Young Isle Of Wight Sailors Learn More About Round-The-World Clipper Race

Young sailors from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Fishbourne found out what’s it’s like to sail around the world when their neighbours Wightlink arranged a ‘behind the scenes’ visit to the Clipper Race yachts berthed in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth.

They discovered more about the international event and talked to some of the men and women who will be taking on the challenge to sail 40,000 miles across the world’s oceans.

The eleven-strong fleet set off from Southsea at 4pm on Sunday (September 3) and will return to Portsmouth in late July 2024.

12 year-old Harry O’Callaghan from Fishbourne is already a keen sailor, racing an RS Tera dinghy, and came 10th in the RS Tera Nationals held at Fishbourne last month. He says:

“The Clipper Race visit was so much fun, we went on one of the boats and saw how the sails work.

"I’m definitely going to be tracking them on my phone to see how they are doing and, who knows, maybe I’ll get to sail around the world one day.”

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club has a lively cadet section where enthusiastic young people can get started in the sport and Wightlink assists the club with sponsorship.

Harry O’Callaghan on the water and celebrating his 10th place in the RS Tera Nationals.

Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield, a keen sailor himself, added:

“We were delighted to invite youngsters from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club to get an insight into this amazing challenge and hope it inspires them to take part in a future Clipper Race.”

More than 700 crew will take part over eight legs, most with little experience of sailing and learning from the professional skippers in charge of the 70 foot ocean racing yachts.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnson was the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the globe in 1968-69 then founded the Clipper Race.

He says it’s a great introduction to sailing:

“If you look at the six thousand people who have done the Clipper Race now, all of them have crossed an ocean but 40 per cent had never been on a boat before.

"We find most will take up the sport afterwards.”