#CLIPPERRACE – The crew of Derry-Londonderry, one of ten teams competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, sailed under the iconic Golden Gate Bridge today at the beginning of their final 10,000 miles of the world's longest yacht race.

This is the seventh leg of the eight leg series. Ahead lies 5,500 miles of racing from California on the U.S. West Coast to New York on the East Coast via the Panama Canal.

Leaving the marina, the morale was high on Derry-Londonderry. Ahead of leaving shore skipper Mark Light said, "This leg will be quite a contrast to the rough Pacific. We are expecting a fair bit of wind when we leave San Francisco Bay, but then it will get hotter and lighter winds are expected before we reach the Panama Canal.

"We've improved massively overall in the second half on this race and we are turning our noses towards our home port and the team are coming together well and I'm expecting another good result. It's very exciting and things are building up – there are a lot of points on offer and we need to get ourselves onto that podium a few more times. We will do what we can and hopefully won't let anyone down."

The ten strong fleet competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race left Jack London Square in Oakland today with hundreds of fans cheering them on in the warm spring sunshine, before heading out to San Francisco Bay for the start line escorted by the US Coast Guard cutter Sockeye.

Friends, family members and supporters gathered to watch from the Golden Gate Yacht Club, home of the 34th America's Cup, which kindly provided facilities to start the race from their deck at 1400 local time (2100 UTC).

There was a highly charged competitive atmosphere out on the water in the shadow of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. So much so that three boats crossed the line prematurely and were ordered to circle back to cross it again. This gave Visit Finland an early lead, hotly pursued by the only US entry New York and the Chinese team from the Olympic sailing city of Qingdao as they jostled for position racing under the bridge and back out into the Pacific Ocean, heading south towards Panama. Derry-Londonderry passed the start line in fifth place.

Joining the crew of amateur sailors is Matt Plummer, the City of Derry Clipper Bursary crew member has enjoyed his week in port, but is ready to learn new skills and conquer the sea after many years as a professional footballer.

He said: "I'm very much looking forward to going through the Panama Canal – it's the main reason that I wanted to do this race. It's a long race with more than 5,000 miles over to New York – you can't imagine driving that far, let alone sailing it. Hopefully we will get good winds and get there fast. I really want to push the boat and we are aiming for a first place."

This has also been a highly successful stopover for a delegation from Derry-Londonderry which has been holding a number of high profile events and meetings to boost trade and tourism, especially in hi-tech sectors such as digital media and raising awareness of its role as the UK's first City of Culture in 2013.

The first boats are expected to arrive in Panama around 7 May after which they will transit the Panama Canal before commencing Race 11, for the final 2,100 miles to New York.

The race started in Southampton, UK on 31 July 2011 and will end there on 22 July 2012 after taking 51 weeks to travel over 40,000 miles visiting 15 ports of call on six continents.

#CLIPPERRACE – Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle visited Clipper Round the World Yacht Race during its stopover in Oakland, San Francisco Bay this week. The singer's home town Derry-Londonderry's yacht entry are using the stopover to promote business and tourism opportunities leading up to their City of Culture status in 2013. The race comes to Nadine's home city on June 29.

The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started from Southampton on the south coast of the UK on 31 July 2011. The route will take the crews of the ten, identical 68-foot yachts, each sponsored by a city, state, country or corporation, via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Geraldton Western Australia, New Zealand, Gold Coast Australia, Singapore, Qingdao in China, California, Panama, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Den Helder in the Netherlands before returning on 22 July 2012 to Southampton.

#CLIPPER– Gold Coast Australia, one of the ten 68-foot yachts competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, has diverted to Taiwan to evacuate a crew member who broke his leg in the gruelling conditions the amateur teams are currently enduring in the race from Singapore to Qingdao, China.

The high winds and heavy seas with waves of up to four metres made it impossible for the search and rescue helicopter and Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel dispatched to the scene to transfer the casualty from the yacht.

