Dockside excitement as Dongfeng arrives in Alicante

Dongfeng Race Team are the fifth boat to arrive in Alicante for the start of the Volvo Ocean race © Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean Race

Life just got very real for the Chinese sailors onboard 'Dongfeng' as they docked at the Volvo Ocean Race HQ in Alicante in the early hours of this morning. They have gone from hopeful candidates submitting their CVs ten months ago, to arriving in Alicante, home to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15.

So far it's been an incredible training journey from China to the USA, to France and the UK, two oceans – the Pacific and the Atlantic – and 10,000 nautical miles, but they know it's not even scratched the surface of what the real race will bring.

Alicante was buzzing with excitement last night as Dongfeng Race Team arrived dockside at 00h45 local time, to what Kevin Escoffier described as 'an amazing reception'; Dongfeng was the fifth boat to arrive in Alicante, Spain to join the existing line up of Volvo Ocean 65's. With only two boats left to arrive before the start of the race, excitement was in the air as the public flocked to the pontoon to welcome the team. "It's brilliant having Dongfeng arrive in Alicante," says Volvo Ocean Race writer, Agathe Armand. "It's been a long time coming and now the teams are here we can feel it all taking shape."

This is the moment the team have been working towards for 10 months now. "Getting to the start line has been a journey in itself," said Team Director, Bruno Dubois. "But I couldn't be prouder, we have come together as a team despite the challenges and I have seen strength of characters I never expected. But now, for us all, the real adventure begins!"

Skipper Charles Caudrelier and Swedish sailor, Martin Strömberg are the only two sailors on board Dongfeng to have done the race before. "For all of the guys except me and Martin, this is new," explains Charles. "They do not know this moment so it's very exciting for them. I remember when this was me three years ago and I will never forget that moment."

'Horace' Jin Hao Chen described the arrival in Alicante as 'a dream come true'. "I'm very excited, this moment is very important. I'm ready." Meanwhile his colleague Wolf highlighted the team spirit during the delivery: "It was a relatively easy delivery down to Alicante from Lorient, we spent a lot of time together just laughing and chatting. It was a great time for our team. We've been working on this for so long, looking forward to this moment. I didn't expect this reception though, maybe one or two shore crew but I didn't expect so many people, this is a perfect moment."

Once Dongfeng Race Team's competitors Team Vestas Wind and Team SCA arrive in Alicante the line-up will be complete. An exciting start to what will no doubt be an epic 12th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.

www.volvooceanrace.com