Clipper Ventures Plc, operator of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, has revealed details of its first official footwear partner today at the London Boat Show, as the Rockport Company® has entered into a global, multi-year partnership running until 2014.   Rockport will provide hundreds of pairs of its Hydromotion 2 performance sailing shoes to all skippers, team members, and Clipper Race staff at various times throughout the three-year partnership.   This will cover the remainder of the current race and the whole of the Clipper 13-14 Race featuring a brand new fleet of 12 Clipper 70 yachts. The company will also activate the agreement through an integrated global marketing media platform.   Clipper Race founder and chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-9, said, “I am very pleased to welcome Rockport on board as an official supplier to the Clipper Race, which provides a unique global platform to promote international brands around the world. We value Rockport’s partnership and look forward to putting their footwear to the ultimate test.”   The Rockport Company, LLC, is a leading brand within the adidas Group corporate portfolio and one of the most recognised footwear brands in the United States.   “We are thrilled to partner with a major global event like the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and having participants take the Hydromotion 2 collection for the ultimate wear test,” says Daniel Tschuemperlin, Senior Vice President of Product and Brand Management at Rockport.   “For years, Rockport has invested immense amounts of time and resources into making not only the most technologically advanced boat shoes but also the most stylish, and we feel there is no better way to prove the merit of these products than to have the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race staffers, skippers and sailors wear them over the next three years.”   Rockport will launch an integrated marketing campaign this year (2012) that will include elements on Rockport.com, social media channels and in-store promotional campaigns in select markets, as well as Clipper Race properties on Rockport owned social channels including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. In addition, in-port marketing and public relations initiatives will be activated at select major port stops during the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.   The Hydromotion 2 collection will be available at Rockport stores and www.rockport.com  globally beginning March 2012.