Round the world crew member, Tim Burgess, 31, from Petersham, NSW, Australia, was on the foredeck changing a headsail when broke his left leg above the knee.

Dutch entry, De Lage Landen, which was just eight miles from Gold Coast Australia when the incident happened, diverted to assist as they have two doctors among their international crew. The Race Office asked them to stay with the Australian yacht while plans for the medevac were put in place but they have now been released to resume racing.

As a precaution, Gold Coast Australia's skipper, Richard Hewson, decided to evacuate a second round the world crew member, Nick Woodward, 55, from Birmingham, UK, after he sustained a head injury when he was thrown across the crew accommodation in the rough seas.

Both are now on their way to hospital, Tim and Nick's families have been informed and the rest of the crew are safe.

The Race Director would like to thank the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Falmouth, UK, and Taiwan for their assistance.

#CLIPPER – After a week-long stopover in spectacular Singapore, the ten yachts taking part in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race set sail this morning from the exclusive Marina at Keppel Bay, where they have been based since last Saturday.

The send-off was no less spectacular than the welcome festivities, with drummers upping the tempo as the teams manned their boats in preparation for race start, as well as the traditional tossing of the Yusheng, or raw fish salad, by skippers and VIP guests, to herald abundance and good fortune during the Chinese Spring Festival.

Speaking at the departure ceremony, Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Corporation said, "As we celebrated friendship and goodwill over the past week, we are also happy that through hosting this stopover of the Clipper Race fleet at our Marina, we have played our part to promote Singapore as the sailing and waterfront lifestyle destination in this part of the world."

Marina at Keppel Bay, home to Keppel Bay Sailing Academy (KBSA), Singapore's only RYA-recognised sail training centre and the only accredited Clipper Training centre outside of the UK, is part of the world-class Keppel Bay waterfront precinct.

Skipper of the Singapore yacht, Ben Bowley, said, "It has been a fantastic stopover. It's been very busy but it's been a great opportunity to give something back to our sponsors. It's been brilliant to come and see Marina at Keppel Bay, where the new Reflections development is looking fantastic, and wonderful to experience Singapore's delights. We've had some great meals and good times."

At the start line for Race 8 from Singapore to the Chinese sailing city of Qingdao, the teams had 12 knots of breeze from the north east, making for a relatively sedate beginning to the 2,600-mile race. It will be one of extremes, taking the teams from the melting heat and humidity of Singapore to the freezing temperatures of a northern hemisphere winter as they race up through the South China Sea, past Taiwan and on into the East China Sea, where conditions for both boats and crews can be brutal.

Gold Coast Australia mistimed their run to the line and crossed six seconds ahead of the start signal, prompting Assistant Race Director, Justin Taylor, to issue an individual recall. Their mistake meant home team favourites, Singapore, won the race to cross the start line with the tightly bunched fleet following close behind them, New York, De Lage Landen and Derry-Londonderry hot on their heels on port tack. Geraldton Western Australia and Visit Finland followed, with Welcome to Yorkshire, Qingdao and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital concluding the order over the line before Gold Coast Australia completed their penalty to join the rest of the fleet racing up the Singapore Straits.

During their stay the international crews have explored the island state, including a tour organised by Singapore Tourism Board, which began with a tai chi session and a traditional roti prata breakfast, before shopping in Little India, lunch in Chinatown and a Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel.

Clipper Race founder and Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, said, "I know very well that the crew have greatly enjoyed their time in Singapore where they have participated in fantastic tourism experiences, exploring Singapore by day and night. Over the last week, they have gained a real sense of what this unique island has to offer.

"Our international yacht partners have also maximised every minute of our stopover here and there has been encouraging evidence of new contacts made and successful business completed over our stay – something which is at the heart of the Clipper Race ethos."

Clipper 11-12 is 'raced by people like you'; crew members come from all walks of life and between them represent more than 40 nationalities. The youngest is 18 years old and there is no upper age limit.

