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It was as simple as ‘unos, dos, tres’ for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker and Emirati sailing hero Adil Khalid at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, as Spain’s Ryder Cup star Sergio ‘El Nino’ Garcia gave the yacht racing duo a crash-course in his native language ahead of this winter’s Volvo Ocean Race start in Alicante.
Walker and Khalid were conducting tours of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s Azzam training yacht for visitors to the championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, which finished on Sunday, and Garcia stepped aboard to put them through their Spanish language paces. The Spanish maestro also received some language tips of his own, with Adil teaching him how to say ‘I love Abu Dhabi’ in Arabic.
“Ian and Adil were first rate students,” said Garcia at the end of the lesson. “I’m not sure how much they’ll remember when they’re in Alicante this October, but they should be able to order decent food before having to live off freeze-dried for nine months at sea.”
For Ian and Adil the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is a relaxing start to what is sure to be a gruelling year ahead, with Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s lush fairways a far cry from the iceberg-strewn, rolling southern ocean that awaits them in the Volvo Ocean Race. And the chance to watch many of the world’s best golfers, including Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson and Luke Donald, was a welcome return to UAE for Walker who crewed in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race over the festive period.
“It’s always muy bueno to return to the sunshine and warm people of Abu Dhabi,” commented Walker.
A hectic couple of months now await Walker, Khalid and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, as the team’s Volvo Ocean Race preparations gather apace. Next month the remaining ADOR crew members will be announced. “Who knows, we may have another Spanish surprise up our sleeve,” hinted the Great British Double Olympian.
In February the entire ADOR team will meet in Abu Dhabi for planning and destination training and later in the month its shore team experts will take delivery of its new Volvo Ocean 65 yacht in the UK.
But for Adil – who became the first Arab to circumnavigate the globe in the 2011/2012 Volvo Ocean Race – the opportunity to relax at the Championship before the race trials that lie ahead, was a chance not to be missed.
“This Championship is just brilliante! It’s a great place to chill out and relax because, let’s face it, we’re not exactly going to be living the Vida Loca once the race build up starts! It’s also been great to meet Sergio and teach him the Arabic for ‘I love Abu Dhabi’ – Ana Ahib Abu Dhabi – which he picked-up in no time. He’s obviously a natural Arabic speaker!”
Follow news of the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team and hear the latest on the Abu Dhabi stopover for the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race by following on Facebook – www.facebook.com/AbuDhabiOceanRacing, on Twitter - @ADOR, or online at www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com.
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