Hull & Humber

PRESS RELEASE: 13.00 HRS, FRIDAY 9^th JANUARY 2009

 YORKSHIRE & HUMBER REGION IN THE WORLD SPOTLIGHT

AT LONDON INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW:

 ...COUNTDOWN TO START OF GLOBAL YACHT RACE BEGINS

The countdown to the start of the only global yacht race for non-professional sailors began today (1pm Friday 9^th January) on the first day of the prestigious London International Boat Show 2009. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race was initiated by legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who became the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world forty years ago; he is now chairman of the race organisers Clipper Ventures plc.

A special countdown clock started to tick away the 247 days to the beginning of the seventh edition of the race from the Humber on 13^th September 2009. Clipper 09-10 will be the first time a global yacht race has started from a UK east-coast port.

The countdown clock was started by Terry Hodgkinson, the chair of Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency that has secured the event for the region as part of its sponsorship of an entry in the race for a second time.  The ceremony was conducted by Clipper 09-10 Race Director Jonathan Bailey who will be in command of the race start in the Humber.

In Clipper 07-08 the yacht Hull & Humber achieved second place just a few points behind the overall winner New York in the 35,000 miles race which takes around ten months to circumnavigate the globe.

Ten internationally sponsored yachts will be berthed in the Humber region prior to the race start and they will be welcomed back to the Humber just under ten moths later in July 2010. Participants in Clipper 07-08 included entries from South Africa, Australia, Singapore, China, Jamaica, United States, Canada, England and Scotland.

The 68-foot ocean-going racing yachts each carry a crew of 18, including a professional skipper. Around 400 crew successfully apply to take part in the race, the most challenging of its type for non-professional sailors.

“I am looking forward to bringing the race to the Humber for the first time,” said Mr Bailey. “We had the pleasure of visiting the area during a training race before Clipper 07-08; the facilities and hospitality are first class.”

Terry Hodgkinson said: “We had a very positive experience in the Clipper 07-08 Race, not only performing well on the water, but also boosting business with trade missions to relevant ports of call and bringing local economic benefit through hosting the fleet. I am confident we can build on this success even further during Clipper 09-10.

“I am looking forward to personally welcoming the race, its participants and visitors to the Humber for the race start and finish. We have superb venues and plan to put on a spectacular events programme when Clipper 09-10 sails into our region.”

In a message of support Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “I’m confident that our international sponsors and their crews will enjoy a warm ‘Hull & Humber’ welcome. I’m really pleased that Yorkshire Forward has recognised and experienced the potential for the Clipper Race to benefit the region in so many ways.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is exhibiting on stand N36L at the London International Boat Show 2009 where visitors can get more details about crew places on the Clipper 09-10 Race. Plus there’s a free week-long big boat sailing course to be won every day with Clipper Training. Visitors to the show have to guess how many teabags the crew of the ten-strong fleet drink their way through during the 35,000 miles circumnavigation: 25,200; 80,500; or 121,600.

Anyone interested in more information about crew places can contact the Clipper Race organisers by telephone: 02392 526000, by email to: oceanracer@ClipperRoundTheWorld.com  or visit the web site: www.ClipperRoundTheWorld.com

Yorkshire Forward
•       Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency behind the economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to make a positive difference by investing in jobs, improving towns and cities, and in supporting businesses throughout the region. 
•       Over the past year, Yorkshire Forward has created and safeguarded more than 27,000 new jobs; helped create and attract more than 1,100 new businesses, provided nearly 66,000 learning opportunities and attracted more than £333 million private sector finance - achieving or exceeding all of the targets it was set.
•       Yorkshire Forward’s investment across the region is maximised by attracting European Regional Development Funding from the Objective One and Two programmes.

Hull & Humber takes third place in Race 13 of Clipper 07-08

Podium position guaranteed in global race – pole position still a possibility

Hull & Humber has claimed another podium place in their Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race campaign, finishing in third place in Race 13 from Nova Scotia to Cork, Ireland. Fellow title contenders New York scored their fifth victory in the 14-race series to stretch their lead over the British team to three and a half points.

Hull & Humber skipper Danny Watson said, “We have to beat them by a few places now, I guess. That whole thing was just a great race. We had some close quarters stuff in the fog at the beginning then heavy winds, some downwind sailing which was great, then back into heavy winds and then some downwind close quarters sailing again at the end. It was close with Qingdao at the end but we had eight days alongside Jamaica which just shows that the whole fleet is fairly evenly matched and it’s only small differences which mean you can get away. There was only one day that we weren’t alongside another Clipper. It’s like match racing across an ocean, which is fabulous, that’s what it’s all about.”

