Return of clippers on cards

The City of Albany is in discussions to host a leg of the 2017 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

If the City is successful in its bid for the race, which docked in Albany in 2015, it will have to adhere to some financial conditions.

This comes after a motion was passed by councillors on Tuesday night, which dictated conditions City chief executive Andrew Sharpe would need to follow when negotiating host port rights for the race.

Cr Nicolette Mulcahy put the motion forward, which named two conditions when negotiating host port rights: that the City of Albany’s financial commitment be in-kind assistance up to $15,000, and that the City seek additional partner funding and support to increase community engagement and support of the city’s role in hosting the event.

The host bid for the 2017 event is still subject to negotiation with Clipper Ventures.

The item, which was discussed behind closed doors, was voted against by Crs Alison Goode, Carolyn Dowling and Paul Terry.

Crs Mulcahy, Greg Stocks, Robert Sutton, Ray Hammond, Janelle Price, Sandie Smith, Anthony Moir, Bill Hollingworth, and Mayor Dennis Wellington voted for the motion.

If successful in the bid, Albany will be the final destination of leg three of the race — the Southern Ocean leg.

The clipper crew will arrive from Cape Town, South Africa, before heading east to Sydney.

According to the 2015 post-event evaluation report, that year’s race attracted more than $870,000 in direct visitor spending.

About 400 clipper visitors were in Albany from November 23-December 1.

Albany also hosted the race in 2013.