Richard Burchell planted his feet firmly on land yesterday and took no time deciding whether to sail the ocean again.
'At the moment, my answer is no,' said the British chiropodist, 39, one of about 100 first-time sailors who paid up to $262,500 to sail the world in the Clipper '96 yacht race, which has been financed by veteran round-the-world yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.
Spinnakers billowing, the eight competing yachts sailed through Victoria Harbour into the shelter of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club where family and friends were waiting.
Two sailors were taken to hospital with injuries. One had torn a tendon in his hand and another had a large lump on his elbow after accidents aboard the clipper Serica.
There have been no major incidents but it has not been easy for the inaugural race crew, aged 18 to 68. Within hours of setting out from Plymouth in England in October last year, the yacht Chrysolite turned back as gale force winds battered the English Channel to take a crew member to hospital after he began vomiting blood.
At least one other sailor has pulled out of the race and two more will switch to another yacht as a result of personality clashes, after weathering conditions that were sometimes stormy, sometimes dead calm.
