New skipper takes helm of Capital’s global race yacht

the new skipper has taken up his role on the Capital’s entry in the Clipper Round the World yacht race.

Piers Dudin will lead the crew of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital across the Atlantic on the race’s final leg, which starts from New York on Thursday.

His first role as skipper was to lead the fleet’s parade of sail into New York on Sunday with a Great Britain spinnaker sail raised, to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Mr Dudin, 34, “The team has received lots of messages of support since their last result and we hope to get a few places better still before the race finish.

“We are looking forward to flying the Scottish flag all the way home.”

Piers takes over from interim skipper Flavio Zamboni, who finished after Leg Seven from Oakland to New York due to previous commitments.

Original skipper Gordon Reid stood down earlier in the race for personal reasons.

The final leg of the race will see yachts crossing the Atlantic to Derry/Londonderry, before heading around the north coast of Scotland to the Netherlands, and finishing in Southampton in July.