OCEAN SAILING NEWS
Clipper reveals their most diverse ever line up of professional skippers
19 MAR 2015
With less than six months to go until the start of the Clipper 2015-16 Race, we can now reveal our most diverse ever line up of professional skippers.
For the first time in our nineteen year history, the group of twelve professionals includes two women skippers, who hail from Canada and Australia, and the first ever skippers to represent France and Ukraine/Germany. The UK is also strongly represented with skippers from Scotland, Somerset, Cornwall and Hampshire.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “I feel very proud to welcome our most diverse and international group of race skippers yet.
“This is the first time we’ve had two women skippers in one race and I very much hope they will inspire future female participation. I’m also delighted to see we are broadening our professional appeal as we welcome our first French and first Ukrainian/German skippers.”
He added: “Our crew come from all over the world so I’m pleased to reflect this in our leadership. I look forward to working with all our skippers over the coming months as they prepare for another thrilling race.”
Hoping to follow the success of compatriot Eric Holden, Clipper 2013-14 Race winner, Canadian skipper Diane Reid, 42, from Toronto said: “This race combines all my passions and goals. I want to race round the world stupidly fast and I love teaching sailing. I am a passionate sailor who loves competition and winning, but also loves seeing individuals excel and triumph over hurdles.”
Clipper 70 fleet enters in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
20 DEC 2014
We are very pleased to have received a confirmation by Clipper that the 2015-16 race will include Australian offshore classic the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR) following a successful debut last year.
The intention to enter the Clipper 70 fleet in the 71st edition has just been confirmed by the race organisers with the RSHYR. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: “We are very excited to include the Sydney Hobart as part of our Australian leg in the 2015-16 Clipper Race series and look forward to submitting our entries when the Notice of Race for the 71st edition is released next year.”
Last year the fleet attracted widespread intrigue and respect when the decision was made to debut the yachts in the iconic race. The chance to race the yachts against some of the world’s top teams in the RSHYR was a highlight for many Clipper Race partners.
OneDLL shortlisted for the ESA Excellence Awards 2014
8 DEC 2014
The 2013-14 Clipper Race entry of De Lage Landen, OneDLL, has been shortlisted for the ESA Excellence Awards 2014 in the category of Business to Employee campaigns.
The European Sponsorship Association has released its shortlist for the 2014 Excellence Awards last week and the OneDLL campaign is amongst four nominees shortlisted for their internal engagement program. ESA is the voice of sponsorship industry in Europe, promoting best sponsorship practice and raising industry standards in sponsorship activities.
The ESA Excellence Awards recognise excellence within the sponsorship industry across Europe, the shortlist includes a range of national and global brands with campaigns from sport and entertainment through to culture.
During the sponsorship period the current OSC team was responsible the development and activation of the OneDLL campaign for De Lage Landen (DLL), a Dutch financial solutions and leasing company, competing in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2013-14.
We are very thankful for the opportunity De Lage Landen has given our team to develop this campaign with them and extremely proud of the ESA Excellence Awards shortlist nomination. For more information please visit the ESA website on: sponsorship.org
GREAT BRITAIN Announces Clipper 2015-16 race entry
12 NOV 2014
The GREAT Britain campaign is to repeat its partnership with the Clipper Race for a second time after a highly successful campaign in the 2013-14 series. As a Team Sponsor, the campaign profiled British trade, tourism and sport in major markets on six continents. The crew also secured a strong podium place finishing in second overall.
“The Clipper Race provides a unique global platform to showcase brand and destination partners around the world,” explained Clipper Ventures chief executive William Ward. “We have been very proud to work with the GREAT Britain campaign so successfully and look forward to developing these opportunities with UK brand partners even further in the next edition.”
The GREAT Britain campaign, will officially launch its 2015-16 race initiative at a reception on 16 January 2015, to an audience of British brands looking to partner with the GREAT Britain team.
“We’re delighted that ‘GREAT Britain’ will once again compete in this iconic sporting event,” said Conrad Bird, Director of the GREAT Britain campaign. “We will build on the success of our 2013-14 involvement to develop an innovative trade and tourism partnership with Clipper Ventures that delivers jobs and growth for Britain.
“The GREAT Britain campaign is a unique platform from which to promote British technology, innovation, manufacturing, creativity, adventure and hospitality in key markets around the world. I’d encourage British companies to seize the opportunity to get involved and join this GREAT partnership.”
There is a lot of synergy between the race and the campaign. Historically the original Clipper ships opened up ocean routes that became the backbone of Britain’s trading power. Today the matched fleet of twelve Clipper 70 yachts continue to promote global trade and connections through the spirit of adventure and sailing as amateur crew members led by professional skippers, take on the world’s toughest conditions in this endurance challenge of a lifetime.
Throughout the 2013-14 race, both Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg sent messages of congratulations to theGREAT Britain crew members, led by skipper Simon Talbot, as the teams racked up the most amount of race wins of the fleet.
International Clipper Race sailors to bring colour to Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race again
13 NOV 2014
Past and future Clipper Race crew from six different countries will once again compete in Australian classic offshore race, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR) on Clipper 68 CV10.
In 2014, Australian, New Zealand, British, South Korean, Russian and Italian crew will race in the 70th anniversary edition of the RSHYR on board CV10, one of two boats used for training future crew at the Sydney base. CV10 has already completed four circumnavigations in previous Clipper Race editions.
