#clipper –The Clipper Race Team is visiting locations across Ireland, to meet potential future race crew looking to get on board the Derry~Londonderry~Doire team for the 2015-16 series and help make its third race campaign the most successful to date. The first port of call is Dun Laoghaire this Saturday!

To find out more about the race and decide if you can take on the challenge yourself, join Crew Recruitment Manager Della Parsons, along with former local race crew, on the following dates:

- Saturday 31 January – Dublin – National Yacht Club, 10.30am
- Monday 2 February – Cork – Royal Cork Yacht Club, 6.30pm
- Wednesday 4 February – Galway – Harbour Hotel, 6.30pm
- Friday 6 February – Derry/Londonderry – Guildhall, 6.30pm
- Saturday 7 February – Belfast – Odyssey Complex, 12 noon (will be signposted from the Ocean Youth Trust Office)

80 per cent of crew places for the 2015-16 race are now filled but there are still places available on most legs. If you would like to attend any of the Irish recruitment dates please RSVP to Della Parsons, Clipper Race Recruitment Manager at [email protected].

#clipperrace – The Cruising Club of America (CCA) has confirmed that its 2014 Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship will be awarded to Sean McCarter, skipper of the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race Northern Irish entry Derry-Londonderry-Doire. The award is in recognition of the way he directed his crew during a dramatic man overboard rescue in the harsh northern Pacific Ocean last March.

McCarter was also awarded an Afloat Sailor of the Month award last January for his successful skippering in the global race.

The Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship is an internationally renowned trophy awarded annually for an act of seamanship which significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht, or one or more individuals at sea.

Sean McCarter grew up in the Derry-Londonderry area and learnt to sail on Lough Swilly in County Donegal, Ireland at just five years old. A former Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteer, Sean says: "The CCA is a club that has over 85 years of promoting the adventurous use of the sea and puts a premium on safety and seamanship.

"I am honoured to have been selected to receive The Rod Stephens trophy for Outstanding Seamanship but must accept it on behalf of the entire crew of Derry-Londonderry-Doire on the Pacific leg. Finding and rescuing Andrew Taylor in the midst of a North Pacific gale was not down to one person but to the skill and determination of a well-trained team."

Crew member Andrew Taylor, 46, from London, went overboard in the middle of a Pacific Ocean storm, approximately half way through the 5,600 mile race from Qingdao, China to San Francisco, USA at the end of March this year whilst competing in the Clipper 2013-14 Race. He was recovered after 90 minutes in the water. The search was particularly difficult due to low visibility, high winds and mountainous seas which caused Andrew to drift quickly out of sight from the yacht.

Andrew made a full recovery after initial shock, hypothermia and a badly bruised leg. He continued the remaining six races to complete the circumnavigation when the Clipper Race returned to London in July 2014.

Clipper Race chairman and founder, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: "The recognition of Sean McCarter's leadership and motivation by the Cruising Club of America's prestigious Outstanding Seamanship Award during the recovery of Andrew Taylor from the Derry~Londonderry~Doire yacht during the passage across the North Pacific Ocean will be welcomed by many.

"Andrew fell overside in strong winds and heavy seas during the race from Qingdao to San Francisco. Sean's determination to recover Andrew motivated the crew and it is fair to say that had Sean not shown outstanding leadership Andrew might not be with us today."

The city of Derry-Londonderry has been represented in the Clipper Race since 2011 and finished in fourth position at the end of the last edition earlier this year.

The City of Derry Londonderry Mayor Cllr Brenda Stevenson extending her congratulations to Sean, said the people of Derry and the North West region were extremely proud of him: "We are absolutely delighted that Sean has been honoured in this way, it is a huge achievement for him. This is an extremely proud moment for all of us.

"The way in which Sean and his crew dealt with the emergency on board their yacht was truly inspiring and I am delighted that his talents as a skilled yachtsman and leader has been acknowledged in this way. He is a very worthy winner and an inspirational sportsman that we all admire. Well done Sean."

In the past, the Rod Stephens trophy has been awarded for diverse acts of seamanship such as the rescue of 51 Haitians by the captain and crew of Corwith Cramer, a Brigantine sail training ship. In 2007 it was awarded to Mike Golding for his rescue of Alex Thomson during the 2006 Velux Ocean race when Thomson's boat Hugo Boss was sinking.

The award will be presented during the Annual Awards Dinner of the Cruising Club of America at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan on 6 March, 2015.

