Irishman Among 'Dynamic Dozen' Skippers For Clipper Race

12th April 2013

#Clipper - Irishman Sean McCarter is among the 'dynamic dozen' skippers selected to lead their amateur crews in the ninth edition of the Clipper Round the World Race.

The 31-year-old is looking forward to a home crowd welcome when the race visits Northern Ireland on its final leg in summer 2014.

He will be joined by the third ever woman to skipper a Clipper crew in 30-year-old Vicky Ellis from Bristol, who has paid her dues as a training skipper over three years.

The 12 yacht masters, selected from hundreds of possible candidates in a rigorous process, now begin their final training ahead of the race start in August.

But first comes the crew allocation on 11 May, when the race hopefuls - including two Irish challengers - will find out who they'll be sailing with.

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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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.