Countdown begins as Clipper 2015-16 Race Start is revealed

The highly anticipated Clipper 2015-16 Race Start will set sail on Sunday, 30 August, 2015, from the South of the UK.

The Race Start date and updates to the race route were revealed to more than 250 international crew members at today’s 2015-16 Crew Brief Day in London by Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Race Director Justin Taylor and Deputy Race Director Mark Light.

Race chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: “We are delighted to reveal that the Clipper 2015-16 Race will depart on Sunday 30 August, 2015. As of today, we have just 235 days to wait until the historic tenth edition race series starts and one of the world’s most unique and challenging adventures gets underway.

Following today’s announcements, the current race route is as follows:

Leg 1 – South UK – TBA to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Leg 2 – Rio to Cape Town, South Africa
Leg 3 – Cape Town to Albany, Western Australia
Leg 4 – Albany to Sydney – Sydney to Hobart (Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race) – Hobart to the Whitsunday’s, Queensland
Leg 5 – Whitsundays to Qingdao via South East Asia
Leg 6 – Qingdao, China, to West Coast America
Leg 7 – West Coast America to East Coast America via Panama Canal
Leg 8 – East Coast America to Derry Londonderry – Derry Londonderry to UK via Europe

To end the brief in style, crew members were introduced to our latest announced partners, South African brand Stormhoek Wines, which was announced as the 2015-16 race’s Official Wine Partner.

Following the brief, crew members were treated to a Stormhoek drinks reception, sampling the wines that are based in the famous Western Cape wine region, Cape of Storms.

Stormhoek Managing Director Bernard Fontannaz said: “Our decision to become the Official Wine Partner for the Clipper 2015-16 Race was simple. Just like the Clipper Race, Stormhoek wines celebrate life, human adventure and changing your world. We believe everyone has extraordinary abilities within themselves and that by coming together, through huge adventures like the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, we can discover what makes life worth living.

“It takes guts and persistence to sail across an ocean, and we’re very much looking forward to celebrating with the Clipper Race crews, especially as they sail across the Atlantic, through the Cape of Storms, to discover the beauty of our homeland in South Africa.”

Race crew will be served Stormhoek Chardonnay and Stormhoek Cabernet Sauvignon during race arrivals and official events.

To read more about our exciting new partnership, click here

Click here to watch our video summary of the Crew Brief Day.

Do you want to join our special group of adventurers on their challenge of a lifetime this August? Crew places for the 2015-16 race are now 80 per cent full though there are still places available on most legs. The only requirement is that you must be aged 18 or above (no age limit) and have good health as well as a thirst for adventure into the unknown.
Click here to find out more.