Clipper Ventures PLC, the organizers of the world famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, have announced the set up of a China division, during the first China Sailing City Forum held in the headquarters of Sina, Beijing on November 15. 

This is reported to be the biggest business expansion by the company since its foundation 23 years ago. 

The two co-founders of Clipper Ventures PLC, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and William Ward OBE, both attended the forum jointly organized by Chinese Yachting Association (CYA), Clipper Ventures PLC and Sina Sports. 

With the establishment of the new China division, Clipper Ventures is going to set up its own offshore sail training academies in China, with the first academy to be opened in 2019. It is also building its own one-design keelboats and offshore racing yacht fleets designed by British Naval architect Tony Castro Design. The fleets will be used in the academies and in future competitions. The first yachts are expected to be ready for testing in the spring of 2019. 

William Ward OBE says that Clipper Ventures has trained over 5,000 sailors to participate in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race over the past twenty years, and that they have an expectation that it would take just a few years in China to train the same amount of people due to the great potential in the market. 

He says that in the past two years, they have signed two more Chinese fleets and the number of Chinese sailors in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race currently ranks third among the 40 countries where their sailors come from. 

In the mean time, CYA and Clipper Ventures reached a collaboration on sail training and announced a collaborative training project. 

Reference: Yutang Sports 

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick