The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will be resuming its 2019-20 edition in March next year after receiving a Special Event Permit from the Philippines.
Preventative Covid-19 controls will be in place to mitigate risk to Race Crew, staff and the Philippines community and to ensure the safe and successful restart of the race. These will involve a quarantine and testing programme on arrival in the country, whilst staying in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Area and during the remainder of the circumnavigation.
After sailing halfway around the world, the sailing event was suspended in Subic Bay, Philippines, due to the pandemic. Now the new permission will enable Clipper Race organisers and Race Crew to return to the country.
The 11 strong fleet of Clipper 70 ocean racing yachts had raced more than 20,000nm since leaving London, but have remained in Subic Bay Yacht Club, since March 2020 after organisers and Race Crew had to return home.
Clipper Race Team co-founders, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “We could not be happier that the Philippines has recognised the Clipper Race as a special sporting event and we are very grateful for their support in allowing us to return to the country next year.
“This will have been the longest edition in our 25 year history. We appreciate it has been a long wait for our Race Crew competing in the outstanding stages of this circumnavigation. We are looking forward to getting back to our yachts in Subic Bay and continuing the Clipper 2019-20 Race.”
Unfortunately, due to government restrictions, Chinese Host Ports, Sanya and Zhuhai are unable to secure the required permission to allow their cities to host the Clipper Race as planned. The Qingdao Organising Committee is still exploring options for its stopover in the sailing city of Qingdao.
Once the fleet departs the Philippines next year, the sailors’ next big challenge will be tackling the mighty North Pacific Ocean, which is known as ‘the big one’. The teams will be racing towards Seattle and expected to arrive in the US city in mid April 2022.
