Zhuhai seeking adventurers to represent city in global sailing race

The Chinese city of Zhuhai has today announced an Ambassador Crew programme which will enable local people to take part in the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race.

Residents from the Guangdong province specifically along with people from the wider area are being invited to apply to be ocean racing sailors in the Clipper 2019-20 Race. Organisers expect that at least 50 percent of the successful candidates will be local to Zhuhai, also known as ‘The City of Islands’.

With no previous sailing experience needed, the Ambassador programme is open to anyone over the age of eighteen with a good level of English, excellent teamwork skills and most importantly a thirst for adventure. Ambassadors will also be selected on their passion and enthusiasm for representing the city of Zhuhai as the Clipper Race sails around the world.

This follows the news from earlier this year that Zhuhai and Jiuzhou Holdings signed a three edition deal to be a Host Port and Team Partner for the 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2023-24 editions of the global event. The city of Zhuhai is located close to Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao and has the largest coastal area in China, many beautiful islands and excellent conditions for sailing. Zhuhai is also one of the home cities of the recently opened world’s longest sea-crossing bridge. The bridge connects Hong Kong to Macau and the Chinese mainland in Zhuhai.

Known as one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet, the 40,000 nautical mile Clipper Race is unique in that non professionals take part. Competitors include teachers, students, doctors, firefighters and retirees. The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind which trains everyday people to make six ocean crossings, covering six continents, testing them to their absolute limit. Fewer people have sailed around the world than climbed Mount Everest, and with 40 percent of crew having no previous sailing experience before signing up - the achievement is all the more incredible.

The Clipper 2019-20 Race, which will begin next summer, will see the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts race around the world, visiting 13 ports on its global route, including Zhuhai.

On the Zhuhai Ambassador Crew programme, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of the Clipper Race and the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world says: “Competing in the Clipper Race is a unique challenge and successful candidates will experience something most people never will. Through this Ambassador programme we look forward to training the representatives of Zhuhai and seeing their transformation into ocean racing sailors.”

Mr. Li Hongbin, Vice General Manager of Zhuhai Jiuzhou Holdings said at the launch of the Ambassador programme: “We invite passionate adventurers, who are team players, to represent and promote the city of Zhuhai through the Clipper Race. We sincerely welcome friends who love sailing to join us and compete together in this year-long voyage.”

Applications to the Zhuhai Ambassador programme open on 12 December 2018. Adventurers over eighteen years old can apply by visiting WeChat ID: enjoy_sailing and completing the application form. Strong English language skills (spoken and written) are required. The closing date is 24 February 2019 and successful applicants need to be available for interview between 12 to 15 March. Ambassadors need to be available for four weeks of training in the UK and up to eight weeks to complete their leg of the race.