After wining a leg and finishing third overall in it’s first appearance Dongfeng Race Team, the Chinese entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, announced it’s full crew in Paris as they look to climb to the top step of the podium.
With 160 days to go to the start of the world’s toughest fully-crewed offshore race at Alicante in Spain on 22 October, Dongfeng’s 12-strong sailing squad combines youth with experience. Led for the second consecutive time by Charles Caudrelier of France, the crew counts five Volvo Ocean Race wins, five Olympic campaigns, and 32 Solitaire du Figaro campaigns – including five wins – among its sailors’ achievements.
In addition to Caudrelier, the crew includes Figaro and Transat Jacques Vabre winner Pascal Bidégorry, who returns as navigator. An ocean racing record-setter, Bidégorry was Caudrelier’s righthand man, in the previous edition of the race, and played a key role in the team’s meteo and tactical strategy.
“I wanted a group of people on the boat who will grow stronger in adversity, never give up and have some fun along the way too.”
The French offshore all-rounder Kevin Escoffier, another pillar from the last campaign, is also back in the squad. Escoffier is not only a brilliant offshore sailor but an expert technician and boat builder.
New Zealanders Stu Bannatyne will compete in the race for the eighth time while Daryl Wislang won the last edition with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Also in the sailing team is Jeremie Beyou, the French Vendée Globe podium finisher and one-design offshore specialist, who will be taking on his first Volvo Ocean Race campaign.
The team’s two female stars are Marie Riou of France, a four-time world champion in the Nacra 17 class, and Carolijn Brouwer from Holland who has already sailed the race twice with all-female crews.
On the bow and also helping with helming duties is the up-and-coming Australian/British sailor Jack Bouttell, a veteran of three Figaro campaigns.
As before, Dongfeng Race Team looks to establish offshore ocean racing in China and the crew includes three young Chinese sailors – Yang Jiru (Wolf), Xue Liu (Black) and Jinhao Chen (Horace) – originally selected and trained for the 2014-15 race.
Commenting on the squad Caudrelier said: “I wanted a group of people on the boat who will grow stronger in adversity, never give up and have some fun along the way too.”
He added: “We will be living in close quarters for months. We will be wet, cold, hungry, hot, exhausted and desperate for sleep at times, so the relationships we build have to be strong to withstand those pressures. I am happy with the squad we have assembled and I am confident that we will measure up to the task ahead.”
In this campaign Dongfeng Race Team will look to improve on its impressive debut appearance “The key has been to use our experience from 2014-15 and add to it, not rely on it,” said Team Director, Bruno Dubois at the press conference.
“Appointing Charles Caudrelier as skipper was the first step. I know that Charles is more determined than ever to improve on his superb performance three years ago and he has demonstrated that he has the leadership skills to deal with the unique demands of Dongfeng Race Team. But we have added some new ingredients to the mix – high-achieving men and women who bring experience and a hunger for success that fits our philosophy,” added Dubois.
Follow the preparations for the race and the race itself live at www.volvooceanrace.com
Dongfeng Race Team Sailing Team
Charles Caudrelier (FRA), skipper
Pascal Bidegorry (FRA), navigator
Stu Bannatyne (NZL), watch captain
Jeremie Beyou (FRA), watch captain
Daryl Wislang (NZL), watch captain
Carolijn Brouwer (NL), trimmer
Jack Bouttell (GBR-AUS), bowman
Jinhao Chen ‘Horace’ (CHN), bowman
Kevin Escoffier (FRA), bowman
Xue Liu “Black” (CHN), pitman
Marie Riou (FRA), trimmer
Yang Jiru “Wolf”(CHN), pitman
Additional reporting and images: Volvo Ocean Race, Dongfeng Race Team, Vincent Curutchet
