Last minute crew change due to injury, ‘Black’ rejoins Dongfeng Team

by Dongfeng Race Team on 11 Mar 2015 'I’ve been told it’ll be unlike anything I’ve seen before'

People are starting to joke that crew changes onboard Dongfeng are like a never-ending Ferris wheel. Maybe they’re right. However between the Chinese sailors there were no crew changes anticipated for Leg 5. Charles Caudrelier planned to keep the most experienced of his Chinese crew onboard to cross the world’s most treacherous ocean on the toughest leg of the race.

That was until one of them couldn’t make it.

Charles and Team Director Bruno Dubois were faced with a tough decision when approached by the team’s physiotherapist, Neil Maclean-Martin a few days ago. Due to injury to his back, it was strongly advised that Horace would not do the next leg and would instead take an extra month to recuperate fully, and be available at full form for the remaining legs from Brazil onwards.

A flash of disappointment (from Chen Jin Hao – Horace)

'I’m really a competitive person, I have a lot of pressures from both myself and the Chinese sailing community. I constantly feel I’m not only representing myself also representing China.

Words cannot describe how disappointed I was to find out I can’t sail. I’m quite worried about Black, I’m not seasick and I think I’m a better bowman than Black. The next will be tough and I’m worried about him.

We are like brothers so there is no reason for me to get angry because Black will take my place but if you ask me if I’m disappointed the answer is yes.'

A pinch of excitement (from Liu Xue – Black)

'I’ve been thinking about this a lot. This will be a big challenge for me.When I was told Horace wouldn’t be onboard I went straight to talk to him. I asked him if he was sure he couldn’t make it because to pass Cape Horn is every sailors dream, especially Chinese sailors. But I soon understood that he was in pain and told him I didn’t think he should go because he has to think about his career.

When he decided to not go, he asked me if I had the right clothes and so on, showing his support. We are even closer but to be honest I feel really pity for Horace. Anyone who knows him knows he is bitterly disappointed.

I don’t know much about the next leg, I’ve heard it will be cold. Apparently the weather will be very tough most of the time. I’ve been told it’ll be unlike anything I’ve seen before.

Pressure? Of course, I never even planned to be onboard for Leg 5. It was a shock because it was out of the blue. Once I was over the shock the pressure comes from both sides, physically and mentally.'

Leg 5 start is at 1400 on 15th March