4 Chinese for Volvo Ocean Race

History will be made in the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race when four Chinese rookie sailors take to the seas with the Dongfeng Race Team.

French skipper Charles Caudrelier recently unveiled a world-class group of five western sailors to boost the Chinese challenge for the 12th edition of sailing's leading offshore event.

Never before has a race squad included so many from the world's most populous nation and the move marks an important staging post in ambitions to enter an all-Chinese crew in two races' time (2020-21).

Previously, only one Chinese representative had competed in each of the 2008-09 and 2011-12 editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.

"This is a very important development for the race," said Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad. "We are building a fan following in China which is a key market for us and the sport is growing there after their London Olympic success when one of their sailors won a gold medal.

"A lot of people, us included, will be following the progress of the Chinese crew members on board Dongfeng Race Team very closely indeed."

Team chief Bruno Dubois said the selection of the quartet in a nine-strong squad of crew members had been the culmination of half a year's hard work in a nationwide search for China's future sailing stars.

"We knew there were not many offshore sailors in China and that our training process would have to be rigorous and intense," he said.

Chinese sailors Chen Jinhao (English name Horace), Yang Jiru (Wolf), Cheng Ying Kit (Kit) and Liu Ming (Leo) were the ones chosen by Caudrelier to become part of the crew.

Caudrelier, 40, knows exactly the "right attitude" needed to excel in the Volvo Ocean Race. He was a key member of Franck Cammas's winning crew in the last event in 2011-12 on board Groupama.

He has also chosen a selection of world-class professional offshore sailors who will form the backbone of Dongfeng Race Team. His first choice was Swede Martin Stromberg, a teammate onboard Groupama. Caudrelier believes he has the perfect character and experience to help him build an effective team from the diverse cultures and skills on board the Dongfeng boat.

The 38,739-nautical mile race begins in Alicante, Spain, on Oct 4 and finishes in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 27 after visiting 11 countries and regions.

(China Daily 07/05/2014 page15)