Clippers to sail into Keppel Bay again!

Keppel Corporation helms the sponsorship of the Singapore yacht in Clipper 07-08 with Singapore Tourism Board as first race partner.


Keppel Corporation is sponsoring the Singapore yacht, to be branded Uniquely Singapore again, for entry in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 07-08, with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) coming onboard as the first race partner.

Keppel is also the Host Port Sponsor for the Singapore Stopover in the Race.

Mr Lim Chee Onn, Executive Chairman of Keppel Corporation said, “The Clipper experience provides Keppel with a global platform on which we are able to share our corporate values with fellow Singaporeans.

“The Uniquely Singapore crew members in the last race have demonstrated clearly their global mindset, passion and courage in overcoming challenges, stretching way beyond their normal limitations and being fully committed to be an effective team member.

“We would wish to strengthen such qualities amongst more Singaporeans. To build on the momentum and spirit thus achieved, Keppel is happy once again to sponsor Uniquely Singapore in one of the world’s most anticipated sailing events.

“We are happy, together with our race partner Singapore Tourism Board, to promote international goodwill and friendship as well as sportsmanship.”

Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of the STB, said, “We are greatly encouraged to see the true national spirit of organisations like Keppel Corporation taking the helm and continuing to build on showcasing Singapore, its people and traditions to the rest of the world.”

He noted that in their maiden adventure around the world, the Uniquely Singapore Clipper 05-06 crew members began mostly as novices to sailing. But they steadily moved up the leader board, finishing as mature sailors with a couple of podium victories to their name.

He added, “As our national ambassadors, the Uniquely Singapore crew amply exhibited the Singaporean can-do spirit, tremendous hard work, remarkable determination and perseverance in achieving their goals.

“We are very pleased to support Keppel Corporation and excited at the prospect of the Uniquely Singapore yacht sailing around the world a second time in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race.”  

Clipper 07-08 will set sail from Liverpool, United Kingdom, in September 2007. Then in January 2008, the fleet of 10 Clippers each representing a different international city or country will spend 10 days in Singapore where they will be berthed at the spanking new Marina@Keppel Bay.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures said: “The Singapore experience and Asian hospitality left an indelible mark on the minds of those who attended the stopover in the previous race.

“We are delighted to welcome Singapore again as a competitor and an official host port in the Clipper 07-08 and look forward to strengthening and growing the ties we have forged with Keppel and STB for Clipper 07-08.

“This is a strong affirmation of Singapore’s commitment to position itself as a global city and increase the city’s presence around the world.

“During our stopover in the last race when the fleet was berthed in Keppel Bay, we saw how this southern coast is being dramatically transformed and we are looking forward to bringing the fleet back in 2008. It will contribute to positioning Singapore as a leading boating destination in Asia, attracting a wealth of international yachts and boats to the region.”

Keppel sponsored two of its employees as Keppel Ambassadors in two separate legs of the Clipper 05-06 race. It is expected that more Keppel Ambassadors will get a chance to immerse themselves in the Clipper experience.

“Clipper and Keppel share the same global outlook and inclusive approach to attracting those who will rise to the challenge to achieve personal and corporate excellence. We want to challenge more Keppelites to grow beyond personal limitations through the Clipper experience,” said Chairman Lim.

Crew recruitment efforts led by Clipper Ventures have also commenced.


TEAM KEPPEL

Mr Colin de Mowbray, Operations Director, Clipper Ventures, conducted a special recruitment talk to Keppelites across the Group on the Race on 3 November 2006.

Some forty interested Keppelites attended the talk – it was the first brave step for many towards signing the application form and handing it in.

How does it truly feel to race 35,000 nautical miles over 10 months across vast oceans and seas, away from family and friends?

Tan Thong Meng, who participated in the Clipper Race 05-06 in full, also known as a Round-the-Worlder, and who is now working for Marina @ Keppel Bay, shared his experiences onboard Clipper and his love for sailing with Keppelite.

Challenge junkie

“My love affair with sailing began aboard a 21-footer, which was built by my father. That first experience was memorable – I was seasick, and the yacht sprang a leak.

Weekends from then on were spent at the sailing club, where hours at sea allowed me to spend quality time with my dad. I was happy to be at sea, even though I never thought I would be able to accomplish my dream of circumnavigating the globe.

In 2001, 18-year old Jessie Martin became the youngest person in the world to sail around the world, solo, unassisted and non-stop. Thus sparked the “round the world” idea – which I nursed, secretly.

Imagine my excitement when news broke about Singapore sponsoring a yacht to participate in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 05-06!

Despite preparing myself mentally and physically in the six months before the start of the race, it proved to be much tougher, yet far more rewarding than I could have envisaged.

Sailing for weeks and even months at a time with nary a plot of land in sight, each stopover was a memorable experience, as ambassadors of our respective countries. These moments of respite from the monotony of an existence aboard cramped quarters only made going back on board that much harder – but we always went back in the end, throwing ourselves back into the thrill and embrace of the high seas.

Each leg of the race presented unique problems. The 30-day North Pacific crossing from Qingdao, China to Victoria, Canada, probably qualified as the toughest leg to all members of our crew.

Though prevailing temperatures were measured at 70C, the 40-knot winds resulted in our experiencing temperatures of -150C on deck. The experience was likened by our chattering crew to living in an icebox, as all we felt was pain when our frozen limbs warmed up eventually.

As a watch leader, I was fortunate, in having learnt other important skills besides sailing or racing the yacht round the clock. Managing a crew of eight of diverse nationalities, ages, levels of experience, backgrounds and occupations, was the other challenge. You have to motivate and encourage them, and to discipline them whilst maintaining their goodwill. I like to think that I managed to do so and certainly, I remain good friends with my fellow voyagers.

We had left Singapore a diverse crew, with different levels of sailing experience, but returned to shore seasoned oceaneering veterans.

I would like to share a few words of inspiration by Sir Edmund Hilary, “You must always set another challenge. Go for something outrageous. Challenge yourself. Create adversity. If you know you can do it, don’t do it. You might as well go to the beach.”