GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Azzam), skippered by Briton Ian Walker, won the 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race Monday. Walker's crew finished fifth in the ninth and final leg, the fleet having covered 38,739 nautical miles (74,000km) in just under nine months of racing since it set sail from Alicante, Spain, in early October last year.
The last stage of the triennial event, 1,000nm from Lorient, France, via a pit-stop in The Hague, was won by Turkish/American challengers, Team Alvimedica.
The Alvimedica victory ensured all but one of the seven-strong fleet won at least one stage in the race.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was the most consistent team, however, and secured top-three podium places in all but two of the legs and won two of them.
Dutch campaign, Team Brunel, secured second place in the overall standings thanks to its runner-up spot in leg nine with Dongfeng Race Team (China) taking third place after claiming fourth position in the last leg.
MAPFRE (Spain) took third in the leg and is tied on 34 points with Alvimedica for fourth place overall.
That tie will be broken in the final act of the triennial event, the Gothenburg In-Port Race Saturday (June 27). — Reuters
