The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race will start from the historic maritime city of Southampton on the south coast of England on Sunday 31 July 2011. At 40,000 miles the event is the world's longest sailing race and will take the ten identical 68-foot ocean racing yachts almost a year to complete their circumnavigation of the globe.

Ireland has an entry in the race sponsored by the City of Derry.

Southampton City Council and MDL Marinas, owner of Ocean Village Marina where the yachts will be berthed, are working in partnership to host the Clipper 11-12 race start. It will be an atmospheric, colourful affair as crews bid an emotional farewell to family and friends at a shore-based ceremony before a stunning parade of sail by the yachts as they head to the start line.

It is the first time since 2004 that a round the world yacht race has started from the iconic sailing grounds of the Solent and promises to provide a breath taking spectacle for spectators both on the water and watching from the shore.

Southampton will be the fifth UK venue to host the race start. The Clipper Race celebrates its 15th anniversary this year and first set off from Plymouth in 1996. Two editions later the fleet started from Portsmouth before moving to Liverpool for the subsequent three races and then to the Humber on the UK's north east coast.

As the official host port for the race start Southampton can expect a significant economic return from the tens of thousands of visitors expected to visit the city over the four days the fleet will be in Southampton, delivering millions of pounds worth of revenue for local businesses.

This will be the eighth edition of this unique event which is 'raced by people like you'. More than 500 people from all walks of life and representing more than 40 nationalities will take part. Around 40 per cent of them had never set foot on a boat before beginning the compulsory pre-race training to prepare them for the gruelling challenge of racing across the world's fiercest oceans.

The race was created by British sailing legend, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world. Since the first edition in 1996 almost 3,000 people have taken advantage of the opportunity to race across oceans in a challenge unlike any other.

Sir Robin says, "Fewer people have raced around the world than have climbed Mount Everest; it remains one of life's great challenges and experiences. Over the last 15 years we have discovered the power of the race to change not only the lives of our crews, but we have also seen it transform perceptions and prospects for the participating global cities, regions and countries.

"The Clipper Race creates a powerful platform at ports of call around the world where our destination sponsors and their partners can network together to develop international trade, promote tourism and celebrate culture."

Each of the ten yachts is sponsored by a city, state, country or company who leverage their participation with trade, tourism and cultural programmes, building on successful pilot initiatives which have seen deals done, trade agreements signed, tourism enquiries generated, universities promoted, knowledge exchanged, cultures shared and powerful economic impact generated on top of extensive international media attention. Clipper 09-10 was seen by a cumulative global audience of more than half a billion people.

Sir Robin adds, "I am particularly pleased that Southampton is to host the start of Clipper 11-12 and that for the first time in many years the very active sailing community in the Solent will be able to be part of a round the world yacht race."

Councillor Royston Smith, Leader of the Council, said, "Southampton City Council is proud to be supporting this race. This internationally renowned event will attract tens of thousands of people of all nationalities to Southampton, generating millions of pounds for the local economy. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase all that Southampton has to offer to an international audience. Southampton's reputation as a destination of choice is growing, and events like this will only enhance that reputation further. We are also a centre of maritime and marine innovation – a fitting location for the start of this race."

In the build up to the start of the race the fleet will be based in Ocean Village, Southampton, and high profile events for international delegations to the event will also be held in the city.

Dean Smith, Marketing Director at MDL Marinas, commented, "We are delighted that Ocean Village Marina has been selected as the official host port for this phenomenal race and are really looking forward to bringing together thousands of people to celebrate the landmark event. It really is great that this year's race will start from the renowned boating haven of Southampton, which is synonymous with ocean racing, with Ocean Village playing host to round the world races starts and finishes for the likes of Whitbread and Challenge, as well as arrivals from Ellen MacArthur and Dee Caffari. The whole team at MDL is looking forward to looking after the fleet at the marina before cheering them on as they set sail on 31 July."

