Can Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing make it a double?

by Volvo Ocean Race 13 Jun 2015 20:06 BST 13 June 2015

Volvo Ocean Race Lorient Press Conference © Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean Race

Skipper Walker hungry for more silverware

In-port race series perfectly poised for final two races

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's British skipper Ian Walker (GBR) savoured his triumph in the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race this week after yet another podium spot in Leg 8 to Lorient, France – but his hunger to bring more trophies back to the Emirate is not satisfied yet.

Only a freak batch of penalty points can rob Walker and his team from lifting the handsome silver trophy in Gothenburg at the end of the nine-month, 38,739-nautical mile, offshore marathon on June 27.

They lie eight points clear of their closest rivals, Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) in the standings, and even a Dutch win and a last place for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the final stage, would only close that gap by six points.

A jubilant, but still tired Walker, reported on Friday that he had spent the previous evening not savouring his triumph deep into the night with his team mates in a Lorient restaurant, but catching up on his sleep.

He had barely slept a wink in the three-and-a-half day leg from Lisbon, Portugal, to Lorient, which finished with a title-clinching third place for his crew just before dawn on Thursday, behind winners Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) and Team Vestas Wind (Chris Nicholson/AUS).

Walker also underlined that he still has unfinished business. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are also leading the in-port race series and he would like nothing better than doing the 'double' and make his adopted country even prouder.

They are currently leading by four points (see Scoreboard), again with Team Brunel in second place, but in this competition, the podium places are very much still up for grabs.

Six of the seven teams – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Team Brunel, Team SCA, Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP) and Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) – still have chances of podium places, with two races of the 10-part series to be decided, here in Lorient and in Gothenburg at the end of June.

The series is also a tiebreaker for the offshore competition and that could be key since teams could still finish up tied after Leg 9.

The SCA In-Port Race Lorient, takes place in the Brittany port at 1200 UTC/1400 local time on Sunday.

"We will be giving it everything we have got," said Walker. "My team have sailed really well in the in-port series too and we'll certainly be pressing as hard as we can to bring more silverware back home to Abu Dhabi. That's our focus now."

MAPFRE are the in-form team, having won the last two in-port races in Newport, Rhode Island, and Lisbon, and to boost their cause, skipper Iker Martínez is back at the helm having missed Leg 8 to Lorient due to Olympic training commitments.

He will also sail the final leg to Gothenburg, via a pit-stop in The Hague, which starts from Lorient at 1500 UTC/1700 local time on Tuesday (June 16).