LEGENDERRY FINALE FILM PREMIERE

It was one of the most nail-biting challenges of the entire Clipper 2015-16 Race as Derry~Londonderry~Doire fought to hold off LMAX Exchange for a home win into Northern Ireland in Race 12, The LegenDerry Finale.

Aboard was documentary film maker Rich Edwards from our Host Broadcaster, 1080 Media TV. He has moved around the fleet throughout the race to capture the crews’ experience for our global television series ‘The Race of Their Lives 2’.

“The pressure was on right from the start as the team was determined to do everything in their power to win into their home port,” explained Rich. “The tension built throughout the race as we played cat and mouse with LMAX Exchange and ClipperTelemed+.”

Rich has edited a short 5 minute film which captures the unfolding drama. It received its ‘world premiere’ last night (Sunday 10 July) at a special reception for the home team at the Guildhall hosted by the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Alderman Hilary McClintock.

She told the crew: “You are all heroes in this city and we toast you. The Clipper Race is very special to us and creates a magnificent centre piece for the Foyle Maritime Festival.”

Skipper Dan Smith responded: “We just want to say a huge thank you for the magnificent welcome the city has given us. We are very proud to be representing Derry-Londonderry around the world and now to be here to celebrate and experience your great city for ourselves.”

‘The Journey Home’ was then shown to the crew for the first time in an emotional screening as the crew relived the tense finale to their last ocean crossing and reunion with family and friends on the quay side.

“I waved the crew off as they left New York and it was great to be able to find out more about their battle with LMAX Exchange for first place. They did amazingly well, and I know that everyone in Derry and Strabane is so proud of their performance to date,” the Mayor said after the screening.

“I have so much admiration for their levels of stamina and their spirit of adventure in completing such a difficult physical and psychological challenge,” she added.

“To be embedded with the teams is a privileged position and I aim to tell their stories faithfully to reflect their passion and ambition, frustrations and achievements,” added Rich Edwards. “This last race had everything and was tense for the full 17 days racing. I’m pleased this short preview of what will end up in the TV series has been well received by the crew and the Mayor.”

The international television series ‘The Race of Their Lives 2’ is being shown on TV channels around the world as each of seven episodes is completed. The series is being screened in more than a hundred territories around the world including channels such as Bloomberg TV, Sky Sports, Fox Sports and the Nautical Channel. Regular coverage has also appeared on broadcasters such as the BBC, CNN and NBC, as our global media exposure reaches record levels.

Episode 5 has just been completed following the challenging Pacific Crossing and will be scheduled for broadcast soon. Details of channels and transmission times will be posted when we have them.