More than 100,000 people lined the banks of the Humber to watch the start of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race on Sunday 13 September.

As the cannon fired, the ten internationally sponsored yachts crossed the start line at 1400 to the roar of the crowds at the beginning of their 35,000-mile challenge. Edinburgh Inspiring Capital led the charge across the line, followed by the Irish entry, Cork, and Spirit of Australia.

The first race takes the fleet from the east coast of the UK to La Rochelle, France. The northerly breeze at the start and the weather conditions forecast for the next few days indicate that the 780-mile race will be a fast one. By the time the fleet had rounded the second mark Cork had overtaken the Scottish boat, Team Finland had moved up from sixth place to second and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital had dropped back to third.

Ahead lies a ten-month-long, 35,000-mile course that will take the race to France before crossing to Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, China, California, Panama, Jamaica, New York, Cape Breton Island, Cork and the Netherlands. The race will make its triumphant return to the Humber on 17 July 2010.

Each Clipper yacht is entered by a city, region or country and sponsors use the event to showcase themselves to the world. On the last running of the Clipper Race, more than 212 million people worldwide followed the adventure through television, print media, radio and online.

Click here to visit the Clipper Race website