Several hundred people got on board to visit the yachts and attended presentations about signing up for Clipper 13-14 and beyond.

In addition many of the sponsors of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race have travelled to Singapore to leverage their partnership with the event to establish and build on trade, business, tourism, education and cultural relationships, attracting delegates from across Singapore and South East Asia.

The fleet is due to arrive in Qingdao, China, between 22 and 25 February.

#CLIPPER–The first of a new twelve-strong fleet of Clipper 70s has been released from its mould as the construction of an expanded fleet for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race progresses on schedule ahead of its completion next year. This is the first of an order for twelve identical new Castro-designed yachts, with an option on four more.

Clipper Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, said, "The new fleet build is progressing on target in Qingdao, China. The new yachts will enter service for the Clipper 13-14 Round the World Yacht Race and continue operating until 2020."

#CLIPPER – Derry-Londonderry's crew have put the disappointment of their last race behind them and made a strong start as they and the other nine teams in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race set off from Geraldton, Western Australia, at the start of the fifth stage of the 40,000-mile circumnavigation.

After what is widely acknowledged by the crews as the friendliest welcome of Clipper 11-12, the yachts taking part in the world's longest ocean race, are racing towards Tauranga, New Zealand, where they are due to arrive between 25 and 29 November.

The hooter sounded at 1330 local time (0530 UTC) and, with a flotilla of local spectator boats in attendance, the teams raced away from the start line, around the turning mark and back towards the second mark just 50 metres off the beach in a brisk westerly breeze.

In one of the closest starts in Clipper 11-12 to date, Welcome to Yorkshire was the first across, coming up on the inside of the other yachts who had timed their run to the start line impeccably. They were followed by New York, and Derry-Londonderry, representing the UK City of Culture 2013, was third across the line. Next in the scramble for the line were the Dutch team, De Lage Landen and the home port favourite, Geraldton Western Australia, followed by Visit Finland, Gold Coast Australia and Qingdao. Singapore and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital completed the order.

A one-and-a-half mile beat out to sea to the first course mark and a nose-to-tail drag race back towards the beach saw New York streak into the lead, closely followed by overall leaders Gold Coast Australia, with Visit Finland moving up to third place, while Singapore climbed from ninth to fifth.

Before the start of the race the teams wowed the thousands of spectators on shore who were treated to a parade of sail with all ten yachts steaming in formation past Geraldton's packed Foreshore.

Derry-Londonderry had a disappointing race in the previous ocean crossing from Cape Town, but the team was in good spirits as they prepared to depart Western Australia.

"We've had a really good stopover," said 'LegenDerry' skipper, Mark Light. "We've done an incredible amount of work on the way in, and the stopover has just gone smoothly for us. We had a lot of stuff to fix so we've got through it, which is good. We seem to have a good leg and then a bad one so we're due a good leg on this next one! I think we're looking well set up, actually."

The people are so friendly. You can smile at them and they'll say hello to you everywhere you go.

Ahead of the teams lies a 3,800-mile race down the coast of Western Australia, rounding the second Great Cape in Clipper 11-12, Cape Leeuwin, the most south westerly point of Australia. It is the first time it has been included in the course in the 15-year history of the event. They will head south again into the desolate isolation of the Southern Ocean and then race east towards New Zealand and the finish line at Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, where they are due to arrive between 25 and 29 November.

On board the ten 68-foot ocean racing yachts each sponsored by a city, state, country or corporation around the world, are people like you – crew members from all walks of life, aged between 18 and 72, who between them represent more than 40 nationalities. Almost half of them had no sailing experience before beginning their gruelling pre-race training.

Derry City resident, John Harkin, is a round the world crew member. He's proud of the way the team has come together to prepare the yacht for the next leg.

"Coming in here we probably had the most things broken on the boat and we thought 'we're never going to get this done,'" he explained. "But the new people who have joined the boat have been very positive and excited and it's regenerated all of us and we really needed it as we were a tired lot. From a few days ago there was disappointment about how we were going but now we're on great form again, we've got every single thing that we needed fixed, fixed."

