Leg 1
The route for leg 1 comprises of two races and take us from Liverpool to La Rochelle, France and finishes in Salvador, Brazil
16th September - Depart Liverpool
19th September - Arrive La Rochelle
23rd September - Depart La Rochelle
16th October - Arrive Salvador
Remember yachts have destinations, not arrival times, so all arrival dates are estimates and are subject to change.
Neil Withers
Clare Johnson
I have done a fair bit of sailing on tall ships, including a couple of transatlantic trips, and wanted to try something different, which does not require a cast of thousands to perform a manoeuvre. I also wanted to have a break from my nice comfortable, but rather monotonous job in front of a computer. So when I saw the Clipper website during the 2005/2006 race I thought it might be for me. After part A and B training I decided it was now or never, and I haven’t looked back since. I am really looking forward to getting to grips with as much as possible so that I can be a useful member of the team. My biggest challenge is likely to be preparing an edible meal for 15 or so people in a boat which is heeled over at a ridiculous angle. Even getting dressed to go on watch has proved extremely difficult when the boat is at an angle. I am not looking forward to having to repair huge rips in the spinnakers, so I have instructed the crew not to take them out of their bags! However, I fear that if we want to be serious contenders in this race we will have to use our spinnakers occasionally, so I must stand ready with the sewing machine (affectionately known as the spare anchor because of its weight and rusty appearance).
Ian Deas
The Clipper Race has given me the opportunity to take a career break and embark on a once in a lifetime adventure. I have been given an extended leave of absence from my employer, Pantheon Ventures, a private equity fund-of-funds, with whom I have been with for 17 years and am an Investment partner in the San Francisco Office. I was born in South Africa, grew up in Mtubatuba and after graduating from the University of Natal (Durban campus), emigrated with my wife (Karin) to the UK in 1986. Seven years later and accompanied by two children we moved to California which was only supposed to be a three year secondment. Now 14 years later we have three children (Jessica, Michael and Emma), have become US citizens and are comfortably settled in Walnut Creek which is about 20 miles east of San Francisco. My favorite winter pastime is skiing and as often as possible go to the Sierra Nevada mountain range where we have a house in a ski resort called Kirkwood. The summer months in the mountains are equally beautiful with wonderful hiking around pristine lakes and soaring peaks. My prior sailing experience consisted of some bareboat cruising with Karin as the skipper and me as the “incompetent” deckhand. I expect the competency level to improve from the Clipper experience.
Keith Howard
For many years I have said to friends and family … one day I am going to sail around the world …. One evening last November I was on the train travelling home from work whereupon I saw a full page advert in the London Evening Standard for the Clipper 07/08 round the world race. Almost immediately I sensed this is it, I’m going to do this. Over the following two weeks I looked at my personal situation, I had just turned 50; I wanted something extra in my life and decided that subject to being offered a place, I was going to race around the world. I filled in the application form ….. and here we are …
I am really looking forward to the whole event, the competitiveness of the race, the big oceans, the fantastic ports of call and the chance to explore new places, new friends, the team spirit and camaraderie which I am sure will be absolute; it is essential for a crew who must work together and who will be living in fairly tight conditions for weeks on end.
Mandy Brown
I lecture Personal and Management Development, at Hull University, and decided to practice what I preach - life needed a new challenge. Having decided to take a career break I had no idea what to do, just that I wanted to learn a new skill. However, with perfect timing whilst I was listing possible options an email arrived advertising the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The idea of sailing took me back to 2003 when I visited Perth, Australia for the Rugby World Cup, where I visited the Maritime Museum and was captivated by the America’s Cup winning Australia II. So here I am four years on, another Rugby World Cup but this time I shall be setting off to ‘Sail Around the World’. I chose Durban Clipper as having lived there in the mid-eighties and visited many times since, it seemed appropriate to link my love of Africa with my new love of sailing. The boat does not have the vastness of Africa but the oceans do - earth’s last great wildernesses. In contrast the boat is somewhat ‘snug’ with 14 to a bedroom – which means teamwork and team spirit is crucial. Hopefully when I return in 2008 the ‘challenge’ will have been a life changing experience.
John Gray
I always thought that one day I would sail off into the distant yonder. From the very first time I was introduced to the sea as a child I suspect that I was hooked. That was probably the start of my long trip. We each have the ability to ask questions of ourselves, often without any answers. I guess for me that's what a lot of my journey is about, questioning and experiencing. I know that when I am even older and greyer I will be able to look back and reflect on some really amazing things. After making the initial Clipper enquiry my interest in the race gradually took over and my life began to take on a different perspective. Now I am here about to embark on the trip of a lifetime, sailing round the world. Having spent most of my professional career encouraging youngsters to be positive and proactive I decided it was about time I put my principles into practice. Why now ? Why not!!