Already confirmed for Clipper 11-12 are the Keppel Corporation-sponsored Singapore and, representing China's Olympic sailing city, Qingdao, both entering the race for the fourth time. Qingdao is twinned with Southampton. Returning for their second appearance are Visit Finland, backed by the Finnish Tourist Board, and the Scottish entry, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital. And, making their debut in the race, are Derry-Londonderry, celebrating their status as UK City of Culture 2013, and De Lage Landen, the global provider of asset-based financing programmes, which will race under the Dutch flag. The names of the remaining four yachts will be revealed in the coming weeks ahead of the race start.

The international fleet will visit 14 ports on six continents during the 12-month race. Starting from Southampton the route takes them to Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, the west and east coasts of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Qingdao, California, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry-Londonderry and the Netherlands before returning to the south coast on 22 July 2012.

A few places are still available for people wishing to take part in Clipper 11-12 and berths are now released for Clipper 13-14 and beyond. Participants must be 18 years old and over and there is no upper age limit. No sailing experience is required. For more information visit the official race website: www.clipperroundtheworld.com

On the naval front, LE Emer was built in Cork's Verolme Dockyard in 1978. She represents the oldest of the eight-strong fleet and is designed from the Naval Service's first purpose built patrol vessel OPV LE Deirdre (P20) but was modified to improve her stability and speed. This vessel was decommissioned several years ago and was converted into a private yacht.

The original BOFORS 40mm L60 gun of the LE Emer was recently upgraded to a BOFORS 40mm L70 to improve range and accuracy of her main armament. She alongside her 65m sisters LE Aoife (P22) and LE Aisling (P23) where all built primarily to patrol the Irish section of the European Economic Zone (EEZ).

During their careers the 'Emer' class vessels have also completed numerous re-supply missions to Irish troops serving overseas with the United Nations and in particular in the Lebanon. A crew compliment of 46 (5 officers) operate the vessels which are all now in their fourth decade of service.

OPV HMS Severn is the third of four 'River' class offshore patrol vessels and like her Irish counterpart is deployed on fishery duties. The 1,677 displacement tonnes vessel was built in 2001 in the UK'S south coast port of Southampton at Woolston Docks. Her home port for the 30 crew is at HM Naval Base in neighbouring Portsmouth.

She becomes the fifth ship to bear the name and with sisters HMS Mersey (P 282) and HMS Tyne (P 281) they are assigned to the Fishery Protection Squadron. Click the ship's diary to follow the ship news. The final member of the River class HMS Clyde (P 257) serves as a Falklands Islands Patrol Vessel (FIPV).

The Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood, officially welcomed the yacht, skipper and crew of Derry-Londonderry to the city at a lunchtime ceremony today. Also there to wish the team fair winds and to offer some winning words of advice was five-time Olympic gold medallist, Sir Steve Redgrave, who met the crew on board before champagne was sprayed over the yacht's bow

Skipper, Mark Light, and the crew of Derry-Londonderry are preparing for the start of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race which, at 40,000 miles, is the world's longest ocean race. It will begin from the south coast of England on 31 July 2011 and Derry-Londonderry will host a stopover in July 2012 when all ten of the 68-foot stripped down racing yachts and their crews will visit the city for a week-long celebration. It will be the first time a Northern Irish port has welcomed the Clipper Race fleet.

This weekend sees another first – it is the inaugural visit of the yacht to Derry-Londonderry and she will play a starring role in the Foyle Days maritime festival which is taking place until Sunday and also features ships from the Irish Navy and Royal Navy.

More than 30 of the crew who, between them, represent nine nationalities, will be visiting Derry-Londonderry over the weekend to find out more about the city for which they will be ambassadors as they circumnavigate the globe.

Welcoming the yacht and crew to the city, the Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood said, "This has been a tremendous week of symbolism and we have seen Ireland as a country moving forward. We have a bit of symbolism ourselves with the Irish Navy and British Navy parked side by side in a city like Derry; I think that tells its own story. It tells a story of a city that is moving forward, leading a process of reconciliation. This event, the Clipper Race, will be part of that process. It will help us put Derry on the world stage and I am so excited to see it happen. It's tremendous to see the skipper and crew of Derry-Londonderry and all the people from the city and from the navies around the world. I think it shows the commitment that we have to making this thing work. 2013 will be a huge year for our city but 2012 is shaping up to be a massive year as well."