During the stopover in Geraldton the crews have been welcomed into the homes of some of the residents of the 33,000-strong community, while others have taken advantage of the fantastic kite surfing conditions and beautiful beaches to relax and unwind before the next stage of the race. They have also paid their respects at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, commemorating the Australian Navy's biggest loss of life during World War II.

The Clipper Race was established 15 years ago by sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail around the globe solo and non-stop in 1968-9. Clipper 11-12 is the eighth edition of the biennial race which is contested by a fleet of ten identical stripped down 68-foot ocean racing yachts, each of which is sponsored by a global destination or organisation.

Sir Robin's aim is not only to open up ocean racing to anyone but also to create a global platform for sponsors to profile their destinations and promote business, tourism and culture, acknowledging the traditional trade routes serviced over a century ago by the original clipper ships from which the race takes its name.

Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Premier for Western Australia and the Minister for Regional Development, Ian Blainey, MLA, said, "The State Government is proud to sponsor a yacht of our own with the City of Greater Geraldton. The Government announced a fund of $40 million over four years through Royalties for Regions for regional events across Western Australia. The Clipper Race was one of the first sponsorships under this programme and, of course, it gives us a high profile international platform. It is a wonderful, clever concept and a fantastic challenge."

And if the real thing seems a bit too extreme, armchair sailors can pit their sailing skills against the teams by playing the Virtual Clipper Race online at the official race website. While those on board the ten yachts are battling on bucking foredecks to change a headsail in pitch darkness, high winds and rough seas, the same manoeuvre in the game is achieved by a simple click of the mouse! More than €30,000 in prize money is offer, as well as Rotary Aquaspeed watches and Henri Lloyd stow bags.

#CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD – Derry-Londonderry has arrived in Geraldton Western Australia at the end of the 4,800-mile Race 4 from Cape Town. The team finished in ninth place, just one-tenth of a mile ahead of Celtic rivals, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, in the latest stage of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race which, at 40,000 miles, is the world's longest ocean race.

After a massive high pressure system and the associated light winds held five of the yachts captive in the Southern Ocean, the Race Committee reluctantly issued a 'shorten course' instruction to the teams at the back of the fleet and finished the race for Derry-Londonderry, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Qingdao, Welcome to Yorkshire and Singapore at 1800 UTC on Sunday 30 October.

Irish supporters follow Derry into port at Geraldton

Derry-Londonderry arrived in port shortly after 1515 local time this afternoon (0715 UTC).

Describing conditions in the Southern Ocean, Mark Light, skipper of the yacht representing the UK City of Culture 2013, said, "It was very big, cold, wet and everything we thought it would be and it was such a challenge; it was incredible to cross it for the first time. We're standing here after such a long time at sea and so many challenges and that is pretty special.

"We had quite a lot of damage on this trip including a spinnaker pole that ripped a little bit of track off the mast and punctured the mainsail, which was the biggest thing for us. We had to have one reef in our main, so we were underpowered for much of the race. It was dangerous at the time – it happened at three o'clock in the morning and took more than an hour to solve, but we got over it."

Paying tribute to his crew, the Isle of Wight-based yachtsman, said, "The crew did fantastically well. Some of the conditions on deck were pretty harsh at times and we had some pretty severe sail changes. They did very well, stuck at it and I'm proud of them."

On board the ten 68-foot ocean racing yachts, each sponsored by a city, state, country or corporation around the world, are people like you – crew members from all walks of life, aged between 18 and 72 who between them represent more than 40 nationalities. Each one of them has put their everyday life on hold to take part in a unique challenge of a lifetime: racing across the world's oceans.

Michelle McCann, from Greencastle, Co Donegal, is putting her life as a teacher on hold to take part in the event as a round the world crew member.

Arriving in Geraldton she said, "It was a really enjoyable experience. The weather was really bad at the start and it was frightening but it was an exhilarating and thrilling experience and it was a highlight in a strange way!

