Abu Dhabi: A week after winning the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ador) — the UAE’s entry in the round-the-world race — has relaunched its yacht Azzam in Cape Town.

This is in preparation for Saturday’s in-port race and the start of Leg 2 to Abu Dhabi on November 19. Both Ador’s on and offshore teams had to put the Leg 1 victory quickly aside as they refocused on plans for the next two challenges.

The Leg 1 win put Ador first in the overall standings but, with eight more legs to go and a fiercely competitive international field, skipper Ian Walker knows his crew can’t rest on its laurels.

“Winning the first leg is hugely significant for our team,” Walker said. “But there has been no time to sit back and reflect on this victory. Just because we had a good opening leg doesn’t mean we’re now entitled to do it again. We have to earn that right by continuing to do all the good things that got us to Cape Town first.

A week ago, the welcoming cheers of the crowd were still echoing around Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront when the Abu Dhabi shore crew jumped aboard Azzam and began work on a comprehensive maintenance overhaul.

Just after first light the next morning, Azzam had been craned ashore and her 100-foot carbon mast removed for a fingertip inspection.

Walker was full of praise for the shore crew’s work, managed by experienced British Whitbread Race sailor Guy Barron, who, says Walker, should take a large part of the credit for the Leg 1 win.

“After talking to other teams, it appears we had fewer mechanical failures than anyone on that leg,” Walker said. “That’s largely a function of our detailed preparations and the hard work Guy and his team put in before we left Spain.”

Barron said Azzam had come through the first leg with remarkably few battle scars, despite having been raced hard for 25 days in winds that at times topped 30 knots.

“The yacht looked remarkably good, considering it had done a 6,500-mile leg,” Barron added. “Nevertheless, we have taken her apart, meticulously checked and serviced everything and then put it all back together again.”

Before the November 19 race restart, Ador must switch gears to take on the short-course Cape Town In-Port Race on Saturday.

Walker’s men will be looking to go one better than their second place in the Alicante in-port heat, where they were pipped to the post by Team Alvimedica.

“That Alicante In-Port Race seems so long ago,” Walker said. “It’s not easy to flip modes and refocus on inshore racing. Cape Town has a reputation as a windy venue and you can often get 25 knots or more blowing out in Table Bay — that means a tough day on the water for us sailors, but some exciting, high-adrenaline spectator action.

“This crew is highly competitive and any time we take on the other teams we’re out for the win. However, with the second leg start just four days later, we must also be careful not to damage any vital equipment on Azzam.”

The Cape Town In-Port Race starts on Saturday at 4pm UAE time. Live television coverage will be streamed online at volvooceanrace.com.