Home welcoming for Qingdao after triumphant Clipper race

Clipper Race Qingdao Team. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]   

All disappointment of missing out on a podium was quickly forgotten when the team arrived to a warm and colourful welcome at the Wanda Yacht Club. Fireworks announced Qingdao's entry into the marina, with drummers, dancers and hundreds of members of the public then escorting the team to the stage, where members of the Qingdao Organising Committee, including Executive Vice President of Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Association/Vice President of Qingdao Major International Sailing Events(Festivals) Organizing Committee, Madam Zang AiMin, who were waiting to congratulate their team.

Madam Zang AiMin congratulates on Qingdao team: "Today is some day that should be remembered, with great anticipation from nine million Qingdao people, Qingdao Yacht has finally arrived home. Over the last 14 years, Qingdao Yacht has sailed round the world for six times, and now in the seventh time with her best performance so far, we hope that our ocean warriors will enjoy their wonderful times in Qingdao's West Coast New Area, welcome home!"

Round the World crew member Rose Todd, a 61 year old Conservation Office from the UK, said: "It is so good to have arrived into the team home port of Qingdao. We are glad to be in, the last few days and this morning, the weather really kicked off and the 30 knots that were meant to kick in did turn up in time to speed us up and get here! It's so very cold here but the welcome has been so warm!"

This is the seventh time the Clipper Race has included Qingdao as a Host Port on its global racing route, with the city the longest serving Host Port Partner of the race. It's the first time Clipper Race fleet is berthing at the newly constructed Wanda Yacht Club, a state of the art facility in western Qingdao.

E Xianhong and Liu Yulei are the two Ambassadors representing Qingdao in the Asia Pacific Leg 5. The Ambassador program has been running since the Clipper Race first partnered with Qingdao in the 2005-06 edition of the race. It was founded as a way of promoting China's Sailing City and event hosting capabilities, build on its Olympic legacy, and inspire the Chinese nation by encouraging future sailing participation.

Over the past 13 years, the Qingdao Ambassador programme has been a great success, producing both Guo Chuan and Vicky Song, who became the first ever Chinese woman to circumnavigate the planet when she completed in the Clipper 2013-14 Race.

E Xianhong said: "It was such a proud moment for me to sail into my home city in front of all my family and friends."

"Being a Qingdao Ambassador has been the best experience of my life. I love sailing and I love Qingdao so it is incredible to be able to combine both of my passions."

He added: "The Qingdao team is now like my family. I couldn't be happier to sail with my Skipper Chris and all my crewmates."

Visit Seattle, Skippered by 24 year old British sailor Nikki Henderson, claimed first place in dramatic fashion in the final few miles of the race to Qingdao. PSP Logistics had led for eight successive days and were just 30 nautical miles from the finish line when the team became stuck in a wind hole, allowing Visit Seattle, Sanya Serenity Coast and Liverpool 2018 to sail past to take first, second and third place respectively.