Decked out in the five teams’ colours, the Volvo Ocean Race skippers, flanked by their crews, paraded Arabian style on the emirate’s indigenous endurance champions through Abu Dhabi’s Destination Village on the Corniche breakwater in front of thousands of fans. There was a major roar of support for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s skipper, Ian Walker, who led the parade.
Known for their unrivalled survival stamina, camels are a key part of Abu Dhabi’s heritage. Able to go without water for weeks on end, the camel was the lifeblood of Abu Dhabi’s traditional desert life. Also heralded for their own survival and endurance skills, the sea-hardened Volvo Ocean Race crews, who spend 25 days at a time battling some of the world’s most treacherous conditions and oceans could relate to the ‘ships of the desert’.
