Volvo Ocean Race - Second team opts for Zhik as clothing partner

by Nick Havers, Zhik/Sail-World.com on 9 May 2017 The innovative sailing apparel specialist, Zhik, has been appointed as official technical clothing partner to Dongfeng Race Team in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

Dongfeng Race team is the second Volvo Ocean Race team to select Zhik to provide their technical clothing for the arduous 45,000nm course that now has two long Southern Ocean legs.

Last month, the first team to enter, team AkzoNobel skippered by Simeon Tienpont (NED), announced that they had partnered with Zhik as their official technical clothing partner. To date four of the expected eight entries in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race have announced their entry.

Finishing third in the 2014-15 edition of the race, Dongfeng Race Team has a clear objective to sail to the best of the team’s ability and compete at the highest level.

The next edition of the race will see the team take on three times as many Southern Ocean miles as in the previous edition and encounter the most extreme weather conditions known to mankind.

“The Volvo Race is hugely demanding from a human point of view, and the welfare of my crew is paramount. Having the right technical clothing is as race-critical as having the right food,” explains Charles Caudrelier, who is back for his second campaign as skipper of Dongfeng Race Team.

He continues: “As an elite sailing team, we are always looking to get the extra edge on our competitors. We share the same goal with Zhik to optimise everything we do. Detail is key in this race and if we succeed in being innovative together, it could make us even more competitive on the water. Zhik can help us to perform at our peak day and night, week after week.”

Crew members such as Australian-British sailor and bowman on board Dongfeng, Jack Bouttell, will rely on Zhik’s unique design technology and innovative fabric to help them operate and perform at the highest level.

Bouttell has been the lead crew in working with Zhik’s designers to help them produce offshore gear that does the job he and his fellow Dongfeng Race Team sailors need. “It has been a fascinating process to test out new foul weather gear and give them feedback from the front of the boat,” commented Bouttell.

As in the previous race, Dongfeng Race Team is committed to promoting and developing the sport of offshore sailing in China and will have three Chinese sailors in the team, alongside new additions such as Carolijn Brouwer (NED) and Marie Riou (FRA).

Zhik CEO, David Crow commented: “The team at Zhik is thrilled to announce the partnership with Dongfeng Race Team which is doing so much to develop sailing in China, as well as embracing new rules to encourage female sailors to take part in the world’s premier crewed offshore race. Our world class, high-tech Isotak yachting gear is designed to push the boundaries of waterproof and breathable protection, enabling our race partners to consistently perform at their best in their quest to win.”

Bart Milczarczyk, Zhik’s global head of design added: “The collaboration with Dongfeng Race Team is a very exciting partnership. Zhik is driven by winning and performance, and we strive to produce the best and most ground-breaking apparel and footwear. The harsh demands that the team will have to endure and the sailors’ feedback is invaluable. It enables us at Zhik to continually innovate and redefine the future of sailing apparel for professional and leisure sailors across the world.”

Websites:
Dongfeng Race Team website
Zhik website
Volco Ocean Race website

About Zhik:
Zhik is a dynamic Australia-based apparel brand, at the forefront of innovation, pushing the boundaries in design and fabric technology for all sailors.

Founded in 2003 Zhik’s range of wetsuits and dinghy gear completely changed the design approach for performance clothing and have been rapidly adopted by sailors across the globe.

Since then, Zhik has taken the same ‘clean sheet’ approach and is pushing strongly into yachting apparel - from coastal cruising to extreme ocean range - and also into paddling and watersports.

Tested and proven, Zhik gear is the winning choice of numerous Olympic and World champions around the world. Zhik is the official supplier to the British, New Zealand, Singapore and Australian Olympic teams. It also supplies many renowned top-level international sailors, Extreme Sailing Series and America’s Cup crews and Vendée Globe teams. Zhik was recently announced as technical clothing partner for Team AkzoNobel in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.