"Qingdao" crew in the first leg of the race pose for a group photo in Liverpool [Photo/Qingdao Today]

On August 20, the 2017-2018 edition of Clipper Round the World Race started in Liverpool. 12 yatchs, including "Qingdao", set out from the Mersey River on a long journey of about 6400 nautical miles to Punta del Este, a tourist resort in Uruguay, in race 1 of the 16 individual races planned for this year’s circumnavigation.

This is the seventh time for "Qingdao" to compete in the world-renowned sailing event.

Qingdao City will for the seventh time serve as one of the host ports for the race in February next year, during which Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center will be the marina for racing yachts.

So far Qingdao is the city with the longest cooperation with Clipper in the world. The cooperation has helped Qingdao gain international popularity and reputation as a sailing city and gradually develop into an Asian leader in the field.

Clipper’s racing yachts docked at Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center during many of the past 11 editions, bringing opportunities for local racing yachts manufacturers.

The 12 70-foot-long yachts used for this year’s edition are still made in Qingdao. During the past two editions, Qingdao-made racing yachts safely and smoothly completed two circumnavigations, demonstrating superior performance and excellent quality.

The total mileage of the new edition is about 40,000 nautical miles with eight legs, lasting for 11 months. The skipper of "Qingdao" this time is Chris Kobush, a 32-year-old seasoned German pro. Among his crew members, 16 are Chinese. In the first leg from Liverpool to Punta del Este, the two Chinese crew on "Qingdao" are Liu Jingqiu and Zheng Yi.

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