Betreff: Clipper 2002 _blanks Release
Absender: "Clipper _blanks" 
Empfänger: 
Datum: 07. Feb 2003 09:57


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Clipper 2002 _blanks Release
7 February 2003:

METROPOLITAN MARINA CLUB OF SHANGHAI TO HOST CLIPPER VISIT

Clipper Ventures plc, the AIM listed ocean racing company chaired by Sir
Robin Knox-Johnston, today announced a _blank partnership with the Metropolitan
Marina Club of Shanghai.

The Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race will visit Shanghai from
Saturday, 22 March to Friday, 28 March 2003 as part of the third crew leg.
The high-profile stopover will be hosted by the Metropolitan Marina Club of
Shanghai, the _blankest yacht marina in Shanghai, China, and the only marina
club in the region.

Shanghai, which in Chinese means “by the sea,” is one of the world’s largest
ports and is situated in the middle of China’s east coastline. The
Metropolitan Marina Club’s advantageous location, in the heart of Lu Jia Zui
Financial District at Downtown Shanghai, will bring an added prominence to
the Clipper’s visit to the municipality.

The marina is only steps away from the ever popular Shanghai Aquarium, the
Bund, Oriental TV Tower, Shanghai International Conference Centre, The City
Metro System and China’s largest shopping centre - Super Brand Mall. It also
offers easy access to Zhou Shan Islands at Eastern China Sea, Shanghai’s
favourite boating destination.

Edmond C. Xia, CEO of the Metropolitan Marina Club of Shanghai, said: “We
are delighted by this alliance with Clipper Ventures and look forward to
hosting the eight identically matched yachts contesting the Clipper 2002
Race in March. Shanghai is very much an international metropolis and I know
that its open-minded, cheerful and hospitable people will warmly welcome the
Clipper crews.

“Ambitious and exciting developments are underway at the Metropolitan Marina
Club of Shanghai, with plans to become the largest marina club in the world,
and we also hope to play a significant part in Clipper’s next race starting
in 2005,” he concluded.

The UK city of Liverpool, hosts of the Clipper 2002 race start and finish,
will use the visit to enhance the ties between the two cities as part of
their China Link programme. Liverpool and Shanghai became sister cities in
1999 and have since developed strong business and cultural bonds.

The Clipper fleet last visited Shanghai in March 1999 and previously in
March 1997. Severe weather off the Japanese coast prevented the yachts
visiting Shanghai in The Times Clipper 2000 Race, so next month’s stopover
will be the third time the city has played host to Sir Robin’s fleet.

Clipper 2002 is the only yacht race to travel up the Yangtze, where the
60-footers motor in convoy up this very busy waterway to Shanghai.
Following a stopover here, the race then restarts for the final stretch of
the third leg, sailing through the Taiwan Strait to Hong Kong and the
halfway point of the eleven-month circumnavigation.
Ends
7 February 03

For further information and images, please contact:
Loretta Spridgeon
Clipper 2002 Media & PR Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 23 8023 7088
Fax: +44 (0) 23 8023 7081
Mobile: +44 (0) 7773 818586
Email: lspridgeon@clipper-ventures.com
Website: www.clipper-ventures.com

Metropolitan Marina Club of Shanghai
2825 Bin Jiang Road,
China MSA Pier
Shanghai, 200120
PR China
Website: www.ucmm.com (under construction)

Notes to Editors:

The Metropolitan Marina Club of Shanghai is a totally _blank complex on
Shanghai’s spectacular waterfront, offering modern berthing and marine
support facilities both to members and visiting international boats. The
1998 development embraces an incredible 3-story index Clubhouse building and
a contiguous “Seagull” restaurant as well as two wet floating piers that can
accommodate 40 watercraft with size up to 200 ft, and a dry static display
area for another 20-30 boats.

A second phase of development will see a _blank clubhouse facility constructed
on the 8-acre land of the Pu Dong Park. This adjacent private park is about
300 acre and will be exclusive for member use only. On completion, the
Metropolitan Marina Club of Shanghai will become the largest marina club in
the world (total land area).


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