Oban is set to be taken over by racing yachts this weekend as the town hosts Clipper Round the World.
11 yachts and their crews will sail into the town’s North Pier on Friday, staying until July 21- when they’ll set off in a race to the finish line in Portsmouth.
Clipper Round the World is described as “one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other” and sees teams race 40,000 miles around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht.
Oban is the penultimate stopover and the first Scottish host port in the history of the iconic race.
To celebrate, a series of events are being held, some in a new outdoor area on the grounds of the Rockfield Centre.
It’s a coup for local organising group Love Oban, BID4Oban, Wild About Argyll and Argyll and Bute Council.
Oban is Scotland’s first host port
Andrew Spence of BID4Oban, said: “We want to warmly welcome people to Oban to see this wonderful event.
“It’s the first time that a host port has been in Scotland.”
He says the town is ready to bring the party with opportunities to get up close to the boats and meet the crews who have sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to be in the town.
He continued: “Some of the crews aboard the yachts are people who have been in the town and have been on training boats here.
“So for them, it will be coming back to a place they already know.
“There is going to be a great atmosphere in the town, and it will be an event that will be long remembered in Oban’s history.”
11 Clippers in the race
There are 11 Clippers in the fleet who are on a journey of more than 40,000 nautical miles around the globe. They are:
Our Isles and Oceans, skippered by Stirling-born Max Rivers, 29. it is home turf for the Isle of Wight resident as he learned to sail on the West Coast. He has a crew of 63.
Washington, DC, crewed by Englishwoman Hannah Brewis, 26. She has a crew of 67.
Ha Long Bay Viet Nam is crewed by Bob Beggs, 64, from Plymouth. He has a crew of 64.
Bekezela, skippered by Welshman David Hartshorn, 58, and crewed by 66 people.
Dare to Lead, crewed with 73 men and women, South African Ryan Gibson, 34, is the Clipper’s skipper.
Yacht Club Punta Del Esta is skippered by Nano Antia Bernardez, 33, a Uruguayan and Portuguese national. He has a crew of 66.
Perseverance is crewed by 66 people and skippered by Dutch woman Ineke Van Der Weijden, 49. She has raced competitively since she was 18.
Qingdao has Phillip Quinn, 57, as its skipper. He is from County Down in Ireland. he is joined onboard with 65 crew.
PSP Logistics is skippered Mike Miller, 54, who grew up in Singapore. He has a crew of 65.
UNICEF is skippered by Dan Bodey, 32. He is from Essex. He says of his 65 crew, they “make the Clipper race”.
Zhuhai has a crew of 70 people, James Finney, 28, from Southampton is the skipper.
Where to park in Oban for Clipper Round the World
Parking in the bay and esplanade area is going to be extremely limited during the Clippers’ stay in Oban.
But as well as car parks near Tesco and the Corran Halls in the town centre, extra space has been made available at Oban High School, Mossfield Stadium and Oban Primary Campus.
If you don’t mind a mile-and-a-half walk into town, people can also park for free at Pennyfuir Cemetery, or pay for parking at Ganavan.
Free events in Oban for Clipper Round the World
There are lots of free events organised for the Clippers’ arrival and stopover in Oban.
12 -16 July: Clippers arrive in Oban and berth at the North Pier pontoons
13-14 July: WASZP Race. Oban Sailing Club hosts a sailing Scottish championship, event. Starts at 12 noon at Oban Sailing Club
14 July: Royal Yachting Association beach clean, meet at Dunstaffnage Castle. 11am until 4pm
15 July: Oban Sailing Club Monday Mayhem, young sailors taking part in a dingy race. 6-9pm
15 -19 July: Ocean Science Busking on the North Pier. Learn about science advances in the ocean, 10am-4pm
16 – 21 July: Clipper Race Fanzone. Learn all about the Clipper race and how you can get involved in the next edition, 9am-5pm
16 July: Oban Sailing Club Keel Boats. Racing around the bay, from 6pm
17-19 July: Blasad Gaidhlig Gaelic taster sessions in the Furan Centre at the Corran Halls, 2pm – 3.30pm
17-21 July: Food and Drink Village. All the very best of food and crafts from Argyll and the Isles, 11am – 4pm
17 July: Chop for Charity. Join the Clipper race crew in Cuan Mor for haircuts and beard trims. Donations to Unicef and The Little Princess Trust, 1pm- 4pm
17 July: Autism on the Water at Oban Sailing Club. Free activities for people with autism and their carers/ parents, 11am- 4pm
18 – 19 July:Â Tour a Clipper 70 racing yacht, North Pier Pontoon, 10am – 6pm
20 July: Rotary Club Duck Race at the Black Lynn River, ducks for sale from Friday July 19 in Station Square, 3pm
20 July: RNLI Lifejacket Clinic and Water Safety North Pier, 10am – 4pm
20 July: Lions Club The Great Oban Bay Raft Race, town centre, 1pm. Register at Kwik Fit or The Royal Hotel in advance
21 July:Â Farewell to the Clipper Race
- crew parade from Station Square from 10.30am
- Slipping the line from 12-12.30pm
- Parade of Sail from 1pm at Kerrera Marina across Oban Bay past Dunollie Lighthouse out to Dunstaffnage
- Clipper race to start at Dunstaffnage at 3pm for their final journey to Portsmouth and to end the 40,000 nautical mile race
There are other ticketed events over the course of the Clippers’ visit to the town.
This includes events at the Corran Halls, Dunollie Castle, a sold-out Ceilidh Dance and a concert by Skerryvore on July 20.
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