Sean McCarter and his crew were also recently nominated for Yachts and Yachting Magazine Achievement of the Year Award. Winners will be announced in February.

There is still the opportunity to apply for crew places in the 2015-16 edition of the Clipper Race which is already 70 per cent full. No experience is necessary as all training is provided. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices before they embark on the comprehensive pre-race training programme.

#routedurhum – Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, is carrying out final preparations on his yacht Grey power ahead of his return to competitive solo racing in Sunday's Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe race start.

The oldest competitor in the French solo Transatlantic race has had a busy week on board his Open 60 yacht in Saint Malo, Brittany. The media spotlight has been upon Sir Robin with many interviews taking place, and he was also given the medal of the honour of the City of Saint Malo by the Mayor.

Sir Robin is now doing last minute victualing and will spend time with family later. The course and safety briefing took place on Thursday and the final weather briefing will happen Saturday.

"There has been an incredible atmosphere here in the race village all week with hundreds of thousands of visitors. It is great to be back here 32 years after I first did my Route du Rhum race.

"I have enjoyed seeing friends and fellow competitors including Loick Peyron and Francois Gabart. Now I am ready to go and can't wait to get out there. I will be taking it easy as far as Cap Finisterre while I negotiate the shipping lanes, and then I will start to race harder."

Sir Robin will leave the basin at Saint Malo at 0230 GMT for a 0300 lock on Sunday ahead of the 1300 race start.

After enjoying sailing with Clipper Race crew in the 2013 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which formed part of the circumnavigation, Knox-Johnston decided to return to competitive solo racing.

Sir Robin had become jealous of watching his Clipper Race crews sail off at the start of new legs during their round the world voyage.

Knox-Johnston created the Clipper Race in 1995 to provide a platform for anyone of any age and any walk of life to experience the thrill of ocean racing and for many, a circumnavigation.

"The great thing about ocean racing is that you can do it at any age, and that's what I want to prove through my participation. In my head I feel 48. I feel younger and fitter than most and am ready to race," Sir Robin added.

He is racing in the same boat he sailed round the world in during the 2006/7 Velux Five Oceans Race, aged 68.

The biennial Clipper Race event has inspired more than 3,000 amateur sailors to compete in what is now the longest ocean race around the planet at more than 40,000 miles since it was established in 1996.

Sir Robin is the only British sailor to have won 'Yachtsman of the Year' three times. He has sailed around the world four times, twice solo, including the Golden Globe historic circumnavigation in 1968/69, and once winning the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994. He last competed in the Route du Rhum in 1982, on the 70-foot catamaran Sea Falcon.

#clipper – Record numbers of people have followed the exploits of the latest Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, with a cumulative audience of more than 3.3 billion people in over 200 countries seeing news coverage in the press, radio, TV and online according to the race organisers. 

That audience, say organisers is set to grow even further with the forthcoming release of two new television series which will be distributed to international broadcasters by BBC Worldwide. The shows are being previewed at Sportel, the world's largest annual sports TV market, this week in Monaco.

40,000 miles long, taking eleven months to complete, the Clipper Race is the world's longest ocean race. Established by legendary UK sailor, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo, non-stop round the world, the Clipper Race is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. 40 per cent of crew members have never sailed before they sign up.

More than 670 people from over 40 nationalities took part in the 2013-14 race, the only place where students, teachers, bankers, housewives and truck drivers join together to take on one of the world's toughest endurance challenges.

"We are receiving an extremely positive response to the new TV series," says Global Business and Communications Director, Jonathan Levy, who is participating in the Sportel convention. "We have created two different series to capture both sides of the Clipper Race. "One follows the adrenaline fuelled fierce competition between teams as points are claimed in the 16-race series, building to the final champion's podium; while the other focuses on individual crew stories as they take on the immense human challenge, confronting Mother Nature in the raw."

The latest independent evaluation of media coverage of the 2013-14 edition by Kantar Media shows a huge growth in global audiences, virtually trebling the news media reach of the previous race. The media report is only an interim evaluation and with more than a thousand news items still to be added and the TV series yet to air, it's projected that the final audience achieved could be well in excess of 4.5 billion. The full report will be published later in the year.

"The Clipper Race is capturing the imagination of audiences around the world, not only because it is compelling viewing but also because it could be them. Our crew members achieve something remarkable, racing across oceans and, for many, circumnavigating the planet – no experience necessary as we provide all the training. It's very inspiring!"

The Race of Their Lives is eight half hour programmes which capture the emotional rollercoaster in an adventure series which sees this challenge through the experiences of key characters on the race.

