Sailing
From Dhows to Round-the-World Sailing Champ
Helmsman’s world record makes UAE history books
Adil Khalid is the first Arab to sail around the world and the first to win the trophy for doing so – as well as representing the UAE at the Olympics. And he’s just 27.
Adil Khalid
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Adil was the only Arab athlete to compete in the Laser Sailing Class at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Dubai-born trimmer and helmsman was only 22 when he went on to join the 11-strong Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) crew, sailing in his first Volvo Ocean Race on board the yacht Azzam (Arabic for ‘determination’).
But ADOR failed to finish the first leg, after breaking their mast in 30-knot gales on the first night out of Alicante. This time round, they won the first leg - but Adil then missed several legs due to recurring food poisoning. Battling on, the team triumphed in June, bringing the cup home to Abu Dhabi.
Braking waves!
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We caught up with Adil at home and prepping for the UAE National Championships next month.
My father and grandfather were pearl divers, so I’ve always sailed. It’s traditional - I learnt to sail dhows then got into modern sailing.
Sailing a dhow is very tricky. The boat might break easily: it’s about weight and balance. Modern sailing is totally different, it’s about wind, weather, current and marks.
I train every day, even if I have no race to train for. I go to the gym for two hours, go sailing for one hour; it’s a routine. I have to get used to the boat and the weather all the time.
Shaping up for a better performance
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Abu Dhabi is a great place to sail and live. I was born and raised in Dubai, but Abu Dhabi is home now. It’s flat inside the Corniche and there’s a breeze of 10 - 15 knots every day.
I was training really hard but losing a lot of weight in the first Volvo Ocean Race in 2011-12. We had one pack of meals and had to share. This time we could choose our own breakfast, lunch and dinner. It makes a lot of difference, as I need to eat the right food.
Racing is totally tough. In one year around the world, we did 60 - 65,000 miles in nine months.
Sailing away..
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It was a great feeling coming home with a great result, not just for Abu Dhabi but all of the UAE. It will be in the UAE history books for a long time, it’s one of the greatest things we did.
I’m training two to three Emirati sailors and we hope to get them to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The best advice I was ever given was by my skipper, Ian Walker. He said to keep one hand on the boat and to work with just one hand when you’re on the ocean and it’s really rough and windy.
I used to go drag racing but I stopped. It’s great fun when you’re a kid but, when you’re older, it’s better to go sailing. It’s safer!