Clipper Race Director, Jonathan Bailey, responded equally as warmly, saying, "We see our sponsors and crew, both current and past, as part of a larger family. That family includes cities and nations from across the globe, including places like Singapore, New York, Qingdao in China, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro to name a few. We can now add Derry-Londonderry to that list and it is my pleasure to welcome the city into our family. In July next year the team will return here after travelling 40,000miles around the globe, taking the name of Derry-Londonderry to millions of people and businesses around the world. It is a unique opportunity to showcase what your city and Northern Ireland has to offer on a global stage and will increase tourism and trade in the region."

During the morning local businesses came together to find out how they might benefit during the stopover as well as exploiting international trade opportunities during the race.
Derry-Londonderry's participation in the Clipper 11-12 Race is a major part of the events programme to highlight their status as UK City of Culture 2013 and one which will provide a lasting legacy for the city in terms of both infrastructure and the economy.

The city's participation in the race is in partnership with Derry City Council, Londonderry Port and Harbour Commission and Ocean Event Management. It is supported by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Ilex URC and Sail West.

The Harbour Master at Londonderry Port, Captain Bill McCann, says it means a lot to the port and the local sailing community to have the longest boat race in the world coming to the Foyle. Captain McCann says they have invested heavily over the years in creating the infrastructure for events of this scale, with the development of a new pontoon in the city, "which fits perfectly into the city's strategy for marine leisure and tourism. We will be ready for the Clipper Race within six months and then the facilities at Derry will be second to none."

Bill McCann believes that the Clipper Race will renew interest in sailing and maritime events, and that it will increase the Foyle and the city's chances of securing similar large scale events in the future. "The Clipper Race will finish at the mouth of the Foyle between Greencastle in Co Donegal and Magilligan in Co Derry - it would be hard to find a more visually stunning spot on the planet, and it's an ideal start or finish point for any race."

Derry-Londonderry will be berthed on the Foyle Pontoon, Queen's Quay until Sunday 22 May when church leaders will lead a fleet blessing at 12.30pm. There is an opportunity to find out more about how to become a Clipper Race crew member from the race team who will be at the Foyle Days festival. Berths are now available for Clipper 13-14 and beyond.

The Derry-Londonderry yacht, skipper and crew will be visiting the city from 20-22 May 2011 ahead of the start of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

At 40,000-miles Clipper 11-12 is the world's longest yacht race and will get underway from the south coast of England on 31 July. Derry-Londonderry will host a stopover for all ten of the 68-foot yachts in July 2012.

The crews are drawn from all walks of life – 'people like you' – and in Clipper 11-12 will represent more than 40 nationalities. Almost half of them have never sailed before embarking on their pre-race training to prepare them for the gruelling challenge ahead.

Skipper, Mark Light, and his crew will be officially welcomed to the city during the Foyle Days Festival by the Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood.

There are a number of media opportunities during the yacht visit including interviews with skipper and crew and guided tours on board.

Thursday 19 May
Derry-Londonderry is due to arrive in the River Foyle in the afternoon/evening.

11.00 Cllr Colum Eastwood meets with crew and skipper on board Derry-Londonderry.

12.00 Official Welcome, first floor, Timber Quay, The Riverfront.

Speakers: Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood, Clipper Race Director Jonathan Bailey.

Followed by Derry-Londonderry yacht for photo and filming opportunities including breaking champagne over the bow of the boat, on board tours, interviews with skipper, crew and race director.

Sunday 22 May
12.30 Blessing of Derry-Londonderry yacht, service to be conducted the Church Leaders from the city. Foyle Pontoon, Queen's Quay.

14.00 Derry-Londonderry leaves dock to lead Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners Open Cruiser Race from Derry-Moville and head back to sea.

Over the years she has changed hands between Dutch and UK interests for recreational use. Several years ago she starred in the RTE TV reality show 'Cabin Fever' where she replaced the show's first ship Camaret of Cornwall (branded as 'Cabin Fever') after it ran aground off Tory Island.

