Fast Facts about the Clipper 07-08
Round the World Yacht Race
Rights Holder
Clipper Ventures Plc, owns and promotes the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The race was founded in 1995 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who, in 1969, became the first man to sail single-handed around the world non-stop. The underlying principle of the Clipper Race is it is an around the world yacht race for amateurs, many of whom start with no knowledge of sailing but finish as seasoned veterans.
Points of Interest
- Pay-to-sail event for participants (for 40%, this is their first time sailing) with standard 68-foot yachts owned by Clipper Ventures
- Full circumnavigation of the globe (35,000 nautical miles) with stopovers in several international destinations
- Sailors can do the full race or individual legs
- 17 crew on board for each leg with a professional skipper
- Nine Canadians are currently signed on to crew the novascotia.com vessel and we are hopeful of having a Nova Scotian crew member for at least one leg
- Victoria, BC was a city sponsor in the 2005-06 Clipper Race
- Nova Scotia is city sponsor for 2007-08 race with branded entry (novascotia.com)
- Funding partners include Nova Scotia Tourism, ACOA, Destination Halifax, HRM and ECBC (Cape Breton)
- Race started from Liverpool. England on September 16, 2007
- Nova Scotia stopover in June 2008 with mini stops in Halifax (June 7-12) and Sydney (June 13-16) with official receptions and dockside activity to engage local communities
- New York is stopover prior to Nova Scotia
- Democracy 250 Cup will take place from Halifax to Sydney with prize-giving ceremony and other activities by D250 in both Halifax and Sydney
- Sydney will be starting point for final transatlantic crossing to finish in UK in July 2008
Clipper 08 has or will achieve the following outcomes:
- Incremental and unique inbound visitors to both Halifax and Sydney.
- Visiting delegations from international destinations including:
—Glasgow, Scotland (Activities and business development)
—Hull, England (Wilberforce Petition Signing)
—Mexico (Tourism and Economic Development reps who plan to benchmark Nova Scotia in decision-making to be city sponsor and host port for Clipper 09-10)
—Jamaica (Minister of Tourism)
- BBC TV (will be filing from both Halifax and Sydney and will sail on the novascotia.com from Halifax through Cork, Ireland)
- Radio Clyde (On-air features and promo spots)
- New York Sun
- Men’s Fitness
- Others representing city sponsors
- Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies will be on board the novascotia.com from Cork to Liverpool and will tape segments for his show “Ed’s Up,” which airs on OLN;
- Filming of segments including the Nova Scotia for the show “Hollywood and Vines” starring Jason Priestley and Terry David Mulligan, which airs on Star and on UK travel networks
- Radio Clyde
- BBC TV
- CTV Atlantic
- New York – Tourism hosting reception at New York Yacht Club to include Tourism and Economic Development invitees (Attended by Ministers of Tourism and Economic Development plus NSBI)
- Cork, Ireland – Reception marking Canada Day (Attended by Minister of Tourism)
- Liverpool, England – Crew thank you and wrap up meetings (Attended by Minister of Tourism)
- Meetings regarding Halifax becoming host for 09-10 Clipper stopover and 2010 Atlantic Ocean Sprint
- Major national and multi-national companies interested in becoming involved as partners in our future participation (meetings to take place during stopover)
- First venture into ocean racing sector
- School program in Cape Breton with select schools “adopting” one vessel and the school will visit their boat and crew in Sydney;
- Parades of sail in both Halifax and Sydney;
- Democracy 250 activities to bring residents to the waterfront;
- Inclusion of African Nova Scotian community through Wilberforce petition signing (William Wilberforce responsible for abolishment of slavery in UK).
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