Clipper Round the World Yacht Race start date confirmed

by Julia Wall-Clarke on 11 Jan 2015 The highly anticipated Clipper 2015-16 Race will set sail in 235 days from today (Saturday 10 January) on Sunday, 30 August, 2015, from the South of the UK.

Hundreds of international crew learned the Race Start date and updates to the 40,000 nautical mile race route at today’s briefing in London. Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Race Director Justin Taylor and Deputy Race Director Mark Light led the presentation.

In the last race, more than 670 people from over 40 different countries took up the challenge, facing some of Mother Nature’s most unforgiving conditions in the planet’s most remote locations which include the roaring forties in the Southern Ocean and the mighty Pacific.

Race Chairman and Founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: 'As of today, we have just 235 days to wait until the historic tenth edition race series starts and one of the world’s most unique and challenging adventures gets underway.

'Our crew are starting their journey, many hoping to become circumnavigators, which is a very rare and incredibly tough feat. Still more people have climbed Mount Everest than have raced round the world. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.'

Following today’s announcements, the current race route is as follows:

Leg 1 – South UK – Port TBA to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Leg 2 – Rio to Cape Town, South Africa
Leg 3 – Cape Town to Albany, Western Australia
Leg 4 – Albany to Sydney – Sydney to Hobart (Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race) – Hobart to the Whitsundays, Queensland
Leg 5 – Whitsundays to Qingdao via South East Asia
Leg 6 – Qingdao, China, to West Coast North America
Leg 7 – West Coast North America to East Coast North America via Panama Canal
Leg 8 – East Coast North America to Derry Londonderry – Derry Londonderry to UK via Europe

Ahmed Ledra, 60, is a Leg 1 crew member from West Yorkshire who runs his own IT business. He is racing alongside his wife.

He said: 'I’ve been looking for a challenge to really get me out of my comfort zone. I’m scared of the sea, hate water and like to feel the ground under my feet so this will really challenge me. The Clipper Race seems to tick all the boxes.'

To end the brief in style, crew members were introduced to our latest partner, South African brand Stormhoek Wines, which was announced as the 2015-16 race’s Official Wine Partner.

Crew members were then treated to a Stormhoek drinks reception, sampling the wines that are based in the famous Western Cape wine region, Cape of Storms.

Stormhoek Managing Director Bernard Fontannaz said: 'Our decision to become the Official Wine Partner for the Clipper 2015-16 Race was simple. Just like the Clipper Race, Stormhoek wines celebrate life, human adventure and changing your world. We believe everyone has extraordinary abilities within themselves and that by coming together, through huge adventures like the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, we can discover what makes life worth living.

'It takes guts and persistence to sail across an ocean, and we’re very much looking forward to celebrating with the Clipper Race crews, especially as they sail across the Atlantic, through the Cape of Storms, to discover the beauty of our homeland in South Africa.'

Race crew will be served Stormhoek Chardonnay and Stormhoek Cabernet Sauvignon during race arrivals and official events.

One of our impressive Clipper 70 yachts is staying on in the capital and is open for free boat tours on Sunday 11 January to the public. Open between 10:00 and 16:00 in St Katharine Docks where the public can also meet the race team, and receive a personal yacht tour from crew members who competed in the 2013-14 race.

West Dock, (next to Cote Brasserie restaurant)
St Katharine Docks,
50 St Katharine's Way,
London,
E1W 1LA

Some crew places are still available for the 2015-16 race series. No experience necessary with all training given by the Clipper Race. The only requirement is that crew must be aged 18 or above (no upper age limit) and have good health as well as a thirst for adventure.

See the event website to find out more.