During the two-day festival (11am-5pm) the boating community at the event will include the Coleraine Yacht Club, Foyle Paddlers, Foyle Punts, Lough Foyle Yacht Club, Lough Swilly Yacht Club, Moville Boat Club, RNLI and the Foyle (SAR) Search and Rescue.

Visitors to Foyle Days can call to the Clipper stand and learn more about the city's entry of the Derry~Londonderry boat in the 2011-2012 Clipper Round the World Race. Learn more about the countries the crew will visit and also how to get involved in the event. For more information about the race, at 40,000 miles is the world's longest race go to www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

Running alongside the festival a continental market with 40 stalls will be open to all at the recently revamped Guildhall Square. For further details about Foyle Days click here.

Madeira has secured a visit by the ten-strong fleet competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race which, at 40,000 miles, is the world's longest race.

Ireland is entered in the race courtesy of an entry from the City of Derry.  'Derry-Londonderry' as the entry is called and her skipper and crew will be visiting the city as part of the Foyle Days festival this month from 20-22 May 2011.

Quinta do Lorde Marina on the Portuguese archipelago will be the first port of call after the stripped out, ocean racing yachts depart the south coast of England on 31 July. The fleet is expected to arrive in Madeira between 8 and 10 August this year.

Mr Ricardo Sousa, CEO of Quinta do Lorde Marina, says, "The choice of Quinta do Lorde Marina for this stopover is the recognition of our capacity to host great racing events and the quality support service we provide to them. We look forward to receiving the Clipper fleet and crew and will ensure their visit to Madeira Island is memorable."

Madeira's Tourism Secretary, Mrs Conceição Estudante, says, "It is with great honour and pleasure that Madeira was chosen to be the first stopover of the international Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.

"The International projection obtained trough this event is essential to promote our credentials to the yachting world. In fact, the visit of this great event is an opportunity to promote and to push nautical tourism and its potential on the island.

"At the moment Madeira offers excellent conditions to such great events like the Clipper Race, with three modern marinas on Madeira's south coast, professional support services and the beautiful Island of Porto Santo, whose quality has been recognized internationally."

The 68-foot Clipper yachts, each of which is sponsored by a city, region, country or company around the world, will be berthed at Quinta do Lorde Marina, located on the southeast point of Madeira Island. Quinta do Lorde Marina is located in Ponta de São Lourenço, a mesmerising peninsula known for its stunning sea views and natural beauty. Inspired by the island's traditional architecture, the unique resort, which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2012, will resemble a picturesque coastal village and includes a wide range of modern facilities to ensure utmost comfort and relaxation for visitors to the stopover.

As the only event of its kind that is crewed by people from all walks of life – more than 500 crew will be taking part in Clipper 11-12 of whom nearly 40 percent have never sailed before signing up. A 32-day comprehensive training programme ensures they are equipped with all the skills required to compete in this challenging event but their first week, putting them into practice for real, will test them to the full. The beautiful islands of Madeira which are renowned for their stunning scenery as well as providing a warm welcome and a peaceful setting will therefore be a welcome sight to the tired crews in which they can recoup before their first ocean crossing of the race.

The international fleet will visit 14 ports on six continents during the 12-month race including Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, west and east coast of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Qingdao, California, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry-Londonderry and the Netherlands before returning to the UK.

The race was established 15 years ago by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world, in order to give ordinary people the chance to do something truly extraordinary. More people have climbed Everest than have raced around the world under sail.

Sir Robin says, "The Clipper fleet first visited Madeira during the inaugural Clipper Round the World Yacht Race back in 1996. At that time they offered the crews a stopover to remember and I'm sure this time round it will be no exception. Our event offers host ports the chance to showcase their facilities to an international audience of more than half a billion people. In addition to this, the spend generated by the crews and their visiting friends and families delivers a significant economic impact for the region."

