Number One: The Hong Kong Clipper came first in the Hawaii-to-Yokohama leg of its round-the-world race.

The "Hong Kong Clipper" has won the Hawaii-to-Yokohama leg of the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race.

After battling difficult weather conditions off the coast of Japan, the Invest Hong Kong-sponsored vessel stormed home ahead of the "Bristol Clipper".

The "Hong Kong Clipper" is competing against seven other identical yachts, each backed by a city - New York, London, Cape Town, Glasgow, Jersey, Bristol and Liverpool.

The yachts set sail in Liverpool in October last year, taking part in the world's longest circumnavigation race covering 35,500 nautical miles.

The next stop will be Shanghai, followed by Hong Kong, where the yachts are expected to arrive in early April.

"The 'Hong Kong Clipper' has performed extremely well in this race so far and we congratulate the crew for their excellent result in Yokohama leg," said Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong Mike Rowse.

Mr Rowse recalled that the yacht clinched victory in the first race from Liverpool to Cascais, Portugal last November.

"We look forward to welcoming and congratulating the crew personally when the Clipper comes to Hong Kong next month," he added.

As Asia's World City and one of the world's finest and busiest deep-water ports, Hong Kong will host the Clipper teams as a two-week stopover destination at the halfway point of the event.

Mr Rowse said  that the sponsorship gives Hong Kong a chance to demonstrate its competitive strengths as the freest economy in the most strategic location in the Asia Pacific.

The six-leg, 16-port race is expected to finish in Liverpool in September 2003.