Australian training HQ preparing for Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

Excitement is building for past and future Clipper Race crew preparing for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race again with training starting tomorrow out of the Sydney, Australia base.

Fifteen crew from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, South Korea, Russia and Italy will race in the 70^th anniversary edition of the RSHYR on board Clipper Ventures 10. The yacht is one of two boats used for training future round the world crew at the Clipper Race’s Sydney base and has already completed four circumnavigations in previous Clipper Race editions.

The boat is skippered by Piers Dudin, a Clipper 2009-10 and 2011-12 Race skipper. The first mate is 2011-12 Gold Coast Australia round the world crew member and West Australian army officer, Wayne Reed.

Tomorrow, the crew will be going offshore for six days of pre-race training ahead of the 628-mile race’s start on Boxing Day, 26 December.

It is the second time a Clipper Race boat has taken part in the Australian classic event, with the 12-strong Clipper 70 fleet bringing an international flavour last year. The fleet raced as part of its circumnavigation alongside two Clipper Events yachts and the rest of the RSHYR fleet.

Sang Cho, a Clipper 2013-14 Race crew member, will be the first South Korean to do the Sydney Hobart race in the 70-year history of the event.

He said: “It is a huge honour and I hope my participation can lead to more Korean Sailors taking part in the future and hopefully raise the profile of sailing as a sport in Korea. As a sailor, the Sydney to Hobart is one of the races you have to take part in and to be part of this great race is just amazing and also humbling at the same time.

“Since doing the Clipper Race, I appreciate the time on the boat more. Sailing and not being able to see land is something I miss and I can’t wait to be back at sea.”

Clipper 2013-14 Race winning skipper Eric Holden, the Canadian who led the Henri Lloyd team to victory, is also racing on board Primitive Cool.

The Clipper Race's Sydney HQ opened up at the start of 2014 to offer Australian and other crew the chance to train in the Southern Hemisphere.

Two Clipper 68s operate out of the base which is headed up by Clipper 2009-10 Race Spirit of Australia round the world crew member Kirsty Whyte.