The 09-10 route is starting to become clear but there is still a lot of negotiation taking place around corporate sponsorship and this will undoubtedly influence both the names of the boats and the cities that we visit en route.

What we do know is that the race will start and finish in Hull and that the route will, after reaching Brazil, circumnavigate the world from west to east following, as far as possible the routes of the early tea clippers - hence the name of the organising company.  The Clipper yachts are designed for downwind sailing and will perform well across the southern oceans in particular where the absence of any land mass results in strong winds and high seas that produce some of the most exhilerating sailing.

So we will have just over 10 months away from our homes, friends and families.  35,000 miles will have been covered by the time we return.  We will have crossed 4 of the worlds oceans including 3 crossings of the Atlantic!  We will also have visited 14 ports around the globe experiencing a diverse range of cultures.  Above all we will have discovered a bit more about ourselves.

We want you to be part of that journey and hope that you enjoy following us through the race which starts on 13 September 2009 and finishes around July 2010.