However, Danny admitted that they had fallen short of their target of pole position: the team went all out for a win. “It’s always a balance of trying to make the boat go fast without breaking it. That’s the challenge of trying to get a boat around the world. We raced hard as usual. We had good fun, we’re still very upbeat and enjoying it and we said it’s very important that we enjoy it. We want to run a safe, fast, fun Hull & Humber and I think we did all of that.”

New York skipper, Duggie Gillespie said that his team had pushed their boat harder than they ever had before. Reflecting on his team’s win, he said, “We were aware of the situation between us and Hull & Humber at the start and it’s all part of a plan. The guys have focused, worked really hard out there, shown lots of teamwork and executed well. The team produced the goods. They’re all really happy.”

Joff Bailey, Race Director, said, “Both Hull & Humber and New York have demonstrated once again that they deserve their positions in the overall table. It’s not over yet for either of them; the result here sets up a very exciting finale to Clipper 07-08 when the final positions will be decided.”

Hull & Humber is now guaranteed a podium position in the overall race, but they will need to beat New York by four places to overcome the three and a half point lead now enjoyed by the US entry. However, this is not an impossible task, particularly in a short 200 miles ‘sprint’ across the Irish Sea in challenging conditions when every boat will be looking for a podium into Liverpool.

New York round the world crew member Nate Thompson, 19, from Palm Beach, Florida, reflected on how fickle the positions can be despite the great form shown by both yachts: “The feeling on the boat is general excitement, we’re just really proud about this last race. Qingdao’s finished second, Hull & Humber’s finished third but the difference is just three and a half points and one race to go. I mean we finished first and they were eighth on the leg to New York, we finished sixth and (Hull & Humber) fourth on the leg to Halifax, so anything could happen. It’s going to come down to the wire and everybody knows that.”

Following the 13-day race from Nova Scotia, during which the yachts faced a variety of conditions including fog, light winds and gales, the crews will enjoy some time to relax in Crosshaven and the wider environs of County Cork. The Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world, welcomed the crews with burgers and kegs of Heineken, which will also be flowing freely at the official welcome party and prize giving ceremony on Tuesday 1 July.

The Hull & Humber yacht has been entered in this mammoth global challenge by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward to promote the Hull & Humber ports region, the UK’s largest, on a world stage. The yacht’s incredible performance on its maiden outing in the 35,000 miles race has brought worldwide media exposure and local companies have done big business in trade missions to key ports of call in South Africa, Singapore, China and New York. Officials say they are delighted at the outcome and are already looking at how they can build on this success in the next global race in 2009-10 when the start and finish comes to the Humber.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is the leading event of its type for non-professional sailors. It was conceived by the legendary round-the-world yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo, non-stop, around the world 40 years ago. He is now chairman of race organisers Clipper Ventures.

www.HullHumberClipper.com

Wilberforce ceremony precedes start of final Atlantic crossing

A moving signing ceremony of the Wilberforce Petition preceded the restart of the final Atlantic crossing of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race

The ceremony opened with an ‘honour song’ from members of the Membertou First Nation and Eskason First Nation native tribes (Their participation was very significant following the recent apology by the Canadian Government for their treatment in the past).

The people who signed the petition were: John Morgan, Mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Archbishop Vincent Waterman, Chief Terry Paul of the Membertou First Nation, and Chief Charlie Dennis of the Eskason First Nation.

Mayor Morgan said: “I particularly want to thank the crew of Hull & Humber and the leaders of their community. In the world today we still have millions of people subject to slavery and slave like conditions. There’s never been a time in the history of the world when we have such enormous disparity between the very richest and very poorest across the globe...over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day...I want to say thank you to the Hull & Humber and to all of you for coming here today to support this cause to free people from slavery in all its forms across the planet. This is truly an important effort... I wish you all God’s Speed on your voyages.”

The crew of Hull & Humber has also been celebrating its win of a short individual competition race in Nova Scotia from Halifax to Sydney. The Democracy 250 race was organised by Nova Scotia, as part of the Clipper Fleet’s stopover in the province, to mark the current celebrations of 250 years of democracy which are being used to engage young people in the democratic process by getting them  to value their right to have a vote and free speech. The race does not count towards the points for the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race.

Hull & Humber came in just 47 seconds ahead of the Western Australia entry after more than 200 miles of fast Atlantic ocean racing. The trophy was a specially commissioned cut glass globe and was presented by Russell MacLellan and Dr John Hamm co chairmen of Democracy 250 and former Premiers of Nova Scotia.