"The worst thing that happened was when the spinnaker track came off the mast and tore into a rip about six feet (two metres) long into the mainsail. We were limping along really for most of the race and it's hard to work around that.

"We're pretty pleased though. Eighth doesn't really sound much but it was good considering what happened, so we're pleased enough."

Race 4 was won by Gold Coast Australia who scored their fourth consecutive victory of the competition and De Lage Landen also notched up their best result to date, finishing in second place. Earlier in the day, in a race to the line befitting Melbourne Cup Day in Australia, New York beat Visit Finland to third place by just 21 minutes.

The arrival of Derry-Londonderry in Geraldton marks the end of a gruelling, four-week, 4,800-mile (7,680-kilometre) race across one of the planet's most feared and forbidding expanses of ocean during which they had to dodge icebergs and had to deal with mountainous waves whipped up by winds of up to 70 knots, as well as combat the frustrations of being becalmed for long periods.

As soon as the crews had completed the customs and immigration formalities they were treated to cold beers and a good Aussie barbecue at Geraldton Yacht Club.

The entire community has come together to make the stopover possible and on Monday evening at an awards ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, the City of Greater Geraldton won first prize for Community Participation and Empowerment at the United Nations-backed Liveable Communities Awards as well as a Silver Award in the Whole City category.

Councillor Bob Hall, deputising for the Mayor, who is returning from Seoul after collecting the city's award, commented, "The Clipper Race puts us on the world map for a place of sailing and waterborne activities as well as opening up the world's eyes to what a beautiful place we've got here. We're very privileged to get our boat in this race and to show our hallmark right across the world.

"It also gives businesses here some new markets and some new dollars into the community, so it's a big boost on our economy. As to measuring the tangible dollars and cents, I don't think you can do that; I think it's the human capital, the well-being, the messages that leave here with the people who crew the boats – that's what sells the place abroad and makes people want to come here and see it."

The yachts will spend the rest of the week in Geraldton before setting sail for Tauranga in New Zealand. It is a much anticipated return visit to the West Australian port that became an instant hit with the crews when the city hosted its inaugural stopover during the last edition of the event, Clipper 09-10.

During the stopover the crews will visit the beautiful Abrolhos Islands and pay their respects in a wreath laying ceremony at the HMAS Sydney Memorial where the new reflection pool is due to be officially dedicated next month. This afternoon the teams paraded along the Foreshore ahead of the official welcome and, during a weekend of public entertainment, music and international food stalls, just before the start of the next stage of the race, on Sunday 6 November, there will be a stunning Parade of Sail which will featuring all ten yachts in formation.

In addition to the packed programme for the crew, team sponsors will be travelling to Geraldton to host events for their clients and partners. The delegation will be part of a larger international trade opportunity created by the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race which will make a significant economic impact, not just by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the City of Greater Geraldton and but also by introducing its destination and trade sponsors to Australia's Mid West region with longer term business building potential for local companies. The Clipper Race provides its sponsors with access to 15 markets on six continents during the 12 months of the 40,000-mile race.

Race 5 from Geraldton to Tauranga, New Zealand, will begin on Sunday 6 November.

After a week enjoying all Cape Town has to offer, Derry-Londonderry and the other nine teams taking part in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race have set off on Race 4 of the 15-race series. At 40,000 miles, Clipper 11-12 is the world's longest ocean race and in this next stage the non-professional sailors will round the Cape of Good Hope and face the might of the Southern Ocean before arriving in the City of Geraldton, Western Australia, at the end of their 4,800-mile journey.

Race 4 started under cloudless blue skies and a brisk south easterly breeze of 15 to 20 knots, typical of a Cape Town early afternoon. It made for a lively start for the stripped down 68-foot yachts as they crossed the start line and tacked upwind to the first mark in Table Bay.

