The City of Bristol will once again be competing in the Clipper Round-the-World Yacht Race, it was officially announced today. Race organisers Clipper Ventures, a marine events company, declared its formal acceptance of a Bristol entry in Clipper 2002 and launched the search for an individual to suceed Bob Beggs (left) as skipper of Bristol Clipper.

Bristol Clipper joins Cape Town and Glasgow Clippers as confirmed runners in the next Clipper, starting on October 27, 2002 and returning 11 months later in September 2003.

Clipper Ventures says discussions are well underway between themselves and other major cities across the UK and overseas to see who will complete the line-up for the eight-strong fleet of identical 60ft Clipper yachts, with at least one city from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales expected to take part.