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is nine half-hour sports TV shows following the fierce competition around the world in the 2013-14 edition.

#bartsbash – A sailing legend and alumni of round the world ocean racers took to the Solent at the weekend as one of the largest entries in the global record-breaking attempt Bart's Bash, to raise funds for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation (ASSF).

Over 130 former Clipper Round the World Yacht Race crew and skippers spanning nine race editions over 19 years were joined by renowned yachtsman and Clipper Race chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on the 24.8 mile course from Gosport on the South Coast, specially created for the Bart's Bash event.

Nine of the new fleet of twelve identical stripped-down Clipper 70-foot ocean racing yachts took part in Bart's Bash, the first time so many Clipper 70s have been on the water racing since the 11-month, 40,000-mile long Clipper Race finished earlier this year.

Sir Robin remarked: "It was a fantastic day to get the Clipper 70s out on the water and it was a pleasure to see many familiar Clipper Race faces return to Gosport once again. We had perfect sailing conditions and many experienced ocean racers competing which made the race very close and exciting, with the lead changing quite a lot. Well done to all our racers."

More than 17,000 sailors, representing over 600 clubs worldwide participated in Bart's Bash on Sunday with the Clipper Race Yacht Club (CRYC) ranked eleventh overall. The Clipper Race Yacht Club was set up in 2009 and has over 840 members worldwide. It is the only club in the world that requires an ocean crossing qualification and has more circumnavigators in its membership than any other club.

So far, Bart's Bash has raised £166,716.42 for the ASSF worldwide and it has provisionally set a new Guinness World Record for the 'largest sailing event in 24 hours.'

Sir Robin added: "Congratulations to the team at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation for creating such a successful, global sailing event. It was a proud moment for all at the Clipper Race Yacht Club to be able to join together, be part of history and raise funds for the first ever Bart's Bash."

Founded by Sir Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy OBE, and Andrew Simpson's wife Leah, in Andrew's memory, the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation aims to create transformational life opportunities for young people through sailing, in the UK and around the world, a philosophy shared closely by the Clipper Race.

Recently Sir Robin Knox-Johnston announced the donation of a crew spot for Leg 6, the Pacific Ocean crossing in the Clipper 2015-16 Race to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, with patron Sir Ben Ainslie joining him to reveal the contest details. Open to all UK based 18-24 year olds, regardless of previous sailing experience, they just need to be nominated for the challenge. The contest closes on 14 November. Click here for more information, and how to apply. www.andrewsimpsonfoundation.co.uk/news

#ClipperRace - Clipper Round The World Race organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and America's Cup hero Sir Ben Ainslie teamed up today at the PSP Southampton Boat Show to announce a new youth prize for the next edition of the world's longest ocean race.

As Practical Boat Owner reports, the £10,000 prize is open to any youth sailor aged between 18 and 24 regardless of experience, giving them the chance to crew on the Pacific Ocean leg of the world's longest ocean race.

It's all thanks to a donation from the Clipper chairman to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation founded by Ainslie in memory of his friend who died while training for last summer's America's Cup.

"When you take on the Pacific Ocean crossing, you are taking on something very, very special," said Knox-Johnson. "There is nothing bigger or more awesome on this planet.

"This is something that will test you and push you to limits you didn't know you had. Very few people have tackled this challenge and now it's your chance to be one of them."

Ainslie added: "It really will be a once in a lifetime experience for the competition winner."

Practical Boat Owner has more on the story HERE.

#ClipperRace - Mail Online reports that offshore sailing legend and Clipper Round The World Race organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is being sued by a woman over claims of harassment she experienced while crewing a yacht during the most recent edition of the race.

Ruth Harvey, an experienced lawyer by trade, paid £40,000 (€50,500) to join the crew of Jamaica Get All Right, which finished the race in eighth place, and raise funds for her chosen charity.

However, she was one of many crew across the fleet to drop out of the gruelling offshore challenge before the final leg.

Now Harvey is suing the race organisers over allegations that she experienced victimisation and harassment while crewing the yacht, and that she has a claim under employment and equality legislation.

A tribunal in November is set to decide whether Harvey can indeed be classed as an employee of the race organisers, even though she paid to take part in the race. Mail Online has much more on the story HERE.

