Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) on Tuesday confirmed four more additions to its crew for the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race.
Joining Skipper Ian Walker’s team, who are aiming to be the first from Arabia to win the prestigious round-the-world-race, are a quartet of sailors with a combined total of 12 Volvo Ocean Race campaigns between them.
Ireland’s Justin Slattery, Australia’s Phil Harmer, Britain’s Simon Fisher and New Zealand’s Andrew McLean join the ADOR line-up, which already included Emirati crewman Adil Khalid, young Australian recruit Luke Parkinson and on-board reporter Tom Bushell.
All four have previously raced with Abu Dhabi’s double Olympic silver medallist skipper.
ADOR performance manager Neal McDonald was instrumental in the selection process and he said: “I’m confident we have the right people. It’s a solid mix without any big egos. This is an international line-up, but the common factor is that they are all very much focused on winning.”
Previous experience
For bowman Slattery, this will be his third lap of the world with Walker and his second Volvo Ocean Race as an Abu Dhabi crew member. Likewise, navigator Fisher will be donning an Abu Dhabi crew uniform for the second time after competing as a helmsman and sail trimmer in the last race.
McLean and Harmer previously raced around the world with Walker two editions ago. In the 2011-12 race, Harmer was part of the winning Groupama crew and McLean finished second on Camper.
“Phil, Andrew, Simon and Justin each bring unique skills and invaluable experience to the team and I couldn’t be happier to have them aboard,” Walker said.
“We all enjoy sailing together and that can be an important factor in the pressure cooker environment of a nine-month yacht race around the world.”
The final member of the nine-man ADOR line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.
