Nick Leggatt, a 52-year-old seasoned yachtsman from Cape Town, South Africa, will skipper the yacht Zhuhai during the 2019-20 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the organizing committee announced on April 29.

Leggatt, who began dinghy sailing at age 10, has logged over 280,000 nautical miles. His circumnavigation of the globe three times and five world speed sailing records are expected to bring a wealth of experience to the Zhuhai team.

Leggatt said he feels honored and privileged to be leading the Zhuhai team and that he looks forward to a successful race with his crew. He added that he can't wait to visit Zhuhai and see its many islands and other famous sites, such as Zhuhai Opera House and the Fisher Maiden statue.

The yacht Zhuhai [Photo courtesy nanfangplus]

The Clipper race is the world's largest and toughest endurance test for amateurs. Zhuhai was contracted last year as a host port and team partner during the 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2023-24 editions.

The 2019-20 event begins this summer with a fleet of 70 identical Clipper yachts departing from the UK. They'll pass through 13 ports, including Sanya, Zhuhai, and Qingdao in China, on a 40,000-nautical-mile one-year adventure.

In addition to the skipper and a chief mate in charge of security, 16 ambassadors take turns aboard the Zhuhai in pairs during the eight legs of the race to promote the charm of the "Islands & Sailing" city. 

Nick Leggatt [Photo courtesy Chinanews.com]