Liverpool Clipper crew ready for the off in epic 10-month ocean race

Sep 15 2007 by Jessica Shaughnessy, Liverpool Daily Post

THE crew for Liverpool’s ‘08 Clipper will today be making final preparations for their round-the-world epic adventure.

The team of amateur sailors, led by 26-year-old skipper Ben Galloway, will be one of 10 crews to set sail on Sunday in a bid to win the coveted Clipper Trophy.

Crowds of spectators will line the Albert Dock as the fleet is given a warm send-off. The Territorial Army’s 208 Battery Royal Artillery, from Aigburth Road, Liver- pool, will be bringing in its big guns to start the race off.

Six soldiers will fire two 105mm light guns, one of several types of gun used by the British Army’s artillery regiments.

Each two-ton gun can fire “rounds” to distances up to 17.2km.

The guns will fire blank rounds to start the race – so the Clipper Race is having the loudest and heaviest starting pistol that it could possibly have.

When the starting cannon fires, the fleet of identical 68-foot ocean-racing yachts will depart on from Liverpool on a 10-month journey, calling at 14 ports en route, before returning next July – halfway through Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Year.

Each of the 10 yachts of amateur sailors are led by a professional skipper, making it unique in world yacht racing circles.

TIMETABLE:

11am - 4pm: A live PA commentary on events will take place throughout the day.

11am - 1pm: The flotilla of boats will start to move out from the Albert Dock to Canning Dock, and then sail out onto the River Mersey for 1pm.

3pm: Military guns will be fired to signal the start of the race at Dukes Mast, which is close to the Holiday Inn on Albert Dock, which will be followed by an aerial display.

For the best views of the race start, head to the Riverside walkway from the south of the Albert Dock, down to the Customs and Excise building.