Dream comes true for amateur navigators
Though young in years, the Clipper Race has evolved into an influential and world-class circumnavigation competition.
Race Director Jonathan Bailey provided a detailed introduction of this round of the sailing event.
There are 10 teams competing in the 2007-2008 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, representing 10 countries and regions including Qingdao, New York and Singapore.
All 10 vessels have been designed by renowned English yacht designer, Ed Dubois, and the hulls were built in Shanghai.
The 30-ton yachts are 20.8 m long and 5.76 m wide, with a 3-meter waterline and 24.5-meter masts. Each yacht can accommodate a maximum of 20 people.
The yachts in Clipper 07-08 are truly international and equipped with satellite telephones, Internet connection and navigation systems that enable crew to send back high-resolution images and e-mails. Skippers are also able to take part in telephone conference calls with high quality audio.
Organized by the English Clipper Ventures Plc, the Clipper Race is held every two years, and the current one is its sixth edition.
The race is open to all amateur sailing lovers, who can sign up at their own expense and receive pre-race training.
Then, guided by professional skippers, they set out on the yachts named after world famous cities and ports, from one September to the next July, with Liverpool, Britain as the starting and terminal port.
"It takes 30,000 pounds ($59,003) to complete in the whole race. Costs of different legs vary because of different lengths of course, but each costs about 7,000 pounds ($13,768)," Bailey explained.
The Clipper adventures are unique because it is the only yacht race in the world that allows amateur sailors to compete, thus creating unforgettable experiences for the participants.
"If you have the dreams of navigation, you can send applications to Clipper," said Bailey.
(China Daily 02/26/2008 page24)
