The first round-the-world yacht racing teams arrived in Ha Long

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The first international passenger ship to dock at Ha Long port at 1:20 p.m. on February 18 was the Qingdao team, followed immediately by the Zhuhai team, which docked at 1:55 p.m. the same day.

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The UNICEF racing boat won 3rd place in the ranking race and docked in Ha Long at 15:10.

The leaders of Ha Long International Passenger Port presented fresh bouquets of flowers to the talented captains and excellent crew who helped the ship overcome many challenges on the ocean to reach the finish line as soon as possible.

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The Clipper Race Organizing Committee said that the sailing team representing Vietnam named "Ha Long Bay, Vietnam" ranked 5th in the round- the-world sailing team and also docked at Ha Long International Cruise Port on the same day, February 18 (Photo: Clipper Race).

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The 2023-2024 Round the World Yacht Race with nearly 400 sailors on 11 sailboats is divided into 8 legs with 16 individual races and 6 ocean crossings.

The Ha Long destination is part of the 5th leg of the Asia- Pacific Challenge. This is a test of the crew's skills, endurance and determination.

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Finished earlier than expected, after 21 days of overcoming many challenges in unpredictable conditions such as storms and intense heat, 11 racing teams traveled 4,515 nautical miles to Ha Long Bay and arrived at Ha Long International Passenger Port on February 18 and 19.

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Captain Henry Hallatt of the Qingdao sailing team shared at the start of the journey: "There are two main challenges in this race: one is the gloom and heat, the other is the storms."

"Thunderstorms in the Pacific come thick and fast, so spotting them early and changing course will be key. Meanwhile, dealing with long periods at sea in the scorching heat will require staying positive and cheerful," he continued.

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Feeling excited when arriving at Ha Long International Cruise Port, Henry Hallatt expressed his joy in conquering and overcoming the challenge: "The teams were always close together and wise decisions at key moments helped us break away to the top of the race."

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Mr. James Finney - captain of the Zhuhai team - expressed his excitement when coming to Vietnam for the first time and going to the famous Ha Long Bay.

In the photo, the leader of Ha Long International Passenger Port presents flowers to the captain of the Zhuhai team.

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Mr. James Finney shared: "We have gone through a long, challenging and hot race. But it was great to successfully finish and be welcomed by you right at the port. We celebrated right on the deck and hope to have many more experiences in Ha Long in the future."

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At 3:10 p.m. on February 18, the UNICEF sailing team finished third in the ranking race at Ha Long International Passenger Port.

"It's really exciting to have come through a pretty stressful journey," said Dan Bodey, captain of the UNICEF team. "Ha Long Bay is beautiful and it's been a pleasure to be here."

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Mr. Josh Stickland, who leads the Ha Long Bay - Viet Nam team, said that he and his team tried very hard to bring the racing boat to the finish line.

In an interview before the race to Ha Long Bay, Mr. Josh Stickland expressed: "This race is very challenging, requiring endurance, perseverance and the ability to navigate and forecast the weather, but we have trained more skills through each race. Above all, our efforts are shown through the results on the journey to conquer the road to Ha Long Bay".

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Mr. Pham Van Hiep, Director of Ha Long International Passenger Port, said: "Ha Long International Passenger Port has been invested in a large and systematic scale, including international and domestic marinas, a system of wharves, bridges, passenger terminals, and public buildings. The modern port is capable of receiving large passenger ships at the same time, as well as professional yacht racing teams and large-scale maritime events."

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The 2023-2024 Clipper Race season alone attracted the participation of nearly 400 sailors who are enthusiasts of the sport of sailing as well as hundreds of foreign press reporters.

The boat racing team is expected to stop in Quang Ninh until February 27 to rest, visit Ha Long Bay and have many exchange activities and experience other famous tourist destinations in Quang Ninh.

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