01.07.2014
World's Longest Ocean Race Heads for London Finish
(Thames Clippers News Release)
The twelve 70ft yachts competing in the world's longest ocean race set sail this weekend from Derry-Londonderry heading for Den Helder in the Netherlands, with race finish in London their ultimate destination.
The crews are now well into the final leg of the 11 month, 40,000-mile Clipper Round the World Yacht Race back to London ,where it is scheduled to finish at Tower Bridge in two weeks’ time on Saturday 12 July.
The race is crewed exclusively by amateur sailors and has earned a reputation as one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges. Only the skippers are professionals. Over 250 crew are participating in the race’s final leg which is split into 3 stages, New York to Derry-Londonderry, then on to Den Helder and finally to London.
The Clipper Race fleet arrived in Derry-Londonderry a week ago and the LegenDerry Maritime Festival featuring The Beach Boys and the Red Arrows ran until the fleet departure on 29 June.
Race 15 sees the fleet sail from Northern Ireland across the top of the UK around the Scottish coastline and into the North Sea to Den Helder in the Netherlands where it will stay until 10 July. Race 16 in the global series is the final sprint to London where the Clipper Race will complete its epic journey at Tower Bridge on 12 July.
The location of the yachts can be followed live on the Clipper Race Viewer:
www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race-standings
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For more information, photos and videos, please contact:
Clipper Race PR team on: 02392 526000
Ruth Harrington: [email protected] mobile: 07792 408695
Amy Martindale: [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
The Clipper 13-14 Round the World Yacht Race is the event’s ninth edition. The 2013-14 Clipper Race started Sunday, 1 September from St Katharine Docks London, and will return almost a year later on July 12, 2014 after completing its 40,000 mile circumnavigation route, making it the world’s longest ocean race.
Designed to provide everyone, regardless of sailing history, the chance to experience the exhilaration of circumnavigation, the Clipper Race was founded by legendary British sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and has turned almost 4,000 novices into ocean racers since its inception in 1995. This is where teachers, sports stars, bankers, lorry drivers, nurses, web designers and more, team together to take on the world’s toughest sailing conditions. The only professionals on board are the skippers.
In total, 670 people representing more than 40 nations will compete in the Clipper 13-14 Race, on twelve brand new 70-foot ocean racing yachts designed by renowned naval architect Tony Castro.
Since leaving London, the teams have raced via Brest in France, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Australia, including the classic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Singapore, Qingdao in China and San Francisco, Panama, Jamaica and New York. The fleet will now continue to Derry Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Den Helder in The Netherlands before returning home to complete its circumnavigation with a victory parade up the Thames to London’s Tower Bridge on July 12.
Points are accumulated in a Formula 1-style scoring system. The yacht with the highest total points at the finish wins the Clipper Race Trophy. For the latest news, all team info and current race standings, please see www.clipperroundtheworld.com
