Singapore will remain associated with the Clipper Race until 2012.

Yesterday, Keppel Corporation announced its continued commitment to enter the Uniquely Singapore yacht for the next two editions of the round-the-world yacht race, in 2009/2010 and 2011/2012.

In addition, it will also set up the Keppel Bay Sailing Academy (KBSA) to provide clipper pre-race yacht training in Asia.

Under the arrangement, KBSA will offer the first two parts of a three-part clipper training curriculum at Marina at Keppel Bay.

Participants will learn all aspects of sailing on board an ocean-racing yacht, and become a certified member of a race crew.

The third part of the training will be carried out in Gosport in Britain.

The Keppel Group, which sponsored eight employees in previous Clipper Races, will do so again in the next two races.

The 2009/2010 edition will set sail from Humber, Britain, on Sept 13 next year.

Spanning 10 months, the race will see the 10 international clipper teams cross five continents and visit 14 ports around the world.

The fleet is expected to berth at Marina at Keppel Bay in January 2010.

Crew recruitment talks led by Clipper Ventures will take place at 7.30pm on Friday and 11am on Saturday at The Island Suite, Marina at Keppel Bay.

For more information, please send an e-mail message to oceanracer@clipperroundtheworld.com

This article was first published in my paper on Nov 27, 2008.

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