The 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race was not a kind one to Abu Dhabi and skipper Ian Walker. They started out having to return to port shortly after the start of the first leg when their Farr-designed Volvo 70 Azzam sustained major hull damage midway through a storm—and things only went downhill from there. In the end, they finished second to last, “bleeding away” miles every step of the way aboard a boat that just couldn’t seem to catch up. This time, though, Walker says things are going to be different, thanks to a combination of crew chemistry and their new Volvo Ocean 65 one-design.
