Clipper's Oban leg comes down to near photo finish for podium

Thanks to the amazing spirit of the Clipper Race, there were no hard feelings whatsoever.

When the Unicef yacht pulled in to dock, three cheers rang out from Tongyeong, followed by a round of applause. 

Both crews said that they were like a big family, and were happy to have such an exciting end to their journey.

"After crossing the ocean it’s quite something that you finish within two minutes of each other," said Tongyeong First Mate Brian Uniacke. 

"These finishes, they’ve got like all the wind, then into a bay or loch and suddenly you’re fighting for a little breath of air. We thought we were gonna finish hours ago"

"We were just begging for wind, when you think you’re finished, it’s tough.

"To come in where we’ve come in, we’ve really been in the fight the whole time. We had a little setback when we lost our coatsail but it was expertly repaired and that’s really why we’re here."

Asked about the final hours of the race, UNICEF Skipper Guy Waites said: "Oh boy, that’s where it all slipped!

"We held second place very solidly for days and days and days, fantastic performance from the team.

"But then the final two miles Tongyeong snuck in front of us, so well done Lou Boorman, Brian Uniacke and the Tongyeong team, they did a fantastic job.

"It’s great to be here, really is.

"It’s not my first time in Oban but it is my first time sailing in, and the sailing was spectacular. Once the fog cleared and we could see the hills in the background and the cloud rolling through them and the sunlight, it’s beautiful scenery you have here."

Asked what he was most looking forward to in town, Guy said: "I love haggis, so I can’t wait to get stuck into some good haggis."

Both Tongyeong and UNICEF arrived in Oban ahead of the scheduled arrival window, which begins today (Friday July 10). They were joined by fellow early arrivals Yacht Club Punta del Este and Qingdao in the early finishers club.

All five arrived before Clipper had managed to set up its fanzone, even despite the slow crawl for the last 30-40 miles. 

The Festival of the Sea has now also officially started, with Clipper banners and flags taking over the entire North Pier and much of George Street for the next 10 days.