Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) will be looking to make it five out of five podium finishes in the In-Port Race series to tighten their grip at the top of the leaderboard as Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) action resumes on Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand.

The six-boat VOR fleet had been scheduled to leave New Zealand for Brazil on Leg 5 the following afternoon. However, the threat of encountering huge boat-breaking seas in the open oceans of the South-Western pacific caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam has forced race organisers to delay the start until at least Tuesday to allow the storm to pass.

ADOR — led by British double Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker and backed by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) — currently lead the short-course series by four points after an unbroken string of top-three results at the first four stopovers.

In-port races are used to decide a points-tie on the final overall leaderboard — and ADOR and Dongfeng Race Team are tied on points in the main race after four legs, but Abu Dhabi have the overall lead because of superior IPR Series results.

Walker said he and his crew were preparing for Saturday’s New Zealand Herald In-Port Race as diligently as they have on the four previous occasions.

“We have always known the in-port series is important and have always treated it as such,” Walker said. “Our lead in the series is the result of that strategy and we want to consolidate our advantage with a good placing on Saturday.

“Auckland is a great venue for spectators to get a good view of the fleet in action and, if we get the solid breeze that is forecast, it will be a real spectacle.”

Under-30 reserve Louis Sinclair will sail in place of UAE Olympian Adel Khalid, who is not fully recovered from a bug that forced him out of the previous leg from China.

Lending his support to the ADOR crew for the In-Port race will be rugby legend Jonah Lomu, who will join the sailors as celebrity guest on board Azzam for the day. Lomu said he was looking forward to seeing the Abu Dhabi yacht perform.

“Azzam looks amazing and I can’t wait to see her in action,” Lomu said. “I understand it takes good teamwork, strength and power to get the best out of a racing yacht. Those are things I know plenty about.”

The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race starts at 5am UAE time on Saturday and ADOR fans can watch the action live at volvooceanrace.com.