A spotlight on Australia: Fremantle to be first stop in trio of Australian Host Port stopovers

A spotlight on Australia: Fremantle to be first stop in trio of Australian Host Port stopovers

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will be sailing into the Fremantle Sailing Club as part of the 2023-24 edition global race route.

Image: Fremantle

The eleven ocean-racing yachts will arrive in Fremantle, Western Australia from 8 December, after racing from the UK down to Punta del Este in South America, via Puerto Sherry in Spain, and then to Cape Town. From Cape Town, the fleet will battle the huge swells and high winds of the Roaring Forties, making for a challenging and thrilling race of almost 5,000nm, and will arrive in December ready to relax in some Western Australia sunshine and celebrate an epic ocean crossing. Fremantle will be the finish destination for Leg 3: The Roaring Forties Leg, and the start port for Leg 4: The Australian Coast-to-Coast Leg, which will see crew tackle a cocktail of conditions as they race from Fremantle to Newcastle in New South Wales, and then up to the tropical azure waters of Airlie Beach, Whitsundays.  

Clipper Race crew, staff and supporters can expect a vibrant stay in Fremantle when they arrive in December, with time to soak up the sun, surf and sundowners in one of the town’s many bars and restaurants: foodies will love Freo with its famous ‘Cappuccino Strip’ offering up a host of bars, coffee shops and brunch spots. Plus, WA’s balmy climate and endless sunshine makes for a culture and lifestyle very much centered on being outdoors, and there is no shortage of things to do in the sunshine, from swimming at one of the idyllic beaches or trying a host of watersports.

Image: Crew will face challenging conditions on the race from Cape Town to Fremantle, WA

Craig Evans, CEO at Fremantle Sailing Club said: “We look forward to welcoming the Clipper Round the World Race yachts in December when they arrive in Western Australia. It has been four years since Fremantle Sailing Club hosted the last stopover. Our members and the local community have great memories of the last visit and can’t wait to greet the crews and show them some of our famous Fremantle hospitality.” 

Image: Clipper 2019-20 Race yachts berthed in Fremantle Sailing Club

Mark Light, Race Director at Clipper Ventures said: “The port of Fremantle in Western Australia is no stranger to the Clipper Race, and we are delighted to be heading back there for a fifth time after a long and arduous crossing of the South Indian Ocean from Cape Town, South Africa.”

Clipper Race crew are in for a challenging start to Leg 4 as they leave Fremantle and race south around Australia to the next stop in Newcastle, New South Wales. Mark Light continues: “After recharging in Freo, the fleet will round one of the great capes of the world, Cape Leeuwin, and experience the roaring forties as they blast across the Southern Ocean leaving the great Australian continent to the north, as they head towards the port of Newcastle, NSW for the very first time in Clipper Race history.” 

29 Australian crew will be joining the adventure of a lifetime on this race edition – including an orthopaedic surgeon, an agronomist, and an electrician. Eight crew members will get to experience the joy of sailing into their home nation when they dock in Fremantle at the conclusion of Leg 3, eight will complete Leg 4.