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Volvo Ocean Race Academy Team Racing

Emirates Heritage Club clinch Volvo Academy Team Racing regatta final in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Emirates Heritage Club clinch Volvo Academy Team Racing regatta final in Abu Dhabi

January 2012

The third round of the Academy Team Racing has just finished in Abu Dhabi with the result being decided on a single race in the grand final between Emirates Heritage Club representing Volvo Ocean Race and Dubai Offshore Sailing Club representing Team Sanya.

These two clubs had prevailed over six other teams from around the region to each clinch their place in the grand final which took place this afternoon.

Emirates Heritage Club won the single race sudden death final race convincingly with a 1,2,3,8 combination to claim the overall Academy team racing regatta title.

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Photo © Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

Volvo Ocean Race Academy prize giving at the Volvo Pavilion in the Abu Dhabi Destination Village.

The winning Emirates Heritage Club team members were:

Omar Bazarah – coach

Homood Al Zidi (14)

Suhail Ali (14)

Khaled Mohamed (13)

Saif Ibrahim (14)

The second placed Dubai Offshore Sailing Club team members were:

James Harris and Chris Pope – coaches

Harry Bone-Kneu (13)

Oscar Lively-Smith (13)

Sara Gatt-Florida (13)

Fionn Conway (13)

Overall results:

1st Emirates Heritage Club

2nd Dubai Offshore Sailing Club

3rd Barhain

4th Al Hamriyah-Sharja

5th Abu Dhabi Sailing Club Team A

6th Abu Dhabi sailing and Yacht Club

7th Oman

8th Abu Dhabi Sailing Club Team B

The next Volvo Academy Optimist Team Racing regatta will be in Sanya, China in February.


December 2011

The weather did not play along, but the second round of Academy Team Racing proved a great learning experience for the young sailors gathered in Cape Town. A total of 32 children from Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town came to the V&A Waterfront to take part in the Academy Team Racing over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They had won their places after taking part in two national events and were split into eight mixed ability, mixed gender groups of four, with each group representing one of the six Volvo Ocean Race teams, plus the race itself and the city of Cape Town.

Fittingly, it was the team representing Cape Town who triumphed in the final against Team Telefónica, winners of Leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race, but the final placings had to be decided by a quiz rather than on the water. That’s because weather conditions limited the amount of sailing the teams could do to just one complete round. On Saturday, the wind was blowing 45 knots, forcing the sailing to be postponed. On Sunday, it was the opposite problem, with not enough wind in the morning. All the teams did manage to get in at least one race in the afternoon as the breeze filled in but there was not enough time to complete the programme, meaning the young sailors had to demonstrate how much they had learned over the three days to get the top placings.

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Chris Atkins and Katie Hearsum addressing the teams

The clinics and other activities clearly proved highly educational, as did the visits the young sailors made to all six of the Volvo Ocean Race team bases on Saturday. "I’d especially like to thank the teams for making the visits possible" said Volvo Ocean Race director Jack Lloyd. "That turned a potential disaster into a great day. I hope that everyone came away from the weekend with a better understanding of team racing."

Every Host Port along the route features an Academy Team Racing clinic, sailed in 20 Volvo Ocean Race Academy branded single handed Optimist dinghies. National trials have taken place in each of the Host Port countries to select the four-boat, mixed-gender teams to compete at local Volvo Ocean Race Host Ports. As well as enjoying the racing, teams receive expert coaching on team racing technique.

The next Volvo Academy Optimist Team Racing regatta will be in Abu Dhabi in January.


October 2011

The Academy sailors received on the water and classroom coaching from team racing experts, before two days of elimination rounds, culminating in a grand final between the top two teams to decide the overall winner.

Photo © IODA

Ahead of the official opening of the Volvo Ocean Race Village in Alicante, the Volvo Ocean Race Academy welcomed 32 Spanish Optimist sailors who were taking part in the inaugural Optimist Team Racing Regatta.

Selected back in June to represent their local sailing club at the three-day regatta, the eight teams finally discovered which Volvo Ocean Race team they would sail for in the competition.

Real Club de Regatas de Alicante were representing CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand

Real Club Náutico Gandía - Puerto di Alicante

Real Club Náutico Calpe - Groupama sailing team

Real Club Náutico Torrevieja - Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Real Club Náutico Denia - Volvo Ocean Race

Club Náutico de Santa Pola - PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG Propulsion

Real Club Náutico de Valencia - Team Sanya

Club Náutico Alicante Costa Blanca (below) - Team Telefónica


Photo © Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

The Academy sailors received on the water and classroom coaching from team racing experts, before two days of elimination rounds, culminating in a grand final between the top two teams to decide the overall winner.

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Photo © Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

Francisco Vidal, coordinator for the Academy Team Racing Regattas and Course Marshall summed up what the event was all about. "We teach the kids how to race in team racing. It’s very interesting, because usually in the Optimist class they sail by themselves and for themselves. Now they have to learn to sail as a team, work as a team, protect the team and learn the meaning of the word sacrifice. It’s a great opportunity for them."

During the 3 days, each team had the opportunity to spend time with members of the Volvo Ocean Race team that they represented. Some toured the racing boat itself, others visited the team compound and sail loft. All received team clothing and an opportunity to spend time with sailors, many of whom started sailing in Optimists, all this just weeks before they set off around the world.

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Photo © Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race

The final between Club Náutico Alicante Costa Blanca, representing Team Telefónica and Real Club Náutico Torrevieja, representing Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, was hard fought and after 4 races they were tied two wins each. The final race which decided the regatta, went to Real Club Náutico Torrevieja. It was a successful start for the Volvo Ocean Race Academy and the whole event was appreciated by the hundreds of spectators who crowded the quay side, enthralled by the racing and listening to the commentary.

The next Volvo Academy Optimist Team Racing regatta will be in Cape Town.