| The Clipper Round the World Yacht race 07/08 fleet | | | | Clipper Race will be visiting Santa Cruz in April next |
| will be docking at Santa Cruz in California for a ten | | | | year. This will be the first time that the Clipper fleet |
| day stopover as it sails in after a challenging leg | | | | has visited California and I'm certain that the crews |
| across the Pacific from Hawaii. | | | | will receive a warm welcome from the people of |
| By the time the Clipper Fleet docks in Santa Cruz, | | | | Santa Cruz." |
| the ten 68-foot yachts will have travelled 25,000 | | | | It would appear that the Port Commission is also |
| miles and stopped at nine ports on five continents. | | | | eagerly anticipating the event, with spokesman Bill |
| Despite those gruelling statistics, the yachts will still | | | | Lee adding: "The port of Santa Cruz is honoured to |
| have another 10,000 miles to travel before they | | | | have been selected as a port of call on the Clipper |
| reach the end of the 10 month race. | | | | Race. The race will create an ideal opportunity for |
| During the ten-day stopover, routine maintenance will | | | | family, friends and followers to visit our city. Be |
| be carried out on the yachts; they will be restocked | | | | assured that everyone will receive a warm welcome." |
| and the crews will take a rest from ocean-going | | | | The ten yachts in the race are each manned up to |
| duties, although they will still be very busy preparing | | | | 17 individuals from 27 countries and come from a |
| the yachts for the race's next leg, 3,300 miles down | | | | variety of backgrounds. Prior to the start of the race |
| the Pacific to Panama. | | | | in Liverpool, 40% of the crew members had no |
| The Clipper Round the World Race 2007-08 has a | | | | sailing experience, but by the time they reach Santa |
| truly American feel with six American crew aboard a | | | | Cruz some eight months later they will all be able |
| yacht named 'New York', and Santa Cruz being one | | | | sea-hands. |
| of three US ports visited in the race's | | | | This idyllic Californian town is expecting a mini |
| circumnavigation of the globe. However, this is the | | | | bonanza with the arrival of the fleet and finding a |
| first time that the Clipper race has been hosted by | | | | hotel in Santa Cruz that isn't sold out when the |
| Santa Cruz. Clipper chairman and noted solo sailor Sir | | | | yachts sail in will be a challenge. |
| Robin Knox-Johnston said: "We're delighted that the | | | | |