More than 360 adventurers travelled from all over the globe to attend the crew allocation event on Saturday 30 April to discover which of the ten teams competing in Clipper 11-12 they will represent. Three-quarters of the 489 men and women who will be taking part in this gruelling challenge of a lifetime came together to meet their skippers and new team mates, travelling from as far afield as Singapore, Queensland in Australia, Finland, New York and Chile, as well as Derry-Londonderry. Among them were those who will represent the UK City of Culture 2013.

Each of the teams is led by a professional skipper and taking charge of Derry-Londonderry is Mark Light, who took his turn at the podium to read out the names of his 52-strong crew. The race is split into eight legs and crew can sign up to compete in one or more of the individual legs or take on the big one – a full circumnavigation of the globe. Around 40 per cent of the crew who take part in the race have never sailed before embarking on their pre-race training.

Amongst Derry-Londonderry's crew are 12 people from the city, including round the world crew member, John Harkin, and his daughter, Jodie, who will race on the final leg from New York, via her home town to the finish line on the south coast of England.

John says, "I'm really delighted and my daughter's on the same boat as well so it's excellent news. It's going to be a dream come true for me. She's sailed with me all her life – she's sailed against me many times, too, so it'll be nice for her to be sailing with me!

"When I come back into Derry having sailed around the world, that'll be the biggest thing in my lifetime, it's tremendous. The boat is visiting Derry-Londonderry for a naming ceremony in a few weeks' time and I think that will be a big buzz. It's a beautiful city and it'll be a very warm welcome there."

Also in the crew are four from just across the border in Donegal and five others from the Republic of Ireland, as well as people from nine other nationalities, demonstrating the international and multi-cultural nature of the race.

The crew allocation event is much anticipated among those who have signed up to take part. This is where the reality of their participation in the race truly begins to kick in; with a skipper in place, team strategies start to take shape, roles are assigned to the crew and, with 92 days to go until the race start, the countdown is on.

The race is contested by ten identical stripped-down 68-foot racing yachts, each sponsored by a city, region or country. Already confirmed for Clipper 11-12 are the Keppel Corporation-sponsored Singapore and, representing China's Olympic sailing city, Qingdao, both of which will take part for the fourth time. Returning for a second time is Visit Finland, backed by the Finnish Tourist Board, and, making their debut alongside Derry-Londonderry, is De Lage Landen, sponsored by the global provider of asset-based financing programmes of the same name and which will race under the Dutch flag. The names of the five remaining yachts will be revealed in the coming weeks ahead of the start of the race on 31 July 2011.

The Clipper Race was founded by sailing legend, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world, and this will be the eighth time his teams of amateur sailors will circumnavigate the planet, taking the number of people who have taken part in the event to almost 3,000.

Addressing the massed crews Sir Robin said, "It's a big day for you today because you're going to find out who you're going to share your life with for the next year. And it's not just sharing your life, it's sharing an adventure. Your lives are going to be dependent on your fellow crew members. Today you'll know what team you're going to be in and these are the people you have to live with and work with for the next year. These are the people you have to trust. It's the team that will be all important in this race.

"Also know that you've only got one life so why not paint it in bright colours? Don't use pastel shades. Make the most of it – get out there, throw yourselves into it! You will come away from this with friends for life."

Derry-Londonderry and her skipper and crew will be visiting the city as part of the Foyle Days festival from 20-22 May 2011.

They will be taking part in the eighth edition of the race that was founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to give people from all walks of life the chance to race around the world under sail. At 40,000 miles it is now the world's longest ocean race.

They will be flying in from as far afield as Singapore, Australia, Finland, the USA, Chile and across the UK for the much anticipated event. This is where the reality of their participation in the race truly begins to kick in... with a skipper in place, team strategies start to take shape, roles are assigned to the crew and, with just three months to go until the race start, the countdown is on.

Mark, 39, is among the line-up of international sailors who have been appointed to the prestigious and challenging position following a rigorous selection process and says, "I am absolutely delighted to have got the job. It didn't sink in initially when I got the phone call but then the emails started coming through and it's now all very real. It's amazing – a great feeling!"

