Three Sailors From South Coast Selected As First Mates On Global Yacht Race

Three sailors from the South Coast have been selected as First Mates on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Cameron McCracken, 24, from West Sussex, Joss Creswell, 23, from Chilfrome, Dorset and Thomas Newsom, 24, from Lymington, Hampshire are three of eleven First Mates selected to take on this incredible challenge of racing around the globe as second-in-command on board the yachts, bringing leadership, support and knowledge to their Race Crew. .

The AQP (Additional Qualified Person), also known as ‘First Mate,’ will support the Race Skipper in leading their team on the Clipper 2023-24 Race, an intense 40,000nm circumnavigation on board an ocean racing yacht, which will get underway this summer. 

The Clipper Race is one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges. Eleven teams consisting of non-professional sailors from a range of backgrounds, nationalities and sailing experience face the rawest and most difficult ocean conditions on the eleven-month circumnavigation: from huge swells, freezing temperatures and hurricane force winds of the world’s harshest oceans, to the blistering topical heat of the Doldrums. The crew are led by a Professional Race Skipper, who is assisted by a First Mate to ensure a safe race and epic adventure. 

Tom and Cameron are familiar faces at Clipper Ventures HQ, having worked as Training Mates, coaching the Clipper Race Crew through their intensive levels of training required to race around the world. 24 year old Cameron McCracken, now with over 36,000nm in his log book, also raced on the 2017-18 and 2019-20 editions as Race Crew, ticking off the South China Sea and North Pacific Ocean, before going on to work as a Training Mate and on the refit at Clipper Ventures HQ.

Cameron said: “Since I finished the Clipper 2017-18 Race and stepped off the boat in Qingdao, China, I knew that sailing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, it’s given me a great sense of purpose and becoming an AQP was something to really aim for.”

Speaking about the race ahead, Cameron says: “I’m looking forward to racing in the Roaring Forties, and also taking on the North Pacific again because it was so much fun.”

Tom Newsom has over 16,000nm logged, with extensive racing experience and has completed a Trans-Pacific crossing. Tom was also a First Mate on the first ever SKIRR Adventures expedition in 2022, sailing in challenging conditions in the North Atlantic and Arctic Sea on this high latitudes voyage run by Clipper Race sister company. 

Speaking about what ocean racing means to him, Tom says: “Racing is a place to sharpen your senses, feeling the balance of the boat and reaction speeds. To become a good sailor, it is essential to sail effectively. I love sailing at hull speed, hearing the water rush along the hull and watching the white wake trail behind.”

On the race ahead, he says: “I’m really excited. There is definitely a sense of pride in achieving a three year goal and being part of such a unique event. It’s going to be great to be part of managing people to create a winning race team. I know I’m going to enjoy the privilege of experiencing nature and hope to improve my meteorology and seamanship skills.”

Dorset sailor Joss Creswell is a newcomer to the Clipper Race. No stranger to challenging conditions, Joss has over 12,000nm in his log book including passages around the Scottish Outer Hebrides, and is also a competitive surfer, which has taken him to Mexico and Scotland in search of world-class waves.

On applying to become a First Mate, Joss says: “Offshore racing can be an exclusive club, but the Clipper Race allows anybody to try their hand at something so challenging. A yacht is a great equaliser. I’m really looking forward to working in partnership with the Skipper, and being a sounding board and right hand man for them, as well as helping to make tactical decisions.”

The privilege of becoming a Clipper Race AQP offers invaluable experience to further develop a professional sailing career, and is a step towards advancing to the role of Race Skipper in the future.  

Dale Smyth, Deputy Race Director says: “Our AQPs are outstanding individuals who are well established in the maritime industry and many of them will be building towards becoming a Race Skipper in the future using the clear pathway that Clipper Ventures offers. Six of our Skippers for the upcoming edition were AQPs on the previous race, and several of our professionals have come from roles as Training Skippers at the Clipper Race and through working at Hamble School of Yachting.”

The eleven First Mates are now based at Clipper Race HQ in Gosport, where they join the eleven selected Race Skippers for weeks of intensive training to hone their skills. Each First Mate will be paired with their respective Skipper, and will be allocated their Race Crew at the upcoming Crew Allocation event at Portsmouth Guildhall on Saturday, May 20. 

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About the Clipper Race
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. This unique, epic event sees teams battle extreme conditions as they race more than 40,000 nautical miles around the globe in a true test of fortitude and determination.

The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind which trains people from all walks of life to become ocean racers, and many have no previous sailing experience before signing up for the intensive four levels of training prior to racing. Led by a professional Skipper and First Mate, Race Crew can complete the full eleven month circumnavigation or choose to test themselves on one or multiple legs.

The Clipper Race was founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world.