Clipper crews return to London after 11 months racing

PRIDE PSP Logistics skippered by Max Stunell, from Portsmouth, sailing under Tower Bridge Picture: Clipper Race PR

Thousands of people lined the River Thames at Tower Bridge and St Katherine Docks to welcome home the sailors taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The 12 crews left London last August to take on more than 41,000 miles of ocean covering six continents and 14 ports.

Clipper Ventures, based in Gosport, organises the race which was set up by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Leading the Mission Performance crew was skipper Greg Miller.

The 40-year-old, from Gosport, said it was amazing to be back in London after 11 months away from home.

‘I am looking forward to getting home and seeing my grandson who was born shortly after I left,’ he says.

‘It feels amazing to be back and I am happy with our result.’

Mission Performance finished sixth overall after just missing a podium space in two of the 14 legs.

Greg added: ‘I have some fantastic memories, including when we left London back in August. Coming back has also been amazing.’

The skipper said his favourite moment was sailing the Sydney-Hobart race as part of the fourth leg, but added one of the following legs across the Pacific Ocean was horrible.

‘I hated every second of it,’ Greg said.

During the prize-giving ceremony, Mission Performance was given the Henry Lloyd Seamanship Award after crew member Gavin Reid helped a stricken yacht off the Australian coast.

The crew stopped racing to help the boat which had someone stuck up the mast.

Greg says: ‘It showed fantastic team work by everyone.’

Experienced Portsmouth sailor Max Stunell skippered the PSP Logistics boat.

They got their first podium finish in leg 13 and finished 12th overall.

Max, 35, from Southsea, says: ‘It seems we only left London a few days ago for the start of the race. The podium finish was fantastic, the icing on the cake.

‘It feels great to be back and the crowds were amazing.’