Gold Coast Australia was first to cross the line, marked at one end by the South African Navy mine hunter, SAN Umzimkulu. The yachts were packed tightly together and Derry-Londonderry was just behind the overall race leader with Geraldton Western Australia and Welcome to Yorkshire also crossing on a starboard tack. Singapore approached the line from the eastern end and turned across in fifth place while over at the western end, De Lage Landen, Qingdao and New York were followed by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and Visit Finland.

As Gold Coast Australia rounded the Royal Cape Yacht Club's Paarden Island turning mark, just 100 metres off the shore, the team hoisted their medium weight spinnaker, while Singapore, who'd tacked their way up the course into second place and also looked set for a hoist, veered off the line and lost some ground to Geraldton Western Australia and Welcome to Yorkshire.

The teams have opted to head away from the shore to avoid the wind shadow created by Table Mountain which frames the Cape Town skyline will allow them to keep some good breeze as they head for the Cape of Good Hope this evening and the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide. Half have opted to go north around the back of Robben Island while the other half have stayed to the south.

As he prepared to set sail, Derry-Londonderry's skipper, Mark Light, said, "The last race was a good one for us and now we've got to improve on it. That was our brief from the beginning – to improve every single leg. Fifth is a good position but we definitely want to get on the podium.

The crew are very excited about this one, as am I. We're looking forward to big downwind sailing: big waves, big wind and improving everyone's skills on downwind sailing."

Clipper 11-12 is 'raced by people like you' and those taking part represent more than 40 nationalities and come from all walks of life. Their ages range from 18 to 72 and almost half of them had no sailing experience before signing up to the challenge of a lifetime and beginning their rigorous pre-race training for the gruelling race.

The Clipper Race was established 15 years ago by sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail around the globe solo and non-stop in 1968-9. Clipper 11-12 is the eighth edition of the biennial race which is contested by a fleet of ten identical stripped down 68-foot ocean racing yachts, each of which is sponsored by a global destination or organisation.

Sir Robin's aim is not only to open up ocean racing to anyone but also to create a global platform for sponsors to profile their destinations and promote business, tourism and culture, acknowledging the traditional trade routes serviced over a century ago by the original clipper ships from which the race takes its name.

A number of sponsor delegations, including one from Derry-Londonderry, the UK City of Culture 2013, visited Cape Town during the stopover where the event has created a significant economic impact, the race organisers, crews and sponsors spending millions of Rand in the city, as well as introducing its destination and trade sponsors to Cape Town with longer term business building potential for local companies.

Derry~Londonderry's delegation has been making waves with Cape Town companies, identifying immediate business opportunities for South Africa in Northern Ireland in digital services and e-learning; there are also further plans for on-going links to continue through business exchange missions between the two cities.

The delegation was led by Cllr Gerard Diver from Derry City Council who hailed the visit a great success with the potential to open up business opportunities for Cape Town as growth was imminent in Northern Ireland and Derry~Londonderry.

Cllr Diver commented, "In 2013 Derry will become the inaugural UK City of Culture and our ambition is to make it easy to grow international connections with our region. We are positioned on the doorstep of the sterling and eurozone and believe there are immediate development opportunities in life science, e-learning, digital and creative industries. In addition we have a growing tourism and cultural sector which is why Derry~Londonderry is open and ready for business."

Sir Robin, who is chairman of the Clipper Race, said, "Our sponsors raise their profile on the world stage with tangible benefits in developing trade, promoting tourism, sharing cultural experiences and involving their respective communities. It creates a powerful legacy."

The fleet is expected to arrive in the City of Geraldton, Western Australia, between 29 and 31 October. It will be the second time the city has hosted the event following a hugely popular debut visit in Clipper 09-10.

Irish entry Derry Londonderry under skipper Mark Light took part in a Parade of Sail in Cape Town, South Africa, beneath Table Mountain, at the
start of Race 4 to Geraldton, Western Australia, in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race yesterday.

