Clipper Ventures has appointed one of its former race skippers to the role of assistant race director of the Clipper Round the World race for the 2011-2012 event.

Former engineer and construction manager Justin Taylor has been appointed to the role after skippering Hong Kong in the 2002 race and taking over on Hull & Humber in the most recent staging when the team’s original skipper, Piers Dudin, broke his leg in the North Pacific.

Mr Taylor said: ‘I am very happy to be appointed assistant race director and I am looking forward to taking up my new position.

‘Having been a race skipper in 2002 and more recently in 2010 I feel I have much experience to bring to what will undoubtedly be a challenging but rewarding role.

‘I am keen to be a part of the continuing success of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and of course adding to this success.’

Justin’s duties will be varied, but his main responsibilities are recruiting and mentoring the race skippers, managing the race office and ensuring the safety of the fleet whilst at sea and in race stopovers.

Race director, Jonathan Bailey, said: ‘Justin is a very accomplished yachtsman, instructor and ocean racer and has a long and successful history with Clipper Ventures, making him an obvious choice for this new position.

‘Justin will add even more experience and knowledge to the race management team in the build up and running of Clipper 11-12 and future races.’

Justin is a qualified RYA Yachtmaster Ocean and Yachtmaster instructor with more than 120,000 nautical miles to his name.

As well as circumnavigating in the 2002 Clipper he has also made several Atlantic crossings and two of the North Pacific. He was also the winning skipper in the inaugural Round Ireland race in 2006.

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