Society

All nine Clipper yachts depart Qingdao

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-02 15:17

QINGDAO - All the nine yachts in the Clipper Round of the World Yacht Race leave Chinese coastal city Qingdao for California, the United States on Tuesday after a 10-day stopover.

Qingdao residents held a grand seeing-off ceremony for the Clipper sailors by beating drums and performing traditional lion and dragon dances. Xia Geng, mayor of Qingdao city, announced "The 6th leg of the Clipper race starts!"

The Clipper fleet arrived in Qingdao between February 20 to February 23 for the last stopover of the 5th leg. The yacht named Spirit of Australia secured the first place and the yacht, Qingdao, finished third during the race from Singapore to Qingdao.

"It's a difficult time to sail to Qingdao, as you can see a yacht broke its mast on the way here, but we think it's all worthwhile when we saw the warm reception that Qingdao people held for us." said Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, chairman of the Clipper Ventures PLC.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, held every two years, is the largest yacht race in the world. This is the third time that the Clipper race came to Qingdao.