Clipper Race: We have a winner

Published on February 22nd, 2018

(February 22, 2018; Day 23) – PSP Logistics, skippered by British sailor Matt Mitchell, has marked the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race’s first visit to Sanya in China by claiming a maiden win and fourth podium of the 2017-18 edition of the race.

After racing 4,300 nautical miles from the Whitsundays in Australia to Sanya, PSP Logistics crossed the finish line today at 20:41:20 local time (12:41:20 UTC).

“It was pretty tense with every schedule when we got the position reports in and each time it did, we thought we had dodged a bullet,” said Matt. “We dodged the final bullet this morning and we’re really pleased we managed to hold the others off.”

PSP Logistics overtook Qingdao for the lead in the final four days of the race. But light winds saw the fleet compress, with all of the teams expected to finish within 24 hours of each other.

This is the first win and fourth podium of the Clipper 2017-18 Race for PSP Logistics. The team was second across the line in the opening race from Liverpool, UK, to Punta del Este, Uruguay, and third in Fremantle and second in the Whitsundays in Australia.

To see when the teams are expected to finish… click here.

Position report:

Event details – Race facts – Race viewer – Facebook

Beginning January 30, Race 7 of the 13 stage Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race has the fleet racing 4280nm from Whitsunday Islands in Australia to Sanya, China. From there teams will race onwards to Qingdao, also in China; across the North Pacific Ocean to Seattle, and through the Panama Canal to New York.

The course to Sanya is expected to take between 23 to 27 days, with the fleet expected to arrive into the Sanya Serenity Marina between February 21 and 25.

Race 8, which will see the teams head approximately 1,700 nautical miles to Qingdao starts on 4 March. From there, teams will head across the mighty Pacific Ocean to Seattle, before racing to Panama, New York, Derry-Londonderry, and Liverpool, where the Clipper 2017-18 Race will finish on July 28, 2018.

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 40,000nm course is divided into 13 individual races with the team having the best cumulative score winning the Clipper Race Trophy. The race concludes in Liverpool on July 28.

Each team is led by a professional skipper with an all-amateur crew that signs up for one, some, or all the races. The 2017-18 race, expected to take 11 months, has attracted 712 people representing 41 nationalities, making it the largest to date.

* Twelve teams began the first leg but one yacht (Greenings) ran aground just hours after the start on October 31 of the third leg from Cape Town, South Africa to Fremantle, Australia. The crew was safely evacuated but damage to the boat was deemed too extensive for it to continue in the 2017-18 edition.

Race Route – Race Schedule and Miles