The entry follows last year’s inaugural Clipper Race entry in the annual event, with the Clipper 70 fleet creating much interest as amateur sailors from 25 different nationalities competed in the race as part of their circumnavigation.
2014 RSHYR crew members include firefighter Bruce Dowling from Merewether Heights, NSW, who works on international rescue teams in disaster zones, West Australian Army Officer Wayne Reed who sailed in the Clipper 2011-12 Race, and Clipper 2013-14 Race sailor Sang Cho who will be the first South Korean to do the Sydney Hobart. 2013-14 race winning skipper Eric Holden is also racing on board Primitive Cool. The 628-mile classic race to Hobart, Tasmania, starts on Boxing Day, December 26.
Sir Robin, who took part himself in last year’s RSHYR as a navigator on board CV10, the very same yacht entered in the race this year, said: “Last year was the first time the Clipper Race fleet had ever sailed in the Sydney Hobart. We added a lot of colour to a great event and it was fantastic experience for our crews to pit themselves against some tough competition.
“Some of this year’s crew are in training for the 2015-16 Clipper Race and so this will be great experience as they experience what the Bass Strait and waters around Tasmania can throw up.”
John Cameron, Commodore of race organisers the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, added: “The Clipper Race fleet added an extra international mix and a new dimension to our race when it participated in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race for the first time last year in conjunction with its own round the world race. We enjoyed hosting the yachts and are happy to welcome back some of those crew who will race aboard CV10 in our milestone 70th race.”
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston finished third in the Route du Rhum race
23 NOV 2014
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said the finish of the Route du Rhum race was as hard as the beat down the English Channel during the first 36 hours, when there were multiple abandonments in what some skippers described as ‘Dantesque’ conditions.
The Clipper Race Founder and Chairman, 75, finished third in the Rhum class of the Transatlantic solo race after winning a fierce battle for the final podium place.
Speaking from his Open 60 yacht Grey Power in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, he describes the finish, the welcome reception and his race overall.
The finish of the race is as hard as the beat down the English Channel.
You have the flat calms in the lee of the island, accompanied by spectator boats, but once around the southern point, you are into a beat into a Force 6 easterly. I took my second reef before the point and was glad I did. It still took seven hours to get to the finish line, all the time looking astern for Wilfrid Clerton on Cap du Cap Location, but he didn’t close the gap. so we got third.
The two boats ahead of me were sailed very well. I had hopes of getting second but the loss of the reacher killed that chance, still there is no shame in being beaten by someone good. We had some top level solo sailors in this class so I am pleased to have shown that their youth was not a great disadvantage to them and I can still get amongst them!
The reception was fantastic, fresh fruit and rum punch and then they gave me a gallon bottle of Rum. Not sure what to do with this as I don’t see HM Customs allowing me to bring it back home. The Race Director took me in his RIB to my hotel where I got 10 hours straight sleep.
Now, deep cleaning the boat and tidying up the snake’s honeymoon of reacher sheets, but constantly interrupted for autographs and photos. It’s very hot and humid, but the people make up for it with their smiles and friendliness. Apart from no Jib, because I cannot get aloft to re-secure it, and a torn reacher, probably beyond repair, all is well aboard.
I plan to sail easily for Grenada. Once the boat is hauled out and put to bed, I’ll fly home.
Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, has departed Portsmouth, UK on his Open 60 Grey Power ahead of the start of French classic race the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe.
3 NOV 2014
It will be the second time the British yachtsman and first ever man to sail solo, non-stop around the world in 1968/69, has competed in the 3,500 mile Transatlantic contest. The Clipper Race team waved off the legendary yachtsman from Gosport on board a Clipper 70. After enjoying sailing with Clipper Race crew in the 2013 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which formed part of the circumnavigation, Knox-Johnston decided to return to competitive solo racing. Knox-Johnston will be the oldest competing sailor at the St Malo start line on 2 November. He will be racing in the same boat he sailed round the world in during the 2006/7 Velux Five Oceans Race aged 68. “I am fit, I feel very strong and I am eager to get out there,” said Knox-Johnston. “Age has nothing to do with it. I am fitter than most. I have worked hard to get my boat ready and have been out sailing a lot for practice, including doing the Round the Island Race. “Racing solo on the ocean is where I feel most at home. The Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe – is a great race to a lovely island. I won’t win but I shall have a lot of fun participating.”
Knox-Johnston created the Clipper Race to provide a platform for non-professional sailors to experience the thrill of ocean racing and for many, a circumnavigation. The biennial event has inspired more than 3,000 people to compete in what is now the longest ocean race around the planet at more than 40,000 miles since it was established in 1996. Sir Robin is the only British sailor to have won ‘Yachtsman of the Year’ three times. He has sailed around the world four times, twice solo, including the Golden Globe historic circumnavigation in 1968/69, and once winning the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994. He last competed in the Route du Rhum in 1982, on the 70-foot catamaran Sea Falcon.
De Lage Landen has entered the Clipper project to the European Sponsorship Association (ESA) Excellence Awards.
28 OKT 2014
They compete for best sponsorship project in the division of ‘member engagement’. ESA announced a shortlist of entries will be published on Friday December 5th, we will keep you posted on the progress of the De Lage Landen entry.