#clipperrace – There were emotional scenes in the UK's capital city today as the Northern Irish team competing in the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race returned after narrowly missing out on a podium finish having conquered Mother Nature's toughest conditions.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the River Thames to welcome home 270 international amateur crew on 12 70-ft yachts as they formed a Parade of Sail which concluded with Tower Bridge lifting for the top three teams.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire narrowly missed out on a podium finish after being beaten by third-placed OneDLL by just four points.

A total of 670 crew members from 42 different countries have battled hurricanes, survived a tornado, dealt with medical evacuations and the miraculous rescue of a crew member who went overboard in the Pacific.
Derry~Londonderry~Doire went onto make international news back in March after Andrew Taylor went overboard in the Pacific Ocean for 90 minutes during Race 10 from Qingdao China, to San Francisco, USA.

"This has been an incredible experience and something that I will never forget," said Derry~Londonderry~Doire skipper Sean McCarter.

"It's unbelievable to be here in London. This last race was really important to us as a team as just three points separated us and OneDLL who went onto take third place. I couldn't be prouder of the team and how they have performed. They all worked so hard. There was never a point that they just thought lets settle for what we have, they kept pushing harder and harder all the way."

The normally reserved skipper continued to reap praise on his team after claiming an impressive fourth place in the ninth edition of the Clipper 2013-14 Race.

"As a team, it's hard to ever top anything like our homeport win into Derry-Londonderry but today has been spectacular. It'll be strange leaving the team, but I know we will always be great friends and LegenDerry."

Crew members range from doctors to lawyers, farmers, housewives, sports stars and students and are aged between 18 and 74. 40 per cent had never sailed before they participated.

Round the world crew member, Conor O Byrne, an Officer of the Garda from Dublin, Ireland was overwhelmed by the rapturous reception.

He said: "It was my dream to sail around the world and today I joined that elite group of people. The race has been absolutely incredible and I am so proud to stand alongside this group of people who have made this last year truly unforgettable for me.

"It is going to be a real culture shock not travelling to a different destination every few weeks and getting out of bed in the early hours to join my watch system."

The Mayor of Derry-Londonderry, Brenda Stevenson who was there to welcome in each of the 12 racing yachts to Foyle Marina during the Northern Irish stopover last month, was once again leading the celebrations in London today as she praised the team's incredible performance.

"Today was a really proud moment for everyone of Derry-Londonderry. Just weeks ago we saw the team win their homeport race into Derry-Londonderry and here we are at Race Finish. The city is already planning what we can do for the next race, and how we can make it even bigger for the Clipper 2015-16 Race. Today the team just narrowly missed out on third place overall, but for us they're winners."

The race left the UK's capital on 1 September 2013 and since then the teams have visited 16 ports in 11 countries and six continents during the 16-race series. The circumnavigation sees people from all walks of life join together in the only race of its kind for amateur sailors.

Each team is led by one professional skipper.

The Clipper Race was created in 1996 by legendary British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to give people from all walks of life and ages the opportunity to experience ocean racing including the option to complete a full circumnavigation.

Sir Robin became the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world 45 years ago, when he completed the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race on 22 April 1969 aboard his 32ft ketch Suhaili. At 75 the grandfather of five is still sailing competitively and will take on another transatlantic solo race this autumn in his open 60 yacht Grey Power.

#clipperrace–It was the perfect finale to a magical week on the Foyle; simply LegenDerry! A near cloudless sky greeted the 270 Clipper Race crew as they awoke this morning to prepare for the penultimate race in the 2013-14 Clipper Race series – number 15 – The OneDLL Cup to Den Helder in the Netherlands.
The near 800 nautical mile race will be a tactical challenge, navigating around Scotland, into the North Sea, and then on to the historic Naval port on the north west edge of Holland.
The crew was treated to gastro breakfast sandwiches prepared by local 'celebrity' chefs before the teams were led to their yachts by Derry-Londonderry Mayor Councillor Brenda Stevenson.
Skippers were presented with their locally crafted awards trophies and mementos of their stay in the city by the Mayor.
"You and your crews have all been very special," said Mayor Stevenson. "We've loved having you here. You're helping us tell our new story with pride and inspiring a new generation in this city."
Crowds swelled as the moment to slip lines approached, joined by VIPs of local dignitaries, including deputy first minister Martin McGuinness.
"This has been another remarkable week," he told the gathered crowds. "A united city celebrating together with the Clipper Race and looking forward to a brighter future. Look at all the visiting boats here. A great sight!"
Local skipper of Derry~Londonderry~Doire Sean McCarter is still coming to terms with the fact he clinched a win into his home port after a week of parties and celebration. He said:

"For the first few days the welcome party in Derry-Londonderry just didn't stop. It was lovely to see the whole family but whole city came out in numbers and it has been so nice. It's been really busy, which I knew it would be but I've had a little bit of time to catch up with friends and the family.

