Volvo Ocean Race 2017/18: Carolijn & Marie will sail for Dongfeng

Photos Dongfeng Race Team: Carolijn Brouer & Marie Riou – With  VOR rules for next edition encouraging women sailors to be part of the crew, Charles Caudrelier, the skipper of Dongfeng, selected two of the most talented and experienced he could get. This guy has an eye for recruiting. Catsailors Carolijn Brouwer & Marie Riou are the perfect selection, and any wise skipper would select them without any special incentive. More than ‘girl power’ for us is simply Sailors Talent at its best.

Carolijn has been our hero for years on her Tornado, F18 and now A-Class campaigns, plus her Volvo SCA all girl participation. Marie has simply dominated the Nacra 17 Olympic Class during 4 years along Billy Besson. The catsailing sailing community is more than proud to have them racing the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/2018.
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Below exceprt from Dongfeng official statement “Girl Power”: 
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Caudrelier says Dongfeng Race Team will be stronger with the addition of what he described as two exceptionally gifted women sailors. “I chose Carolijn because she beat us many times during the last race when she helmed Team SCA in the in-port races,” he said. “She has a big Olympic past which I respect and this has turned her into a very fast driver. She knows where to put the boat.”
Image credit: Bu Duomen / Dongfeng Race Team

On Riou, Caudrelier again stresses the benefit of years of Olympic class racing and training. “She is strong, she has a good spirit – which is the most important thing for me – and she is used to sailing with the guys,” he said. “For her the Volvo Ocean Race is a dream and, like Carolijn, Marie is focused on a strong performance.”
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Brouwer, who has a six-year-old son and currently lives near Sydney, says winning the Volvo Ocean Race has been a goal for some years and she is delighted to be joining a Chinese team which she admired during the last race. “I’m very proud to be part of the team. One of the reasons I wanted to join Dongfeng Race Team is because of the strong team spirit,” she said. “I like adventures, I love challenges and I am very passionate about sailing. The Volvo Ocean is unique. It’s the ultimate challenge physically and mentally and because you are in a team, you get the best out of each other.”

Riou, meanwhile, will be making her debut in this race. “I have wanted to take part in the Volvo Ocean Race since I was 10 years old,” she said. “Although my main experience is in inshore racing I have always wanted to race offshore and for me the Volvo Ocean Race is a new adventure and the pinnacle of fully-crewed offshore racing.”
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