2018 Rolex World Sailors of the Year: Carolijn Brouwer & Marie Riou

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Photos:  Volvo Ocean Race / Jodie Bowden / Sailing Energy / Laurens Morel / World Sailing.

 Another great achievement for these two great sailors being awarded as the Sailors of the Year 2018 by World Sailing. Aside winning last Volvo Ocean Race with Team Dongfeng , Carolijn & Marie are accomplished catsailors and we’ve been following their careers for years. Check Carolijn’s interview we did in 2012, family back then was priority , adding the VOR crown plus this award 6 years later shows the level and focus towards success.

Same for Marie, some Olympic campaigns in dinghies, later a total domination during 4 years on the Nacra 17 along Billy Besson before she was called to join Dongfeng Team with Carolijn.
Marie now will have another great challenge sailing the new Sail GP circuit on the updated AC50s from Bermuda for the Sail GP Team France.

The measure for both is quite simple: Would you have Marie & Carolijn in your Team (any from beachcat racing to America’s Cup) without any female mandatory rule?  No doubt you would.

Sailor of the Year Source & text below by World Sailing:
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Carolijn Brouwer (NED) / Marie Riou (FRA) – Female Rolex World Sailors of the Year

Carolijn Brouwer (NED) and Marie Riou (FRA) became the first female winners of the Volvo Ocean Race in the 2017-18 edition, claiming the title after thousands of gruelling miles at sea.

Ahead of the final race, Dongfeng Race Team’s Brouwer and Riou were at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Brouwer was an experienced offshore racer with two Volvo Ocean Race editions completed, whereas Riou was a two-time Olympian in Match Racing and the Nacra 17.

The two came together and worked in unison, making brave and bold decisions when they mattered.

On the winner-takes-all 970-mile drag race from Gothenburg, Sweden to The Hague, The Netherlands, Dongfeng Race Team made the right call to move inshore and take a narrow leg win to seal the Volvo Ocean Race title.

“This is a huge privilege,” commented an elated Brouwer. “20 years ago I won it for the first time so to be able to say I won the prize again in a different discipline really shows how sailing is a diverse sport and that it goes across so many difference disciplines. To be able to achieve so much in different disciplines within our sport is a huge honour.

“Being able to say that Marie and I were the first women to win the Volvo Ocean race is a special thing, we are part of history and it’s definitely something that will stay forever.”

France’s Riou added, “I’m feeling great to win this prize tonight, especially with Carolijn. It’s a team prize and it was such a great achievement for a year of hard work with the whole team.”
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