Abu Dhabi: While crew and support staff of the five boats that finished Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race here in the UAE capital chose to unwind by participating in a radio-controlled regatta and a visit to Ferrari World, the Chinese entry of Team Sanya continued to race out of a tropical cyclone danger-zone in the Indian Ocean en route to the starting point of the second stage of Leg 3.
"We're out of the danger zone, we had to reef our main and sail cautiously overnight, but the upshot of that is that we couldn't be more confident in our new rig,'' said Watch leader Cameron Dunn.
"If we look behind us we can see the tropical cyclone, which is a good sight, but ahead we can see the even better sight of blue skies and fluffy white clouds."
Team Sanya are expected to reach the secret safe haven port around January 19 before re-joining the rest of the fleet for the second stage of Leg 3 to their home port in Sanya, China.
Here in the capital on Monday evening, representatives of all six Volvo Ocean Race teams took time off from their work lists to take part in an inter-team model boat regatta in the Abu Dhabi Destination Village.
Just prior to sunset last night, a fleet of scale-model radio controlled boats, each decked out in their team colours, took to the water cheered on by race village crowds along with the sailors and shore crew, according to the official website.
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand came out on top after three races with a consistent 2, 1, 2, score line. Team Sanya won the opening and closing races but could only manage fourth in the middle heat to take overall second place.
Podium position
With a 4,2,4, string of results, Groupama sailing team closed out the final podium position, ahead of PUMA Ocean racing powered by BERG in fourth, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in fifth and Team Telefónica in sixth.
Meanwhile the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which is behind the emirate's historic fortnight long hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet, expect this weekend's in-port racing finale weekend to be a ‘standout' experience that will be talked about long after the awesome competing yachts depart.
"This is it; three years of planning and preparation will build up to almost fever pitch. From day one, we said we wanted to make the Abu Dhabi stopover a race highlight, this weekend we will make good on that promise. It will be the place to be for sailing fans and fun-goers alike," said Faisal Al Shaikh, Events Manager, ADTA. The weekend's stars will undoubtedly be the five-strong Volvo Ocean Race fleet, which includes local favourites, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, who will be battling it out for crucial in-port race points on Friday with the action running from noon until 3pm followed by a prize-giving from 4-5pm.
All the other village fun and activities will run from 11am until midnight with Legendary British rock band The Straits performing a free-to-attend, 90 minute concert from 9pm.
Fans will also get to see the Volvo Open 70 yachts in action on Saturday, as the fleet jockeys for the best start in the waters off Lulu Island before beginning the 4,600 nautical mile journey to the southern most point of China.
