LIVERPOOL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The biggest round the world ocean race is to start and finish on the River Mersey in Liverpool, the organisers announced Wednesday.
The city's mayor Joe Anderson described the decision to chose Liverpool to host the 2017-18 race as a major maritime coup.
The famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will set sail from the Albert Dock in Liverpool, on Sunday, August 20 and return approximately eleven months later in Summer 2018. The dock complex is part of a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The Clipper Race now consists of twelve large modern racing yachts, each around 21.4 meters long, sailed by 700 amateur crew, representing over 40 nationalities from all walks of life. Led by professional skippers, the race is the biggest ocean race to circumnavigate the planet.
The clipper race will follow a global route which includes stopovers in South America, Cape Town, Sydney in Western Australia, East Coast Australia, Sanya and Qingdao of China, Seattle in the USA, Panama, New York, and Derry Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
Legendary British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-69 and founder of the Clipper Race, said: "We are thrilled to announce that the Clipper Race is returning to the historic city of Liverpool. A significant site for UK maritime history."
As the official start and finish partner, Liverpool will utilise the Clipper Race's global platform to raise its international profile and maritime legacy, hoping to inspire the next generation of sailors and seafaring enthusiasts in the waterfront city.
It also aims to promote its cultural heritage on the world stage to position the city as the home of large scale cultural events that are accessible for all - reinforced at the moment as Liverpool bids to be the UK host for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The 75,000-kilometer race will mark the fourth-time Liverpool has hosted the clipper event in its eleven editions, making the city the event's most frequented start and finish port ever. Crew members can complete the full circumnavigation, or one or more of its eight legs, in one of the toughest endurance challenges.
