The Vietnamese sailing team named "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam" finishes in fifth place in the 2023-2024 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NINH – The Vietnamese sailing team named "Hạ Long Bay, Việt Nam" finished in fifth place in the 2023-2024 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after docking at Hạ Long International Cruise Port in the northern coastal province of Quảng Ninh at 10:35 am on February 19.

Members of the team were very excited after completing a long journey in this fifth leg of the race.

The captain of the "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam" team, Josh Stickland, expressed his joy, stating that the team is proud to be named after the Ha Long Bay. He said this is the first time he arrived at the Ha Long International Cruise Port, adding that the port and Ha Long city are beautiful.

Meanwhile, Tyson, a crew member of the team, expressed his pride in what the team had accomplished.

A day earlier, the teams “Qingdao” and “Zhuhai” were the first to dock at the Cruise Port at 1:20 pm and 1:55 pm on February 18.

The race, drawing nearly 400 sailors aboard 11 sailing yachts, is divided into eight legs and 16 separate races, including six ocean crossings. They can choose to either complete the full circumnavigation or opt for one or multiple legs.

The Vietnamese destination is on the fifth leg within the Asia-Pacific Challenge where sailors will take part in the race and different activities during the 10-day event.

As planned, the teams will make a stop in Quảng Ninh until February 27 for rest and relaxation. There will be numerous sightseeing activities at tourist landmarks, with cultural exchanges along the way.

It is the only race in the world where the organisers supply a fleet of identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew. Crews must complete four levels of intense ocean racer training before they compete.

The Clipper Race was first organised in 1996 in the UK. Since then, almost 6,000 race crew from diverse backgrounds representing more than 60 nations have undergone training and taken part in the competition.

Renowned for its grueling nature, it is one of the most formidable challenges in the natural realm and an unparalleled test of endurance and resilience. — VNA/VNS