Sunlight breaking through the trees in the New Forest
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is unique. It’s the world’s longest ocean race at 40,000 miles long and the only race where competitors compete in identical, stripped down yachts, each sponsored by a city, region or county. The yachts all have equal budgets so it’s a level playing field from the start.
Ten skippers take charge of their 68-foot yachts – their crew consisting of amateur sailors.
The race takes around 11 months to complete and takes in the Pacific, South Atlantic and the infamous Southern Ocean. with eight legs, crews can choose which bit they take part in.
There are 15 individual races and points are awarded for each. The yacht with the most points at the end of the race wins the championship.
The 2012 race finished in Southampton on 22nd July where celebrations took place in Ocean village.
The fleet arrived at Hamble Point Cardinal and paraded up Southampton to Weston Shelf led by Clipper Race founder and chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on his yacht Suhaili. Johnson made the yacht famous by becoming the first man to sail solo nonstop around the world in it in 1968-69 .
View photos from the Clipper 11-12 Race Finish in Southampton
