The Ocean Race: One year ago today: when the "Dongfeng miracle" came true

The sailing miracle came true for Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team a year ago: in the final, the "Reds" not only won their first leg of the entire race around the world, but also the Volvo Ocean Race itself. With their unusual route close to the coast, the Dongfeng sailors had opted for a risky solo effort in the final three-way battle between Mapfre, Brunel and Dongfeng for victory in the final sprint - and were rewarded.

Dongfeng helmswoman and trimmer Carolijn Brouwer became an icon of female sailing after winning her third round-the-world race. Exactly one year after her triumph, the Dutchwoman, who lives with her family in Australia, remembers the sailing day of her life:

And on this day a year ago, we crossed the finish line in my home town of Scheveningen in first place! Not only did we win the last leg, we also won the Volvo Ocean Race. We really did it! We knew that by choosing the offshore course we would have to cover an extra seven nautical miles compared to the boats further out to sea. I can still hear our navigator Marcel van Triest saying: "You'll have to be patient. In the beginning you will lose out to the offshore teams. Your gains will start to materialise when you come around the tip of Holland at Texel Island and sail straight towards the finish line on the Dutch coast."

After 45,000 nautical miles and nine months at sea, the decision was made in the last 2.7 nautical miles of the Ocean Race. The last 14 minutes were crucial. You are only as good as your last race. We certainly had our ups and downs as a team, but as Charles aptly put it: "Maybe we weren't the best sailing team. But we were the strongest team.