"Coming into Race 14 we broke the home port curse, for Race 15 we're looking to put the curse back in place and keep OneDLL out of the primary position."
The Derry~Londonderry~Doire team is just 5 points short of a podium place in the overall race standings. It will be doing everything it can to overtake OneDLL on points. Skipper Olly Cotterell, is already under pressure to win into their home port.
He commented: " This is out homeport race so we would love to that first yellow pennant which we have yet to achieve. We are going to sail our own race and see how it happens – we'll also be keeping a very close eye on Derry~Londonderry~Doire which is just five points behind us."
Meanwhile Dutch skipper Patrick Van Der Zijden aims to take Old Pulteney onto the podium in Den Helder after sailing around Scotland, home of 'The Maritime Malt'.
"We're going to have light winds which will be challenging, but we'll be working extra hard to arrive in Holland. We had a good boast from our last race and we'll be hoping to repeat our performance, and do it all again.
"At the moment we're seventh in the rankings two points behind Qingdao and the idea is to get ahead of them and be in the top half of the fleet in sixth place. So we will all be working hard to get there." said Patrick.
At the top of the leader board Henri Lloyd is 13.9 points clear of GREAT Britain on 130 points, But with 24 points still up for grabs it's not impossible for a late upset, especially with two short races.
Skipper of GREAT Britain, Simon Talbot, observed: "The pressure is on for the next race – we are a group of highly competitive a person who want to win and that is always our goal. We're realists; we know that this race is for Henri Lloyd to lose rather than for us to win. We could do everything right in the next two races and win both, but if Henri Lloyd do better than seventh they will still win."
The OneDLL Cup is going to be very hard to predict as the current forecast is for lighter airs which, combined with strong currents, could result in some upsets if teams get stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The race started at Greencastle, County Donegal at 1545 BST following a breathtaking display from the world famous RAF Red Arrows aerobatics team.
Possibly inspired by the airborne antics the home team Derry~Londonderry~Doire got off to a flying start across the line first ahead of GREAT Britain and Qingdao in second and third respectively. As at 1600 BST (1500 UTC) the race tracker showed Derry~Londonderry~Doire in a narrow lead ahead of Team Garmin and Old Pulteney.
The OneDLL Cup has an estimated arrival into Den Helder from 3 July subject to prevailing weather conditions.

#LegenderryTallShips – The Legenderry Maritime Festival held in the north-west city is where Lough Foyle has welcomed the return of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2014 but also some visiting tall-ships which too are open to the public.

So why not come along and board the tallships, Earl of Pembroke and Phoenix which together have appeared in many films and TV drama's and are berthed alongside McFarland Quay. From that quayside you can embark on board these wonderful sailing vessels which are open only today, (Thursday up to 6pm). For more details of festival programme visit here.

Since the festival began on mid-summers day and concludes on Sunday 29 June, the city and along Foyle Quay has been host for the homecoming festival in welcoming the 12 strong fleet of Clipper 70 yachts. Notably as previously reported, the Derry-Londonderry-Doire skippered by the city's hero, Sean McCarter following victory in race 14 from New York to the yacht's homeport as part of the world's longest ocean race.

There will also opportunities to visit these impressive racing boats as according to the festival organiser website click HERE, Clipper Ventures are making available two of the race yachts for tours today between (2-7pm), tomorrow Friday, June 27 (2-7pm) and also on Saturday, June 28 (9am-1pm).

Forming the focalpoint of the festival is at Foyle Quay where the summer promenade, complete with race village, marine marquees, award winning continental markets and a host of sea faring activities on and off shore will be held for all to enjoy.

So to soak up the action be it learning to canoe or sail a dingy or if you're happy to just go with the flow of the festival there's something to suit everyone. Come on, dive in and blow your inhibitions out of the water!

Last but not least will be the festival's farewell send-off in bidding bon voyage to the Clipper yachts as the Parade of Sail departs on Sunday (12 noon) from MacFarland Quay for the race start at Greencastle in Co Donegal.

The Red Arrows will perform their trademark formations with close-passes and dynamic loops and rolls at the mouth of the River Foyle between Greencastle in Co. Donegal and Magilligan/Binevenagh in Co. Derry.

For more information on the full programme of events or details on how to get involved, visit www.legenderrymaritimefestival.com