Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister
Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore
A light beacon rising up from the ground, dancers, pyrotechnics and senior dignitaries, including Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister, welcomed the Clipper 11-12 Derry-Londonderry team to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, this morning.
The team representing the UK City of Culture 2013 and the other nine boats taking part in the world’s longest yacht race made their entrance to the exclusive marina following their second place finish in Race 7 of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.
Dr Lee Boon Yang, Chairman of Keppel Corporation, and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the founder and Chairman of the Clipper Race, ignited the ‘Torch of Passion’, setting in motion the welcome celebrations for the fleet, and guest of honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, presented the pennant to skipper, Mark Light.
Crew member John Harkin, from Derry-Londonderry, said, “This has been one of the most formal and biggest receptions that we’ve had. It was very exciting to sail into Keppel Bay, especially knowing it was our first podium place – something we’ve been waiting for for a long time.
“It was also great honour to be on stage with all those dignitaries. I am really looking forward to be taking in the atmosphere over the next few days, before we set off on Saturday for the next part of the race towards Qingdao in China.”
Clipper 11-12 is the eighth edition of the event which is ‘raced by people like you’. John, a retired engineer, and his fellow crew who include an airline pilot, a management consultant, an accountant, a teacher and a doctor, have put their everyday lives on hold to compete in the challenge of a lifetime.
Gold Coast Australia’s crew was presented with the Keppel-sponsored Singapore Cup after beating Derry-Londonderry by just 79 minutes. The Northern Ireland team in second place and Geraldton Western Australia who finished third, were both presented with their first pennant of the campaign to fly proudly from the forestay of their boat.
This is the fourth visit of the fleet to Keppel Bay, whose skyline is now dominated by the curving towers of the stunning new Reflections at Keppel Bay development, designed by master architect Daniel Libeskind. Residents, who have this month begun moving in to the new buildings, also took part in the celebrations, cheering as the yachts sailed past into the marina, while others on boats sounded horns.
Speaking at the welcome celebrations, Dr Lee said, “The Clipper Race has been an excellent platform to showcase Singapore and Keppel round the world. And with the world following the Clipper Race fleet to our island in the sun this morning, it will present Singapore as a regional sailing hub and a destination for world sporting events.”
Clipper Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said, “This is the fourth time that there has been a Singapore entry in the Clipper Race and over the eight years we have witnessed the Caribbean and Reflections at Keppel Bay developments around the marina rise from the ground. But it’s not only the growth of Keppel’s premium developments that impresses, every race we return to see their award-winning marina fill and grow. Of course, with the race we visit a huge number of impressive marinas around the world, but it is rare to find a marina which manages to combine efficiency and style whilst caring for its environment, so it was great to hear that Keppel was awarded the Green Maritime Company 2011 award.
“It’s not only Marina at Keppel Bay and its residences that have grown over the span of our partnership with Keppel. The Clipper Race has also grown, with more than 40 nationalities represented among the crews and we have a growing number of international partners with a variety of marketing and business aims. Each race sees our sponsors using our platform in new ways to achieve return on their objectives.”
In Singapore a busy programme of sailing and shore-side events will enable the sponsors of the Clipper Race, including Northern Ireland company, FG Wilson, a Team Partner of Derry-Londonderry, to leverage their partnership with the event to develop and build on trade, tourism, education and cultural links. The Clipper Race will host a networking event at the British High Commission to introduce trade opportunities with their partners to Singaporean businesses.
The fleet will set sail from Marina at Keppel Bay on Saturday 4 February, bound for Qingdao, China.
Ends
Notes To Editors
Images
Low resolution images of Derry-Londonderry’s spectacular arrival in Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore are attached. High resolution official images from Clipper 11-12 are available free for editorial use at:
www.w-w-i.com/clipper_1112_race/
Broadcast footage
Broadcast footage is available to download free for editorial use at:
www.clipperbroadcast.com
For further information log onto
www.clipperroundtheworld.com
For media information or interviews please contact:
Heather Ewing, Communications Manager (in Batam, Indonesia, GMT+7)
Singapore mobile: +65 8105 6210
UK mobile: +44 (0) 7792 408 695
Office: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Email: hewing@clipper-ventures.com
Isabel Hokken, Communications Manager (in Batam, Indonesia, GMT+7)
Singapore mobile: +65 8104 5176
UK mobile: +44 (0) 7793 417 751
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Email: ihokken@clipper-ventures.com
Overall standings after Race 7
| Gold Coast Australia |
73 points |
| Visit Finland |
53 points |
| De Lage Landen |
46 points |
| New York |
40 points |
| Singapore |
38 points |
| Welcome to Yorkshire |
37 points |
| Derry-Londonderry |
35 points |
| Qingdao |
34 points |
| Geraldton Western Australia |
31 points |
| Edinburgh Inspiring Capital |
14 points |
Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race
The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started on 31 July 2011 from Southampton on the UK’s south coast and will return to the city in July 2012 after 40,000 miles of ocean racing – the world’s longest ocean race. The event was established by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to give everyone, regardless of sailing experience, the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of ocean racing. More than 500 people representing more than 40 nations will compete in Clipper 11-12. They can sign up for the whole circumnavigation or one or more of eight legs. The only qualification for the race is the minimum age of 18 – there is no upper age limit. The overall race is divided into individual stages and points are accumulated in a Formula 1-style scoring system. The yacht with the highest total at the finish wins the Clipper Trophy.
About Clipper Ventures Plc
More than 40 years have gone by since Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's record breaking solo and non-stop circumnavigation in 1968-69. Now, as Chairman of Clipper Ventures Plc, he is at the forefront of promoting round the world yacht racing. Clipper Ventures, the marine events company founded in 1995, is focused on developing and promoting major events capable of attracting significant participation, income, media coverage and associated sponsorship revenue. Sir Robin founded the company on the premise that sailing should be made available to everyone, regardless of age or experience. Almost 3,000 people have now competed in the seven editions of the Clipper Race to date. The company also owns the rights to the VELUX 5 OCEANS race and runs successful Events and Training divisions.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is the Executive Chairman and founder Director of Clipper Ventures Plc. Sir Robin has been involved in sailing all his life and holds a Department of Transport Master’s Certificate. He is the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world and has also set the record for the fastest circumnavigation with Sir Peter Blake. In 2007 he completed his second solo circumnavigation when he competed in the VELUX 5 OCEANS race. Sir Robin has considerable experience of the administration of round the world races having served on the Whitbread Race committee from 1990 to 1994 and having organised the BOC Challenge Round the World Race in 1982 and 1986. He has been named RYA/YJA Yachtsman of the Year an unprecedented three times and participated in the 2010 Sydney-Hobart race at the age of 71.