Walker guides Abu Dhabi to verge of Volvo Ocean Race title

[June 11, 2015]  LORIENT, France (Reuters) - British skipper Ian Walker and his Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing crew all but clinched the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race on Thursday after taking third place in the eighth leg from Lisbon to Lorient, France.

Only a freak result in the final leg to Gothenburg in which if they finish last of the seven-strong fleet and then are docked at least two penalty points for a serious infringement of sailing rules could now stop them from lifting the trophy in Sweden at the end of the month.

The Emirati crew began the 647-nautical mile leg from Portugal on Sunday needing to finish in front of their closest pursuers in the triennial, nine-month marathon offshore event, which was launched as the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973.

In the event, Abu Dhabi took third and then watched Team Brunel (Netherlands) and Dongfeng Race Team (China) finish fifth and seven respectively.

The results left Walker's crew eight points clear at the top of the standings and only a serious breach of the rules could stop them now in what should be a 960nm lap of honor to Gothenburg via a 24-hour pit stop in The Hague.

For Walker, 45, it was the realization of a career ambition to become the first British skipper to win the race.

It was no less of an extraordinary achievement for the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing project, which only entered the race for the first time in 2011-12 and finished a disappointing fifth.

Their triumph was set up on Thursday when they clinched the final podium position behind Leg 8 winners Team SCA and runners-up Team Vestas Wind.

Both the latter teams had ample reason to celebrate early on Thursday too.

Team SCA had been criticized for their performance so far as the first female crew to contest the race in 12 years.

They have finished last of the competing boats in all but two of the seven legs contested previously but dominated this one virtually from the first day.

The comfortable 48-minute victory over Team Vestas Wind was the first leg win for a female crew in offshore sailing's toughest challenge since Tracy Edwards' Maiden clinched two stage wins in Class D of the 1989-90 race.

Latest standings: 1) Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 19 pts, 2) Team Brunel (Netherlands) 27, 3) Dongfeng Race Team (China) 29, 4) MAPFRE (Spain) 31, 5) Team Alvimedica (Turkey/U.S.) 33, 6) Team SCA (Sweden) 44, 7) Team Vestas Wind (Denmark) 54.

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