QINGDAO -- The 11 teams of non-professional sailors departed the V-and-A Waterfront Marina after several days of relax and recharge in the city since Nov.9. One of the boats competing is from Qingdao, China.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, known as one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges, has departed from South Africa with two Chinese teams sharing their goals and experiences from this unique voyage.

The Clipper 2023-24 Race has passed its quarter-way mark as teams embarked on Nov. 18 on the 4,750nm Roaring Forties stage of the race from Cape Town in South Africa to Fremantle, Western Australia on Race 4: Marlow Roaring Forties Challenge.

"It really is wonderful for a city like Qingdao that wants to like push sailing to to another level. China is growing year after year on the sailing industry. They want to have stronger teams. China, I think very soon we will be there with other nations like France, and the U.S. just pushing them on the sailing of the scene," said Jeronimo Santos Gonzalez, skipper of Team Qingdao.
Every leg is a test of strategy and resilience for sailors, but difficulties don't quell the enthusiasm in two young Chinese competitors on board, who feel very proud to let their hometown's name known to a global audience.
"I am from Qingdao, born and raised from Qingdao, so to be on a boat named after my hometown is absolutely an amazing experience. For Qingdao, I think we've been aiming to be the sailing city of China ever since we hosted the Beijing Olympics, actually, before we hosted the Beijing Olympics, the sailing games in Qingdao. So we really wanted more people to come into sailing into the sports, and that's how we grow and how we improve on the international stage," said Will Zhou, ambassador crew member of Team Qingdao.
"This has always been my dream to become an ambassador on board Qingdao and Clipper because since I'm a kid I do see the boat come into the marina with one of the boats named after my hometown. So it has always been my dream to be here and I'm so proud to represent my city, to become around the world as a sailor," said Zack Wang, another ambassador crew member of Team Qingdao.
The Clipper race started in the United Kingdom before sailing to Spain and Uruguay, South Africa and then Australia. It was founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world.