Abu Dhabi: The hardy Volvo Ocean Race fleet — the seven contending yachts in the epic, nine-month, round-the-world challenge — is now officially on its way to Abu Dhabi.
Following Cape Town’s successful first leg stopover, Abu Dhabi will host the second stopover from the middle of next month until January 3 when major celebrations, including sailing and water sports activities, concerts and entertainment, will be served up in a purpose-built Destination Village on the city’s stunning Corniche.
Accepting the stopover hosting reins, Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions and Overseas Offices, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which is behind the emirate’s VOR campaign, said sailing fans have much to look forward to during his homeland’s three-week stopover programme.
He said: “For centuries, Abu Dhabi has been at one with the sea and visitors will find in the Destination Village much to inform and excite them about our rich maritime heritage. They’ll also be brought bang up to date with sporting activities, concerts, entertainment and competitions which have been designed to appeal to all nationalities and ages.
“The stopover activities will make for a celebratory end to this year and an exciting and active start to the next — it is an ideal time to see the UAE capital at its best and at a time of year when we experience our most ambient temperatures.”
Following a tough, 6,125-nautical mile, Leg 2 race, which will see the fleet traverse three oceans, the competing yachts and their teams will arrive in Abu Dhabi in mid-December, with the in-port race due on January 2 and the fleet set to leave for Sanya in China on January 3.
In a symbolic stopover handover ceremony in Cape Town, Mayor De Lille and Al Nuaimi exchanged gifts, with the TCA Abu Dhabi Director presenting the Mayor with a richly engraved gold-and-silver plated khanjar, a traditional dagger, which was once used for personal protection and hunting and is now a symbol of strength and maturity.
