Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing won the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR), despite pulling into the port of Gothenburg, Sweden, in fifth place on Monday.
The Emirates team, skippered by Walker, triumphed in the nine-month triennial race after finishing fifth in the ninth leg from Lorient to Gothenburg.
The team had accumulated enough points in the previous legs to take first in the 12th around-the-world sailing competition, making it the first Asia-based crew to win.
Abu Dhabi spent 148 days at sea, traveling 38,739 nautical miles over four oceans and hitting 11 ports on six continents.
The team beat out six others, a much better finish than its fifth-place result in the 2011–12 race. The crew logged two stage wins, three second-place finishes, and two thirds.
“My overwhelming feeling right now is that of relief,” team skipper Ian Walker posted on the group’s Facebook page Sunday night. “Relief that all the tiny decisions I have lost sleep over for the last two years no longer matter.”
“I spent a year not looking or touching the trophy, I’m that superstitious. I guess I can do it now” Walker said.