Qingdao wins Clipper Race

Qingdao has won the Clipper 2019-20 Race, after over 40,000nm, six ocean crossings and eight legs. The Clipper 2019-20 Race started in London in September 2019 and after a two-year pause at its halfway point due to the global pandemic, restarted from the Philippines in March this year.

Skippered by Chris Brooks, Qingdao has been the team to beat from early in the circumnavigation and scored a total of 145 points, 10 clear of Punta del Este. The team won five races in the 2019-20 edition, more than any other team, and was also on the podium eight times in 14 races.

Leaving Derry-Londonderry for Race 15, Qingdao was nine points clear and placed third to cement victory. The team also won the most Scoring Gate points in the 11 months of racing, taking 14 coveted bonus points.

Qingdao crew tackle the Roaring Forties

Che Jinghua, Director General of Qingdao Municipal Sports Bureau, Secretary General of Qingdao Major International Sailing Events (Festivals) Organising Committee, sent a congratulatory message to the Qingdao team.

“We are very glad to learn that Qingdao has won the Clipper 2019-20 Race. Hereby, I would like to express our warm congratulations to Skipper Chris and all the crew members,” Che wrote.

“You have overcome numerous difficulties, fought against the waves, conquered the challenges of the whole race and won the final victory. You have shown the world the great charm of Qingdao as a vibrant ocean city and a liveable and lovable city with your remarkable performance.”

Punta del Este

Punta del Este, skippered by Jeronimo Santos Gonzalez, moved into second position overall after the previous sprint across the North Atlantic. Like Qingdao, Punta del Este was in the lead pack of Race 15, coming fourth in the final stage and cementing its second place in the Clipper 2019-20 Race standings with 135 points.

Jeronimo Santos Gonzalez, the first Spanish Skipper to compete in the Clipper Race, led his team with the spirit of Punta del Este, the city and yacht club it represented on the global route.

The team, known for its loud and enthusiastic approach to sailing but always with a firm competitive edge, won the very first race of the circumnavigation and went on to secure six podium positions overall. Regularly the fastest yacht in the Dell Latitude Rugged Ocean Sprints, Punta del Este gained more Ocean Sprint bonus points than any other team (22 points).

Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam

Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, led by British skipper Josh Stickland, secured the final overall podium position. The team scored 127 points overall and was on the podium seven times. Representing the UNESCO destination in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam totalled three wins in the 14 races, most recently on the race from Seattle to Panama in May 2022 (Race 11).

The Clipper 2019-20 Race route was London, UK; Portimão, Portugal; Punta del Este, Uruguay; Cape Town, South Africa; Fremantle, Australia; Subic Bay, Philippines; Seattle, USA; Panama; Hamilton, Bermuda; New York, USA; Derry-Londonderry, UK; London, UK.

Clipper 2019-20 Race: Final Standings

1 Qingdao, 145 points
2 Punta del Este, 135 points
3 Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, 127 points
4 WTC Logistics, 121 points
5 Unicef, 117 points
6 Visit Sanya, China, 107 points
7 GoToBermuda, 104 points
8 Imagine your Korea, 79 points
9 Zhuhai, 74 points
10 Seattle, 65 points
11 Dare To Lead, 64 points

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