Ecstatic Derry-Londonderry Crew Arrive in Port

23rd January 2012

#CLIPPER–The ecstatic Derry-Londonderry crew have sailed into in Batam, Indonesia, after securing second place in Race 7 in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race. It is the team's first podium finish of their campaign.

The crew arrived in Nongsa Point Marina just after Gold Coast Australia who secured their sixth victory of the 15-race competition. They will wait here for the other eight 68-foot yachts competing in the world's longest ocean race before all ten cross the Singapore Straits to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, for a ceremonial arrival there on Saturday 28 January.

As he arrived in the marina at 0730 local time (0030 UTC), Derry-Londonderry's skipper, Mark Light, described his joy at securing the team's first pennant of the competition.

"It feels amazing to come in second. It was a long race. We've been dying for a podium position and I knew we had it in us. To finally get it confirmed was brilliant. I just can't wait to get on the stage and accept the pennant," he said.

Explaining the pressure the team was under as they led the fleet in the South Pacific, Mark continued, "It is worse leading, I think. We are always looking over our shoulder and making sure we are doing the right things. Gold Coast Australia are quick and we knew they were going to be close and they just got us at the end."

Gold Coast Australia's skipper, Richard Hewson, paid tribute to the team who represent the UK City of Culture 2013, describing the atmosphere on board his yacht as both crews closed in on the finish line.

"It was really exciting. Towards the end I called a meeting around midnight and got everyone around. I said, 'We've got 30 miles to go and we are neck and neck with Derry-Londonderry. We either go hard now and win, or we take it easy and there is a chance that we come second.'

"The guys really pitched in and we did a 'super-watch' for a good five or six hours and in the end we only won by a bit over an hour. I think if we hadn't done that then Derry-Londonderry could have well taken us."

Gold Coast Australia finished just 79 minutes ahead of Derry-Londonderry in the 4,600-mile race from the Gold Coast.

Michelle McCann from Greencastle, Co. Donegal, said, "The race was fantastic; the best one yet. We had everything, we had plenty of wind at the start and we did really well with the right plan, strategy and tactics. Everything just worked for us.

"We deserve first I think, because we raced so well, but we just got pipped to the post. However, coming second to Gold Coast Australia, which is the fastest boat in the race, is brilliant. Just brilliant!" she beamed. "This is the start of our collection – that's how we're thinking of it!"

Clipper 11-12 is the eighth edition of the event which is 'raced by people like you'. Michelle, a teacher, and her fellow crew who include a student, an engineer, an airline pilot, a pharmacist, a project manager, a children's centre manager and a retired nutritionist, have put their everyday lives on hold to compete in the challenge of a lifetime.

Demand for berths on forthcoming editions of the race is at unprecedented levels and several hundred people have already committed to taking part in Clipper 13-14, which will see the introduction of a brand new fleet of 12 state of the art 70-foot yachts.

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About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.