On receiving the trophy on behalf of the crew, Hull & Humber skipper Danny Watson said: “We took part in the Democracy 250 with real pride...On Hull & Humber we’ve got an initiative taking the Wilberforce petition around the world to commemorate the abolition of slavery 200 years ago by William Wilberforce and to highlight the fact that there are still 27 million people enslaved today. I think taking both of these initiatives into consideration, we should be thankful for our freedom, our freedom of speech and the fact we have the freedom to vote.”

Penultimate stage of global race gets underway Monday

Hull & Humber does not have time to bask in the glory of this latest victory. On Monday (16 June) the penultimate stage of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race gets underway with the final crossing of the Atlantic from Canada to Cork in Ireland.

With Hull and Humber just one and a half points behind New York, it is going to be vital to try to get ahead of the US entry and increase the lead over Glasgow: Scotland with Style, which is four points behind Hull & Humber. There is a maximum of ten points up for grabs with full points going to the winner down to just one point for the yacht in tenth place.

New York (83.5 points), Hull & Humber (82 points) and Glasgow: Scotland with Style (78 points) are all far enough ahead of the rest of the field (Fourth is Durban with 64 points) to virtually guarantee podium positions. However, there is one short final stage from Cork to Liverpool 3-5 July 2008 and the final positions within the top three may well be decided by this race which also offers up to ten points.

Hull & Humber has wind taken out of sails!

Now in second place overall as yacht becalmed for latest stage early finish

Launch of new abolitionist movement to engage business in fight against modern day slavery

The latest stage of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race has brought mixed blessings for the English flag entry.

Hull & Humber represents the UK’s largest ports complex, located on the east coast of Yorkshire, at the heart of Britain. The team had been celebrating wining the last two stages putting the ‘big orange boat’ (BOB) 3.5 points ahead of New York.

However, the tables have turned after the fleet lost the wind just over 500 miles from New York. The team made valiant efforts after leading in the early stages, but subsequently finished in eighth place when the race drew to an early end at midnight GMT this morning.

However, Hull & Humber has only slipped one place in the overall race and is now just 3.5 points behind New York. Glasgow however remain 6 points behind Hull & Humber and then the gap widens to Liverpool in 4^th place overall 14.5 points behind Hull & Humber (Based on provisional places on stage 11 from Jamaica to New York)

Many of the yachts were making less than 20 miles in 12 hours compared to 120 miles a couple of days earlier. Race officials said it would have taken two weeks to complete the race at those speeds.  As a result Clipper created an earlier finish time and took positions and ‘distance to finish’ at midnight GMT. Although eighth, Hull & Humber was just 14 miles behind New York, which is very narrow after 1000 miles of racing.

Race Director, Joff Bailey, said: “Overall this must have been the closest fought ocean race of Clipper 07-08 as at any time six or seven of the leading boats were fighting for the podium positions and there were lots of place changes right up to the last minute.

“This has been a great race with many of the teams being within sight of each other since the start of the race in Jamaica. The closeness of the racing is a testament to how well all of the crews are performing and how much they have developed as sailors since the start of the race last September.”

The boats will now be able to motor sail to New York. Estimates put arrival late Sunday to the early hours of Monday June 2. Progress over the next 24 hours will give a better indication of speed achieved in the prevailing conditions. With the boats leaving on Wednesday for a sprint race to Halifax Nova Scotia, Clipper wanted to ensure the fleet was available for two intense days of city-sponsor activity.

For Hull & Humber that activity starts 10am Monday with the raising of an historic canvass sail proclaiming the start of a new abolitionist movement to eliminate modern day forms of slavery and emancipation. The campaign will engage the support of big business to establish robust policies and practices to ensure they obtain products, components, raw materials and services from ‘ethical’ labour sources and supply chains.

A forum led by the University of Hull’s Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE) will bring together business leaders, government officials, academics and abolitionists to identify how the objective of ending contemporary forms of slavery can become a reality.

Participants will acknowledge this challenge by signing the ‘Wilberforce Petition’ being taken around the world on the Hull & Humber yacht by a ‘tag team’ of young people supported by the ONE HULL partnership. The new Lord Mayor of Hull and Admiral of the Humber, Councillor Elaine Garland, will be present in New York to witness this symbolic support for the petition at the heart of New York’s financial district close to Wall Street.

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, which has sponsored the Hull & Humber entry in order to promote the region on a world stage, will be represented by its Business Director Simon Hill and Head of Hull & Humber Sarah Pearson.

A more detailed release on this event will follow over the weekend. Pictures and video will be filed overnight Monday June 2. Tuesday will see guests from New York join officials aboard Hull & Humber for a sail past the Statue of Liberty.

Just over a week ago Hull & Humber was celebrating a double victory with Clipper announcing that the next race in 2009-10 will start and finish in the Humber and the yacht had finished first on the leg into Jamaica, maintaining its pole position in the race overall.