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The
Clipper Ventures plc Clipper
2007-08 Round The World Yacht Race concluded at Liverpool on
Saturday July 05, 2008. The final stage of the race - The "Liverpool
08 Dash" began at 10:30 from Crosby Lightfloat. The yachts were
accompanied inbound by
HMS GRIMSBY at the conclusion of the 35,000 mile
circumnavigation and were met at Crosby by the Mersey Ferries ROYAL
IRIS OF THE MERSEY which operated a special cruise which only cost
£15 for three hours. This cruise offered the best view of the event
and several other interesting shipping movements - that of
THV GALATEA and the arrival
of
RFA GOLD ROVER. Also berthed at the Cruise Terminal Stage and
adding to the interest on the river was the cruise ship
GRAND
PRINCESS.
The overall race winner was the
NEW YORK CLIPPER, sponsored by the city of New York. In second place
was HULL & HUMBERSIDE CLIPPER. Hull will host the 2009 / 10 Clipper
Race, though apparently Liverpool will be bidding to host future
races.
From an observers point of view
the arrival of the third race to conclude on Merseyside was a much
more low key affair than that of the first race with lower numbers
of spectators and fewer small craft in evidence. However, the
variable weather which varied from cold and over cast through heavy
rain to warm sunshine all within three hours would not have helped
neither would the inaccessibility of the Pier Head due to the
various construction projects all designed to present Liverpool with
an unattractive face during Capital of Culture Year! |