Hagen Tropper
I’ve sailed for about 25 years, most of the time in the Mediterranean Sea. My dream of lifetime was sailing around the world as a crew member in a race and now I have the chance and have quit my job to do it. During the Part C1 training we had very strong wind and big waves and I thought to myself that’s what I want to do. I like challenges. I’ve crossed Australia on my motorbike, done parts of the Paris – Dakar and crossed deserts. I also like Baseball (it’s really unusual in Austria), but I think the best thing I will ever have done will start on the 16th of September. I don’t know why, but Durban was my first choice.
For me the hardest challenge is living with so many different people on such a small place for such a long time, but we all want the same so I hope and I’m sure there will be no big troubles.
I don’t know what will happen after this race but I think I won’t work in IT which has been my job for 25 years. I have now 10 month time to think over what I want to do next.
Tom Crabtree
From the day I first climbed on to a windsurf board age 6 I was hooked, I knew then that I wanted to spend as much time on the ocean as possible. Since then I have been fortunate enough to windsurf and kitesurf all over the world in some of the great locations from Western Australia to Brazil, Hawaii, Mauritius and South Africa.
However until now my sailing experience has been limited to chartering cruising yachts, corporate days on Hobart and BT boats and occasionally racing dinghies. Joining the Clipper Race in 2007 will hopefully enable me to rapidly expand my sailing knowledge while also fulfilling an ambition of racing a yacht across the Atlantic. Hopefully it will also prove to be the first of many ocean sailing adventures.
Dave Colton
Ericka Norris
I am more inclined not to procrastinate these days 'Just do it' is my sentiment, and with that I have engaged new skills one being sailing. The 'team' effort is also an important dynamic.
Five years ago whilst in Durban, I briefly met Sister Helena McKenny who heads an orgnisation called Streetwise Durban. The organisation 'rescue' street children who are homeless, sick etc and provide sanctuary, care, education for the most vulnerable children. I will be looking to raise money for this organisation with all money raised going to Streetwise Durban.
A quote from Thomas Jefferson I think appropriate too - "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
For details of where to send donations to email Ericka/John Norris
Shyam Gupta
Msawenkosi Joe Xaba
Never having sailed before the last month has proved to be quite a challenge. I have taken part in a number of sporting disciplines before but this was completely different. I really did not know anything about sailing and when a friend approached me to tell me that Durban needed someone to sponsor for the race; initially I thought nothing of it but then after having a look at the Clipper web site I thought it would be a nice break and at the same time an awesome opportunity to explore and hopefully learn as much as I can about sailing. In the last four weeks I have gained a lot of respect for my sisters and most African women in general because cooking and washing up for + 14 people has been a mission so far and I am told it is going to get worse. Never having been on a boat before the training has been like learning completely new language. Being thrown into such a small space with complete strangers from all around the world has been a challenging but a most valuable experience. There have been some difficult times but everyone remained in high spirits all the way through and that is why I feel that the Durban clipper is going to be a serious contender in the 07/08 race. I look forward to going to Brazil and most of all sailing back home to Durban where I will be getting off. As for the rest of the crew I'll be watching and hopefully will be joining you at the end of the race in Liverpool.
David Joyce - HGV Driver
I'm Dave Joyce (46) and I am an HGV driver. I live in Nottingham with my wife Caroline and we will have been married for 20 years on 20th September - just 4 days after the start of the race - good job she's got a sense of humour! I am 1 of 6 (3 sisters and 2 brothers) we are a large family and at last count there will be 27 of us in Liverpool for the race start weekend.
I enjoy travelling and have met some great people this way some of which have remained close friends. I was very happy to find out on crew allocation day that I was on Durban 2010 and went on to find out what a great mix of people of different nationalities and backgrounds are on Durban - it just adds to the experience. I like a challenge and so when I heard about the Clipper Race I just had to find out more and before I know it I had signed up for legs 1, 2, and 3 despite never even having sailed a dinghy! I expect that I will be tested to the limit mentally and physically but most of all I hope to gain experiences, friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.
Anne Dickens - Finance Manager
This 48 year old school finance manager has quit her job in order to be part of the Clipper race.
Initially signed for leg one, Anne won a place on the second leg as the top raffle prize at Clipper's 10th anniversary party. With leg three taking her half way around the world to Australia, it was not too challenging a decision to add it to her adventure.
Anne lives with her husband (who completed a circumnavigation with Clipper in 2000), two grown up children and Golden Retriever 'Raggles' in an old farmhouse in rural Bedfordshire.
Anne's previous sailing experience comes from from gentle holiday cruising in Greece, Turkey and Croatia and this is her first experience of long distance ocean racing.
Peter Burtenshaw
There is nothing more exciting than the prospect of sailing across an ocean and this will be an experience I will never forget. My sailing experience has mainly been confined to the placid Norfolk Broads where I grew up which, is a far cry from the rolling waves of the Southern Ocean. My biggest challenge thus far has just been living on the boat, things you take for granted on land are a struggle at sea, from getting dressed to make meals its hard work, but ultimately fun.
Although I have travelled extensively within Europe, this will be the first time that I will be visiting exciting locations around the World such as Durban. In the run up to the World Cup and as a Chartered Building Surveyor it will be thrilling to see, and be part of, the preparations that are being made for Durban 2010 and beyond.