Sir Robin Knox-Johnston sets off in The Transatlantic Race

Clipper Race Chairman and Founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has set off in the 2,800 nautical mile Transatlantic Race aboard his Open 60 yacht Grey Power.

A dozen boats got underway from Rhode Island, Newport, USA on Sunday in the first start. A further twenty one boats including Grey Power set off on the afternoon of Wednesday 1 July, and the four fastest yachts in the race will make up the final start on Sunday 5 July.

They are racing to Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK.

Sir Robin is joined on board by four friends. They are: Commander Dilip Donde from the Indian Navy, who became the first Indian to circumnavigate the world singlehanded in 2010, two-time Vendee Globe competitor Bernard Gallay of France who joined Sir Robin in 1982 on an Atlantic crossing aboard Sea Falcon, David Aisher - ex Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and Rear Commodore Sailing, the Royal Yacht Squadron; and Joshua Warren of the Monaco Yacht Club.

Sir Robin picked up Grey Power up in Grenada last month, where it had been looked after following his successful participation in solo Transatlantic race the Route du Rhum. Sir Robin finished third in the Rhum class.

Sir Robin said: “The Transatlantic Race is a good competition and I needed a race to get my boat home to the UK following my completion of the Route de Rhum in Guadeloupe in November.

“I am looking forward to racing competitively again with an elite crew. We will sail as fast as we can safely.

“I will then be back in the UK before the start of the Clipper Race at the end of August. After that I will again be competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race at the end of the year which the whole Clipper Race fleet will sail in as part of the circumnavigation.”

Sir Robin has competed in The Transatlantic Race once in 1996 when he skippered the Royal Yacht Squadron entry.

Whilst out sailing on Saturday, Sir Robin and the Grey Power team performed final checks on the medical kit and also performed sea trials on the newly reconfigured water maker.

You can follow Sir Robin and his team’s progress here on the Race Tracker.

Sir Robin’s race blogs will be posted on the Clipper Race website on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Daily updates will be available via the Clipper Race and Sir Robin’s Twitter feeds.