Derry-Londonderry's participation will form the centrepiece of the campaign leading up to the city's celebrations as UK City of Culture 2013.

Mark says, "When I got the job I had in mind that I would like to skipper the Irish entry so it's great to have been appointed to lead the Derry-Londonderry team. I think Northern Ireland's a fantastic place and it's great that our stopover is one of the last of the race so we have it as a great motivator all the way around."

Derry-Londonderry is one of ten internationally-sponsored entries in Clipper 11-12. They include Singapore, Chinese entry, Qingdao, and De Lage Landen which will race under the Dutch flag. The Clipper Race is the only global ocean race open to everyone, regardless of background and sailing ability and is the longest in the world. Almost 500 people from 40 nationalities and more than 250 different professions will step outside their comfort zone to race a stripped down, 68-foot yacht 40,000 miles around the world.

"I believe the whole concept of the Clipper Race is brilliant," says Mark. "Making ocean sailing accessible to anybody and providing the challenge and platform on which to literally change people's lives is very special."

He continues, "Being able to lead a crew around the world in a yacht race, for me, takes everything to the next level. It will be so satisfying to watch a group of people put together randomly at first, progress with lots of hard work and training and evolve into a highly competitive race team and group of very accomplished offshore sailors. I will be very proud to carry out that job."

Originally from Gloucestershire, Mark now lives on the Isle of Wight and hopes to celebrate his 40th birthday racing a yacht to victory somewhere in the Southern Ocean. Introduced to sailing in his late 20s he learned to sail dinghies on a lake. Once bitten by the sailing bug he took the plunge, left his job as a mechanical and production engineer and studied full time for the sailing qualifications that would allow him to turn his passion into a career. Now an experienced senior instructor with many ocean crossings to his name, he is most looking forward to racing across the Pacific Ocean – and arriving in his team's home port, Derry-Londonderry, at the end of the final transatlantic stage.

"I am looking forward to the whole race as every leg will no doubt bring very different challenges but there are definitely sections I am looking forward to specifically. The leg I am most looking forward to is crossing the greatest ocean on the planet – the mighty Pacific – but the stopover I am looking forward to most is of course, Derry-Londonderry. Sailing down the River Foyle into the heart of the City of Culture to a fabulous reception is going to be unbeatable!"

The Clipper Race celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, the first edition having been run in 1996. It was established by legendary yachtsman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who, in 1969, became the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world. He wanted to make ocean racing available to everyone, regardless of nationality or background, and since that first race almost 3,000 ordinary people have taken the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone and do something truly extraordinary by taking on nature in the raw and racing around the world under sail. More than 5,000 more have been introduced to sailing through the Clipper Training programme.

Sir Robin comments, "Leading a team in a race around the world is one of the hardest and most challenging jobs that any skipper could ever undertake and we're confident Mark is up to this challenge. He has been through a lengthy and rigorous selection process and we have chosen a group of ten exceptional individuals as our race skippers. They all have the ability to draw the line between competitiveness and safety while, at the same time, motivating the crew to retain their focus during races lasting several weeks at a time, whether it be through roaring gales and towering seas or the frustration of tricky calm spells."

Followers of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race can look forward to some exciting and exhilarating racing when the event gets underway this August. During the 40,000-mile race the fleet will stop at 15 ports around the world before arriving back in the UK in July 2012. For the first time the route includes an extra leg that will take the fleet from the west coast of Australia rounding Cape Leeuwin en route to New Zealand and then on to Australia's east coast.

The search is already underway for suitably qualified men and women to follow in the footsteps of these ten skippers in the next edition of the race which will start in 2013 and will be raced on the brand new fleet of 70-foot yachts that have been specially commissioned. Skippers wishing to register their interest in applying for one of the most prestigious positions in sailing should email [email protected].

Next year's Irish entry in the Clipper Round the World Race may be named twice according to Lorna Siggins in the Irish Times.  The local yacht could bear the name Derry on one side of its bow and Londonderry on the other, as it circumnavigates the globe – to appease all political interests on the river Foyle. More from the Irish Times HERE.