Volvo Ocean Race

Adam Minoprio is heading back to his roots, with a return to the World Match Racing Tour in next week’s stage of the circuit in Marseille, France.

Hamish Hooper/CAMPER… IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race

Before sailing the Volvo Ocean Race on board CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, Minoprio became the youngest World Match Racing Tour champion in 2009 at the age of 24.

Now 27, the New Zealander is looking forward to Monday's practice day in Marseille ahead of the sixth stage of the international circuit.

"I’m excited to be back, although the format is very different to when I competed last," said Minoprio, having been out of the tour for the past 20 months.

"The game’s evolved and there have been a couple of new rules in that time. I’m looking forward to it but we’ll be chucked in at the deep end, that’s for sure. Whilst match racing is a specific skill, it is still going around a race course.”


Minoprio was one of the three under-30s on the CAMPER crew. After sailing 39,270 nautical miles around the world with Chris Nicholson’s crew, he believes the learning experience has been a valuable one.

“As long as we can keep to the principles of sailing the boat faster than the other guy around the race course and not getting too involved in the technicalities, we hopefully should be able to come out alright. Me and the guys should be able to go as quick as anyone else.”

And there is one good point about going back to inshore racing: “I definitely missed coming ashore, having a warm bed and a warm home cooked meal to go home to every night!”