Emirati sailing hero Adil Khalid celebrated his 26th birthday today (Wednesday) with his Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (ADOR) colleagues – just days prior to the start of the nine-month, round-the-world, Volvo Ocean Race which begins in Alicante, Spain this Saturday.

“Adil’s a young guy, but after this race is all over he’s going to feel like he’s 42 instead of 26,” joked ADOR skipper Ian Walker.

Many of the crew aboard the Azzam, ADOR’s Volvo Ocean 65 yacht, will celebrate birthdays at sea where celebrations may be limited to little more than a chocolate bar and whatever the sea decides to throw at them.

ADOR got their Volvo Ocean 65 campaign off to an encouraging start with a second-placed finish in the In-Port race in Alicante, although the crew will be aware that sterner tests await.