Forging Global Business Relationships – The wide-reaching opportunities of a Clipper Race Stopover
Clipper Race stopovers are a celebration of Race Crew achievements and a chance for the sailors to enjoy a new destination and engage with the local community as they travel the world. Each location also provides a fantastic backdrop to grow and develop global business connections.
This race edition’s Qingdao stopover was a glowing example of how the Clipper Race provides opportunities for partners, destinations, and stakeholders to engage with embassies and businesses around the world, forging strong relationships across continents.
Diplomatic Engagement
The Clipper Race worked closely with the GREAT Campaign and British Embassy in Beijing, including HM Trade Commissioner Lewis Neal, during the Qingdao stopover, which was held in March 2024 in China’s Sailing City. Representatives from the embassy were able to experience all facets of the stopover, from welcoming in the fleet and witnessing the spectacular arrival ceremony and Prizegiving, to having an exclusive yacht tour on board UNICEF, including discussions with Clipper Race Ambassador Crew on Qingdao and Our Isles and Oceans. In addition, embassy guests experienced a taste of life on board a Clipper 70 with a sail day on board Our Isles and Oceans.
HM Trade Commissioner Lewis Neal, who toured the UNICEF yacht and went on to sail on board a Clipper 70 said: “It was great to have a tour of the boat, see the emphasis that is put on safety and see that this is not a comfortable sailing adventure, this is a performance event across all the world’s oceans.”
Inspiring collaboration through Clipper Connect
Furthermore, the GREAT Campaign sponsored the Clipper Connect Business Series (CCBS) event held during the Qingdao stopover programme. With a focus on trade and investment in skills and expertise, the event drew a large crowd of over 100 attendees including delegates from the British Embassy in Beijing, local businesses, international partners, and leaders from the Qingdao Organising Committee alongside Clipper Ventures senior management. The Clipper Connect Business series is designed to connect partners, Race Crew delegates from businesses and communities around the race route, to create opportunities to collaborate, connect and inspire trade and promotion around the world.
The panel of speakers explored the importance of investing in the skills and knowledge of individuals and how they can be developed by utilising the expertise of different nations, using the marine industry as a good example to illustrate this.
Following opening remarks on the CCBS by Clipper Ventures Managing Director, Laura Ayres, HM Trade Commissioner, Lewis Neal set the tone for the event, which took the form of a panel discussion. The discussion began around British education and training facilities, such as the RYA and the marine industry’s influence in China and the importance of legacy and relationships - something the Clipper Race and Qingdao partnership exemplifies.
Clipper Ventures MD, Chris Rushton joined the event panel and highlighted the successes of working with the China Yachting Association and its role in developing Chinese sailing instructors, as well as the important relationship with Qingdao in developing and building boats.
Frankie Zheng, the round the world Qingdao Ambassador on the Clipper 2019-20 Race provided a fantastic case study of the success of an ambassador programme, and utilising British sailing expertise to develop a career in the sport. Jason Li, Head of Sports at the FCDO in China widened the event, speaking about how the British Embassy supported sports development in China through infrastructure, services, and events. Zhu Yuetao, Deputy Secretary General of the Qingdao Olympic Sailing City Development Association wrapped up the event, speaking on the development of sailing and infrastructure for the sport in China.
Managing Director at Clipper Ventures Chris Rushton said: “This Clipper Connect Business Series event showcased the success of our relationship with Qingdao and how the partnership has evolved over the almost 20 years that we have been working together. Since we partnered with the Sailing City in 2005, the foundations have been laid for China to develop its maritime industry, drawing on the expertise of Clipper Ventures. Furthermore, the Clipper Race has enabled over a hundred Chinese sailors to discover and excel at the sport through the Ambassador programme and go on to grow their careers in the industry in China, and further afield.
“Collaborating with the GREAT Campaign and Qingdao Organising Committee to deliver this panel event is a testament to the success of the Clipper Race in bringing organisations from around the world together.”
Speaking about the Clipper Connect event, Laura Ayres said: “We had a fantastic demonstration of the Clipper Ventures pathway today, with a crew member, Frankie, who was a Qingdao Ambassador, speaking on the panel today. He found out about the race as a child, when he saw the fleet arrive in Qingdao. He went on to circumnavigate on board his home boat Qingdao in the last race edition, and then completed his qualifications with our sister company Hamble School of Yachting. He has then brought these skills back to teach the next generation of Qingdao sailors.”
“Over the last near-20 years of partnership with Qingdao, both the Clipper Race and Qingdao as brands has grown massively over the years. Now, the relationship is more of a friendship, but one that has evolved and created business, investment and expertise across both companies.”
HM Trade Commissioner, Lewis Neal, gleaned a true insight into the strength of this relationship during his visit to the stopover, commenting, “This partnership is a great success story. What you see here is both the length of the relationship that the Clipper Race has with Qingdao and in China. We’ve seen how the event has supported the development of sailing here in Qingdao here in particular, but also across China. It tells a story of British business here in China and the strength of the partnership between the two countries.”