The team Visit Seattle arrived in Freemantle, Australia, on December 11, completing a race from Cape Town, South Africa, across the treacherous Southern Ocean as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. As they prepare for the next leg to the Eastern Australian coast, the Seattle crew stands in eighth place out of eleven yachts participating in the 40,000-nautical-mile test of endurance.
In this year’s race, which began in London in August, the team is sailing under the theme, “The Oceans are our Future,” via a partnership between Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium and the Seattle Sports Commission. As Visit Seattle make stops in the 16 global ports along the journey, the partners are focusing on youth-oriented activities to help protect the ocean environment.
For instance, after arriving at Punta del Este, Uruguay, in September, Visit Seattle participated in a beach clean-up with Yacht Club Punta del Este’s youth program. “I think it’s really important to look after what we have,” said Seattle crew member, Melanie Smith. “Every little piece that you pick up is one less piece in the ocean.”
Visit Seattle’s other official Clipper Race partners include Holland America Line, Hyatt Regency Seattle, Port of Seattle, Seattle Aquarium, Visit Seattle, and Waste Management. All told, nearly 700 non-professional crew members from 43 nations are participating in the 2019-2020 race. Visit Seattle is comprised of crew from 12 nations, including the United States, New Zealand and Egypt, with ages ranging from 19 to 70 years.
Following a March 2020 stopover in Qingdao, China, the teams will spend more than a month crossing the Pacific to Seattle and are expected to reach the finish line back in London by August 2020. To track the
progress of the race, visit the Seattle Sports Commission Clipper page online and @SeattleSportsCommission on Instagram.
