Crew sails into warm saint’s day welcome in New Zealand

THE Capital’s entry in the Clipper Round the World yacht race has arrived in New Zealand following a 3800-mile race from Western Australia.

The crew of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital were greeted by the chief executive of Tauranga City Council, ex-pat Ken Paterson, and joined millions of others across the world in raising a glass to Scotland’s patron saint.

Born and raised in Perthshire before moving to New Zealand in 1992, Mr Paterson joined local piper Warren Aitken to welcome the 17 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital crew members to the city.

He said: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Edinburgh Inspiring Capital crew to New Zealand, and even more pleasure to have some fellow Scots with me to toast St Andrew’s Day.

“I know the crew had to battle the elements over the past three weeks to get here, and we are all delighted they made it safe and sound.

“As a former student of Heriot-Watt University, I am thrilled to see Edinburgh being promoted around the world in this way.”

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital skipper Gordon Reid added: “To be welcomed to this beautiful city by a fellow Scotsman on St Andrew’s Day is pretty surreal, but absolutely fantastic.

“The crew have worked really hard in pretty terrifying conditions over the past few weeks, and we are certainly going to enjoy the celebrations tonight.”