Spectators sheltering under umbrellas watched from the town’s famous pier as the starting cannon began the first stage of the race, a 5,186 nautical mile trip across the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil for the 12 competing yachts.
LMAX Exchange, skippered by Frenchman Olivier Cardin, was first over the line, followed by GREAT Britain and Da Nang Viet Nam – led by Australian sailor Wendy Tuck – third over the start line.
After Rio the fleet will stop at Cape Town, South Africa, Albany, Sydney and the Whitsunday Islands in Australia, Da Nang in Vietnam, Qingdao in China, Seattle, Panama, New York, Derry-Londonderry in Ireland and Den Helder in Netherlands before returning to London for the finish which is due on July 30 next year.
Race Chairman and founder Robin Knox-Johnston was pleased with the weather at the start despite the driving rain.
“The wind is very favorable to get them out down the the Channel, which I’m very pleased about because I’d like them clear of the crowded shipping lanes, particularly around Dover,” he said.
“The wind’s good for that so they should have a fairly easy sail down beyond Dungeness and Beachy Head.”
The yachts are each skippered by a professional sailor with amateur crews.