Wendy Greaves, a teacher from Lytham near Blackpool would ordinarily be preparing to start the new school year and teach the next intake of GCSE students but this week, she could not be further away from the day job as she gears up to take on the challenge of a lifetime when the 14th edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race got underway
The Clipper Race is unique in that it is open to anyone over 18, with no previous sailing experience required, taking people from all walks of life and training them to become ocean racers. A true test of human endeavour, on Sunday 31 August, 20 sailing professionals departed Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, leading their ten teams, formed of non-professional sailors, including Wendy, on an eleven-month endurance challenge around the world.
Speaking in the days leading up to Race Start, Wendy said: “I lost my husband to motor neurone disease, and with my son off to university I didn’t want to rattle around the house and when the Clipper Race popped up on Facebook it looked like the perfect distraction.
“I wanted to do something challenging, that would put me out of my comfort zone. This will certainly be a challenge!”
Wendy will be racing on board the Team Warrant yacht, rubbing shoulders with lawyers, chefs, plumbers, students, accountants, firefighters, retirees and doctors from over 40 nationalities to take all that Mother Nature can muster as they race 40,000 nautical miles around the world, crossing six oceans and facing all extremities of weather and sea states. From hurricane force winds, to blistering heat, the isolation of the North Pacific Ocean to learning to live on a yacht with stripped back facilities in close quarters with their teammates – this event is a true test of mental and physical fortitude.
Looking ahead to the race, Wendy draws on some similarities between her career in teaching and her upcoming adventure: She said: “Both require a lot of flexibility – but one is in a classroom of 30 students and in the other, I am on a boat listening to instructions and living at an angle!”
The race is broken down into eight legs and Race Crew can take on any combination of one, through to all eight legs – making them circumnavigators. On this edition, the race will stop in Puerto Sherry (Spain), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle and Airlie Beach (Australia), Subic Bay (Philippines) Qingdao (China), Tongyeong City (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama, Washington, DC (USA) and Oban (UK) before returning to Portsmouth (UK) next summer.
The Clipper Race was founded 30 years ago by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the world. Now in its 14th edition, the Clipper Race breaks down barriers to ocean racing and enables people from many different age, geographic and occupational backgrounds, the lifechanging opportunity to push their limits and experience Mother Nature in her raw and powerful glory.
Country’s longest serving councillor has died
New waste and recycling services deliver strong early results across Blackpool
Members of Blackpool Transport team lead awards shortlist
Commissioner invests over £161,000 of seized criminal cash into Lancashire communities
Report backs first steps to CPO for controverisal Revoe regeneration
Council confirms who will cover costs of fixing new £18.5m road
