Twelve teams begin Clipper Race

Published on August 20th, 2017

Liverpool, UK (August 20, 2017) – The eleventh edition of the biennial Clipper Round the World Yacht Race got underway today as 12 teams begin the 40,000 nm race in the matched fleet of 70-foot racing yachts.

As the biggest ever edition of the Clipper Race, GREAT Britain was the first team across the Start Line with Sanya Serenity Coast and Garmin less than a half a boat length behind.

With a short inshore circuit getting the race underway, Dare to Lead led the way over the line on the course’s return loop with Garmin less than half a boat length behind.

Greenings and PSP Logistics initially struggled in the light airs and strong tide whilst HotelPlanner.com faltered on the start line but received one of the loudest cheers as it rounded the mark and has managed to keep in touch with the fleet as the teams now race into the Irish Sea.

After the excitement of starting in front of the masses, the test of endurance will now get underway. The 40,000 nm course is divided into 13 individual races with the team having the best cumulative score winning the Clipper Race Trophy. The first race is 6,400 nm from Liverpool to Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Legendary sailor and Clipper Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the planet almost 50 years ago, founded the race to allow anyone, regardless of experience, the chance to experience ocean racing.

He said: “Over the next eleven months, our crew and Skippers will get to face everything Mother Nature can throw at them. Upon their return they will have sailed across the world’s greatest oceans. Very few people get to say that.”

He added: “The Clipper Race has got bigger and better with each edition and I can’t help feeling incredibly proud as I watch our crew head off on what will certainly be a life changing journey.”

Greg Schey, a 27 year old doctor from Swansea who is sailing on Qingdao, said: “This is something that I’ve always wanted to do since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. It’s one of the best adventures that you can possibly imagine. There is definitely part of me that wants to prove something to myself that I can do this.”

This opening leg of the eleven-month series will take approximately 35 days to complete and is the longest ever in the race’s 21-year history.

Event details – Race facts – Race viewer – Facebook

Background: Held biennially, the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race got underway August 20 for the fleet of twelve identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s. The 40,000 nm course is divided into 13 individual races with the team having the best cumulative score winning the Clipper Race Trophy. Each team is led by a professional skipper with an all-amateur crew. The 2017-18 race has attracted 712 people representing 41 nationalities, making it the largest to date.