official heraldic animal of the United Arab Emirates. "We have invested in the best in design and yacht construction to support the highly talented Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team," said team boss Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, who also heads the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Tourism. Next item on the team's programme: sailing tests in the Atlantic.
This content is no longer available.
To the Team page
