Thank you! Merçi! Thank you!!!
There was so much new to celebrate about Dongfeng’s wonderful victory in the 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race and skipper Charles Caudrelier was refreshingly quick to give credit where it was due… Above:
‘Thanks for your support and all you have done to improve our gear! We all have been impressed,’ said Charles Caudrelier to his partners, Zhik, when he and his Dongfeng Race Team became the first China- flagged team to win the biggest offshore prize in sailing, the Volvo Ocean Race.
They say it’s the little things that make the difference at the top level of sailing, and yes, it’s a cliché, but after that sensationally nail-biting climax in the Volvo Ocean Race, could anyone argue otherwise? After 45,000 nautical miles around the world, the winning margin on the decisive final leg came down to 17 minutes, give or take a few seconds. It had been a brutal, relentless race around the planet. Caudrelier knew that his crew would have to keep on improving from leg to leg, and the demanding Frenchman expected the same of his partners.
Bruno Dubois, the team manager of the Dongfeng Race Team, was also
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impressed by the commitment from Zhik. ‘You guys never give up. Your resilience is the same as our team. We almost feel obliged to use all the new stuff – we feel that we owe it to you after all the work you have put in,’ he said.
While traditionalists might bemoan the use of one-design Volvo Ocean 65s in the past two editions of the race, the technical apparel industry has benefited enormously from this one-design era. Sailors are no different from any other professional athletes – they will look for an edge wherever they can find it. So if they’re not allowed to tinker with their one- design boats, they’ll turn their attentions elsewhere.
Improvements in the clothing were an obvious place to focus, particularly bearing in mind the exposed cockpit of the Volvo Ocean 65 and the constant fire-hosing of white water across the deck. There is no escaping the brutality of this boat.
The other factor was just how long this edition of the race was, as Team
‘There is no escaping the brutality of this boat.’ Competing in the Volvo Ocean Race is a feat of extreme endurance and choosing the right kit is crucial for success. The notoriously wet, exposed and brutally uncomfort- able ride aboard the VO65 one design boats is a punishing test bench for clothing as well as crew
AkzoNobel helmsman and sail trimmer Luke Molloy says: ‘We realised that the race was one-and-a- half times the length of any previous Volvo Ocean Race and we allocated enough garments per sailor to get through the extra distance. Volvo Ocean Race sailors are extremely tough on the gear so we knew that we would need a few sets per sailor. ‘We also worked with Zhik on refining the zip-on hood and other headwear to try and reduce the total number of garments needed by making them multi-purpose, covering a wide range of conditions.’ Considering that this was the Australian brand’s first foray into the Volvo Ocean Race, it might have seemed quite a risk going away from the proven alternatives. Not that Zhik is without pedigree, however. Since the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Zhik has powered many athletes to numerous medal winning performances, not least the Kiwi 49er duo Pete Burling and Blair Tuke who, after winning Olympic gold in
JAMES BLAKE/VOLVO OCEAN RACE
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