The City of Albany will host the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race for a second time when the longest and toughest ocean challenge on the planet for amateur crew reaches Western Australia in the tenth edition of the biennial event in late November 2015.
International crew from all walks of life will sail into the Albany Waterfront Marina after enduring the gruelling Southern Ocean stage from South Africa ahead of the Australian coast-to-coast leg of this year-long 40,000 mile ocean odyssey. The Australia leg will include the classic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR), in its 71st edition and will finish on the east coast in early January 2016.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman and Founder of the Clipper Race said: “Our crews were given a very warm welcome here last year so we are very pleased to be returning.”
He also encouraged local people to sign up for the last remaining crew places in the Australia leg: “This coast-to-coast leg is very popular with Australians with a three-race series which includes the Sydney to Hobart classic. No experience necessary as we provide all the training!”
The majority of pre-race training can be carried out at the new Clipper Race Australia base in Sydney, which also has a boat entered in this year’s 70th RSHYR.
The Clipper 2013-14 Race crew enjoyed their stopover in Albany last year. City of Albany Mayor, Dennis Wellington, said Albany was a perfect match for the Clipper Race and the local community would be proud to host the event for the second time following the signing of contracts to make the news official.
– VOR Media
