Volvo Ocean Race – France’s Gavignet joins Dongfeng for leg 7

by Dongfeng Race Team on 13 May 2015 Volvo Ocean Race – Frenchman Charles has a different approach to most Skippers in this edition of the race. We know for a fact it’s different to that of his two closest rivals Ian Walker and Bouwe Bekking, who have tried to maintain the same team since the start of the race back in Alicante. For leg seven it’s a little bit more than just a crew rotation on Dongfeng.

In a press conference in Sanya, China a journalist asked Charles Caudrelier:

“Charles, if it comes down to it and you’re neck and neck by leg seven – will you continue with your crew changes as planned or keep your original crew and stick to what you know?”

Without any hesitation Charles replied: “I will always rotate my crew.”

In line with the core mission of the project to build experience across the Chinese sailors, Wolf will replace Black who has just completed the last two legs including the delivery under jury rig from Ushuaia to Itajai, and replacing Eric Peron for leg seven is Frenchman Sidney Gavignet, without a doubt one of France’s most experienced sailors when it comes to the Volvo Ocean Race.

“Sidney is an excellent driver,” claims Caudrelier. “He’s a Volvo Ocean Race expert and I’ve been wanting to sail with him for a long time. We sailed together 12 years ago and it went really well so I can only hope this leg will be just as good.”

Gavignet is currently the skipper of the Sultanate of Oman’s MOD70, Musandam-Oman Sail, and comes fresh from establishing a new World Record for the Round Ireland course last week with a majority Omani crew. The missions of Oman Sail and Dongfeng Race Team have some parallels – helping develop the sport in their countries from a very small start, yet strong maritime heritage. Earlier this year, the two organisations had a chance to interact when members of Dongfeng Race Team participated in Oman Sail’s Sailing Arabia – The Tour. OC Sport, the management company behind Dongfeng Race Team were also heavily involved in the creation and setup of Oman Sail in 2008/9.

“The movement of the Volvo Ocean Race to one design racing has a far greater affinity with Oman Sail, our strategic plans of and its pathway to achieve them,” commented Oman Sail CEO, David Graham. “We are observing the current race with great interest and in particular, the progress of the Dongfeng team, given the similarities between our two entities.”

Originally the Dongfeng Race Team crew changes were implemented as a pre-agreed arrangement ensuring that all the Chinese sailors would see their turn in the nine-month-long regatta. That was the original plan… However, after seeing the energy and enthusiasm the Chinese returned with was something that saw Charles take the decision to not only rotate the Chinese crew but also his core crew.

The question is why?

Unquestionably all sailors in the race are tired after such long, exhausting and tough legs but perhaps the sailors of Dongfeng Race Team more than most. “With complete transparency we can say that although the Chinese sailors have exceeded our expectations, they still have a long way to go,” explains Team Director, Bruno Dubois. “This means that the non-Chinese sailors are naturally overcompensating for their lack of experience, spending more time on deck, more time explaining, teaching and, above all, more time supervising. Some of them are tired, and the rotation allows us to keep on top of this. Only Charles and Kevin have not stepped off the boat yet since Alicante – and we don’t envisage that part changing.”

Caudrelier’s rotations so far have seen British Figaro sailor Jack Bouttell on leg three, French navigator Erwan Israel on leg four and tough Irish Volvo Ocean Race veteran Damian Foxall on leg five.