11th Clipper Race makes history in:- "the Year of the Woman"
Photographs by Patrick Trollope.

THE race slogan is:- "an endurance test like no other" and for a year, teams mostly with no previous sailing experience took on a record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world, in a fleet of 70 foot ocean racing yachts, from the River Mersey and back, on 28 July 2018. If that was not impressive enough, Liverpool witnessed history in the making, as Skipper, Wendy Tuck, 53 years old and from Sydney, Australia, became the 1st woman to ever win a round the world yacht race. Her crew in Sanya Serenity Coast clinched overall victory in the Clipper 2017-18 Race by just 4 points. She commented, when back on dry land after the race:- "I can't believe it. It hasn't really sunk in really but I am just so happy. It is so, so special. I don't think it's about being a woman. It's just do what I do. But I am very proud and even prouder of my team. They are the ones that did all the work and considering many had never sailed before, what they have accomplished is incredible."

Sadly the weather made coverage of the race finish a bit more difficult than usual, with hail at 1 stage, thunder the next and rain, then back to hot sunshine. As if the weather was trying to demonstrate what these teams had to go though on a much larger scale over the year long race. On the banks of the river Mersey, thousands of people from around the globe flocked to see what was a spectacular Race Finish Sprint and after an intense 18 nautical mile duel, in the Irish Sea. From the rib we were on, you could see just how close it was, as Garmin, PSP Logistics and home team, Liverpool 2018 picked up the final bonus race points in front of Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool.

Despite the sprint positions, it was Sanya Serenity Coast which managed to hold the overall lead... But in an additional win for women's sport, 2nd place overall went to British Sailor Skipper Nikki Henderson, 25, who was the Skipper of Visit Seattle!

Visit Seattle Skipper, Nikki Henderson said:- "We didn't get the win, but I am so proud of how my team dug deep and kept fighting right until the end. No matter how hard it got, they turned up on deck ready to work and deserve every bit of this success in coming 2nd."

What an amazing thing that these wins coincided with the celebratory buzz about 2018, "theYear of the Woman" as we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of women's enfranchisement, within the UK. It would be interesting to see their reactions about 1st and 2nd going to female Skippers...

1 of the biggest cheers of the day, however, went to home team Liverpool 2018. The bright Pink Panther team entry, which has been flying the flag for the City as it raced around the globe, returned to its home port to a hero's welcome, after double podium success in Race 13, where the team finished 2nd, and the Sprint Finish, where it took 3rd place.

On arrival, Liverpool 2018 Skipper, Lance Shepherd, said:- "It has just been an incredible journey, I am so honoured to have been Skipper of the Liverpool 2018 team and I am so proud of the team for everything they have achieved."

Lance Shepherd's wife, whose business Ballistic Ribs provided the rib for us to use, told us:- "I have missed him and I am so proud of him. I can't wait to get him back. His team have done an amazing thing and something that not many people can say they have done or even come close to doing. It's such an achievement."

The arrival of the Clipper Race Fleet into Liverpool was followed by a public prize giving hosted by Neil Sackley and Leanne Campbell, in front of a jubilant crowd on the steps of the Museum of Liverpool, where each team's achievements were celebrated for the final time.

Giving out the prize to Sanya Serenity Coast was not just Sir Robin Knox Johnston, whose brainchild this race is and its Co-Founder and Chief Executive, William Ward, but also Miss World 2017, Manushi Chhillar and Miss England/Miss United Kindom Stephanie Hill. Manushi Chhillar, who is a 20 year old medical student from India was crowned at the 67th Miss World, in November 2017, at the Sanya City Arena, in Sanya, China. Also Stephanie, came 3rd place at that contest, the highest ever for a contestant from the UK.

The celebrations of the race's successful conclusion continued throughout the weekend, with a programme of entertainment, workshops, free yacht tours and talks taking place.

On Saturday, 3 August 2018, the last of the Clipper's fleet had return to it's winter resting place at Gosport. The yachts will now be serviced and re-fitted ready to race again in another year long race, starting next year. To see how you might become a crew member, applications are now open for the 2019/2020 edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. So "Seize the moment, unleash the adventure" and click on this link and apply to take part in the 12th edition now!

The final overall clipper 2017/2018 race positions are as follows:-

1. Sanya Serenity Coast – 143 points

2. Visit Seattle – 139 points

3. Qingdao – 135 points

4. Garmin - 125 points

5. PSP Logistics – 121 points

6. UNICEF – 108 points

7. Dare To Lead – 106 points

8. Great Britain – 90 points

9. Liverpool 2018 – 79 points

10. HotelPlanner.Com – 69 points

11. NASDAQ – 61 points

We just hope that this amazing race will return to Liverpool soon!

These are just some of the video and photos we took at this year's race.  More video to be added soon...

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