‘Real Race Of Mixed Conditions’ For Conall Morrison’s Clipper Race Team

16th March 2018

HotelPlanner.com skipper Conall Morrison at the Qingdao Welcome Ceremony Credit: Clipper Ventures

#ClipperRace - Yesterday was a day to remember at Wanda Marina and Yacht Club in Qingdao as the full Clipper Race fleet berthed at the brand-new facility, following the arrival of last-placed HotelPlanner.com just before 11pm Irish time/UTC.

Crew member Tom Parker from New York received one of the the loudest cheers from the locals when he put his impressive Chinese language skills on show to make a speech along with his skipper Conall Morrison.

In what was yet another consistently high-performing race, the team finished just 31 hours after the Race 8: Sailing City Qingdao Cup winners Visit Seattle, and had its nearest competition, Unicef, in sight on the horizon just two days out from the finish.

Watch leader and circumnavigator Roseann McGlinchey said: “It was a real race of mixed conditions. We had extreme heat, extreme cold, lots of wind then no wind, upwind conditions then downwind conditions, just everything. It was brilliant!”

Having experienced the highly anticipated Qingdao welcome first-hand, the entire Clipper Race crews were treated to fresh food and drinks inside the grand Wanda Yacht Club building. With the Qingdao stopover now underway, the host of events will kick off with an arrival press conference and prizegiving ceremony today, Friday 16 March.

As reported yesterday, the Clipper Race teams will remain in Qingdao until next Friday 23 March when they will set sail across the North Pacific Ocean to Seattle on the sixth leg.

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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.