City secures 'the' yacht race

The UK City of Culture for 2013, announced yesterday that it had become part of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.

An official city boat will be entered in the race and in addition the city will be an official host port, welcoming the ten-strong fleet in July 2012 with a showcase at the end of the final transatlantic stage of the 40, 000 mile race en route to the finish.

It will be the first time that Northern Ireland has had any representation in the race which attracts 460 million viewers worldwide.

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster said she has supported Londonderry's participation, with funding of 40,000.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board provided financial assistance of 40,000 to help secure the bid for the Londonderry stopover.

Mrs Foster said: "This is a huge coup for Londonderry as hosting a leg of this internationally renowned race will not only place the city on a global stage, but it will also provide opportunities to promote Northern Ireland around the world.

"As destinations along the route include South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and the USA, significant international recognition will be derived from having one of the yachts branded with a Northern Ireland theme."

The Londonderry entry will be one of ten identical 68 foot ocean racing yachts, each sponsored by a city, country, region or country to carry their name around the world. Joining the local entry will be Uniquely Singapore and the Chinese entry, Qingdao, for whom hosting the Clipper Race was a key step in securing the rights to host the sailing events of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Both sponsors have discovered that the Clipper Race provides a unique platform for delivering global market exposure at local market values.

Londonderry has a long and illustrious maritime history and a key goal for participation in the prestigious race will be the generation of cultural and socially inclusive legacy projects for the future.

Mayor Colum Eastwood said: "This is the catalyst project that will bring together public, private, education, sports and community interests to build a legacy for the maritime, tourism, business and cultural interests of the city."

On board the yacht will be a team of people from all walks of life, many of whom who have never sailed before, who are taking on the challenge of a lifetime. Among them will be crew from a number of other countries but it is hoped that the men and women of Derry–Londonderry will also be inspired to get on board and represent their city on a global stage.

In addition to those people with a thirst for adventure who will race around the world representing the city there are opportunities for local businesses to be part of the event. Teams in previous Clipper Races have helped galvanise the community spirit in their sponsoring city, generating a huge sense of ownership and pride in their achievement.

The Clipper Race was set up by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world, in order to give ordinary people the chance to do something truly extraordinary.

Berths are available for people from Londonderry to compete in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race and there will be public presentations in the city on 20 and 21 September at City Hotel. More information can be found at www.clipperroundtheworld.com, by emailing [email protected] or phoning +44 (0) 2392 52 6000. The minimum age for crew is 18 and there is no upper age limit. No previous sailing experience is required as all crew go through a comprehensive pre-race training programme.