Volvo Ocean Race: Blair Tuke and Peter Burling might team-up for next Volvo Ocean Race after falling short of victory

Blair Tuke has admitted he and America's Cup teammate Peter Burling might need to combine their powers for the next Volvo Ocean Race after both sailors missed out on glory this morning.

Tuke's MAPFRE and Peter Burling's Team Brunel ended up on the wrong side of a three-way battle for victory with DongFeng Race Team winning the final leg into The Hague today.

Burling and Tuke, in their first Volvo Ocean Races, fell just short of claiming the illusive triple crown of sailing, as they looked to add the title to their 2016 Olympic gold and 2017 America's Cup titles.

In an interview following the final leg, Tuke told journalist Shirley Robinson that it was disappointing to finish short of victory after nine months of sailing.

Listen to "Blair Tuke: Volvo Ocean Race" on Spreaker.

"We might need to do it together next time," he added, hinting at sailing alongside Burling at another Volvo Ocean Race.

Tuke told the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning it was a close but hard defeat to take.

"I've been better but it's one of those things I guess...a pretty disappointing end to what's been a pretty exciting journey. But I guess such is sailing. Such is sport.

"I don't think if you'd asked anyone eight months ago whether you'd think it would be this close, obviously DongFeng and us have been neck and neck the whole way around the world with us getting the better start and then ending up on the right side of some close battles. Obviously Pete's team Brunel with an amazing comeback with some great results over the last few legs to end up right in the fight. "

Around the midway point of the leg, the fleet were forced to make a decision of which way to sail around an exclusion zone. DongFeng went east down the longer route hugging the coastline, while the other contenders in Tuke's MAPFRE and Burling's Team Brunel went west.

Early it looked as though Daryl Wislang's DongFeng had made the wrong call as they fell over 50 nautical miles behind MAPFRE and Brunel. However, the closer they got to the Hague, the smaller the gap became.

Ahead of the final turning mark, DongFeng had more or less drawn level with MAPFRE, who were leading the western bunch, but were sailing at a better angle to catch the breeze.

Taking the long route, while more miles, allowed them to catch the breeze and not have to worry about gybing around the final mark before heading to the finish, as they approached it straight on.

Risky as it was, it proved to be the right call for DongFeng, with skipper Charles Caudrelier steering them home to their first leg win and the Volvo Ocean Race title.

"We knew we had to sail well and we did sail very well but unfortunately we ended up on the wrong side of a split in the race track and that's just the way it goes I guess," Tuke told Mike Hosking.

Tuke said that the focus now switches to the America's Cup, following a well-earned break.

"That's the plan. I'm certainly looking forward to the break. It's been a few years since we've had more than five days or a week off so I'm looking forward to getting back up to Kerikeri , chilling out for a bit from home and doing a few things that I love. Getting a bit refreshed and then attacking the next campaign."