The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started from Southampton on the south coast of the UK on 31 July 2011. The route will take the crews of the ten, identical 68-foot yachts via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Geraldton Western Australia, New Zealand, Gold Coast Austraslia, Singapore,
Qingdao in China, California, Panama, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry in Northern Ireland and the Netherlands before returning in July 2012 to the south coast of England.

Derry-Londonderry, one of the ten international teams competing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, has won the fight for fifth place in Race 3 of the 15-race series in a contest that went right down to the wire. As they closed in on the finish line in Cape Town, Derry-Londonderry and Qingdao were matching each other mile for mile with Welcome to Yorkshire and New York hot on their heels. At the line there was just five minutes and eleven seconds between the two teams after 3,300 miles of racing.

The 68-foot ocean racing yacht representing the UK City of Culture 2013 crossed the finish line in Table Bay against the magnificent backdrop of Table Mountain at 0505 local time on Thursday morning (0305 UTC) while Qingdao crossed at 0510 (0310 UTC). Race 3 was won by Gold Coast Australia, who completed a hat trick of victories so far in Clipper 11-12, with Visit Finland in second place and De Lage Landen in third.

Arriving in the V&A Waterfront, Derry-Londonderry skipper, Mark Light, said, "It was touch and go – a great finish. Qingdao crossed in front of us and then they had to gybe but we didn't have to. They crossed probably 200 metres in front of us and we were waiting and waiting for the gybe which didn't come and all of a sudden we cut inside of them and managed to take them in the last 0.8 of a mile. It was amazing.

"We were disappointed initially not to get fourth but that quickly disappeared because we were massively happy to get fifth place."

Qingdao's skipper, Ian Conchie, said, "It's been a duel all the way in up until the last six hours when we got ahead of them. In very light airs we found yet another wind hole as we approached Cape Town and then on the final gybe, less than a mile from the finish, the wind shifted on us which meant we could no longer hold the kite and they just sneaked in front of us. We were 50 metres off the beach – it was exhilarating stuff after 3,300 miles."

During the race the crews, who come from all walks of life and between them represent more than 40 nationalities, faced mountainous seas and strong headwinds.

Shauna O'Neill is one of the five Derry City Clipper Bursary winners. The bursary is a project designed to help unemployed people in the city learn the skills to get them back into work. The five will also carry out ambassadorial roles to help promote Derry-Londonderry as the City of Culture, each focussing on an area including, digital, young people and enterprise.

Arriving in Cape Town, where her mother was waiting to greet her on the dock, Shauna said, "The tough weather was exciting. I wasn't really in control of anything so I felt quite safe but I'd say it was hard for the watch leaders. There were some big waves and it was scary enough but we got through it.

"I absolutely loved it, every moment of it. I worried before I went away that I was going to hate it but it's just been amazing, I loved every bit. There have been so many best bits – navigating with the stars at night, helming with the sunrise, everybody on board, how friendly everyone was... all of it!

"It was nothing like what I expected. When I first heard about it I was imagining sailing around in luxury. It was really tough but the training was the hardest and the actual leg was so much fun."

During the stopover in Cape Town the crews will visit many of the attractions the city has to offer including taking the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, the beautiful botanic gardens at Kirstenbosch, and Cape Point which the teams will see from the ocean as they round the Cape of Good Hope in the next race to Geraldton in Western Australia.

Alongside the stopover a busy international trade programme is scheduled with delegations from Derry-Londonderry and many of the other team sponsors, partners and official suppliers to the Clipper Race visiting Cape Town to forge partnerships with local businesses, generating international trade opportunities and developing cultural links.

Race 4 to the City of Geraldton, Western Australia, will start on Wednesday 5 October.

The Clipper 11-12 Race started from Southampton on the south coast of England on 31 July. It runs every two years and is the only event in the world where people from all walks of life can take on the challenge of a lifetime and race around the globe on stripped down ocean racing yachts. Berths are now available for Clipper 13-14, which will see the introduction of a brand new fleet of twelve 70-foot yachts.