RETURNING sailors from the world’s longest ocean race spoke of their relief in touching dry land.

Thousands lined the banks of the River Thames in London on Saturday to welcome home crews from the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Hampshire sailors were among the emotional 250 amateur sailors receiving a hero’s welcome at the grand finale of the epic nautical adventure which has taken them 40,000 nautical mile circumnavigation around the globe.

Last night they spoke of their jubilation of completing the final chapter of the 14-race, eight leg challenge as they celebrated with their families, friends and crews.

It was after the fleet had crossed the official race finish line in Southend, after a 30-hour tightly-fought final battle across 198 nautical miles of the North Sea.

Derry-Londonderry-Doire won the final leg which started in Den Helder, Netherlands, while LMAX Exchange bagged the overall race win - just four points ahead of second place.

Derry-Londonderry-Doire team included Alison Boeree, 57, a Southampton University lecturer from Lymington – who completed legs one-four and seven and eight.

But all of the crews have achieved a remarkable feat over the last 11 months the 12 competing vessels have faces everything from violent tropical storms, to savage 90-mph winds, freezing nights and scorching heats over six continents.

Tracie Appleby, 48, from Eastleigh, was among crews from vessel Unicef, which finished 10th overall and was previously crewed by Jim Prendergast, 40, from Gosport and Kate Whyatt, 59, a counsellor from Fleet.

Tracie, a mum of three, who works as a paralegal in banking had joined the team for leg eight and has spent seven weeks at sea.

She sailing into St Katherine Docks in London was an “incredible feeling” and told the Echo: “I started dancing and jumping around on the bow of the ship, there were tears and it was really emotional. The first thing I am looking forward to now is a hot bath and spending some quality time with the family.”

She said praised her team for their camerarderie and said the biggest challenge is keeping the team spirit going while living in close quarters on the ocean.

She said: “The sailing is fine but the biggest thing is keeping the motivation going, especially when you are tired.

“I’m living on adrenaline at the moment and it feels like my feet haven’t touched the ground yet.”

Over the last 11 months the 12 competing vessels have faces everything from violent tropical storms, to savage 90-mph winds, freezing nights and scorching heats over six continents.

As the parade of sail procession meandered its way up the river on Saturday to mark the end of the race, the crew of the IchorCoal wore black armbands and painted their nails blue and green as a tribute to Andrew Ashman and Sarah Young who both died during this year’s voyage.

The crew, which finished 11th included Davina Watson, 34, an anaesthetist from Winchester.

Since leaving London last year the fleet has visited Rio De Janeiro, Cape Town, Albany in Western Australia, Sydney, Airlie Beach, in Queensland, Australia, Da Nang in Vietnam, Qingdao in China, Seattle, Panama, New York, Derry-Londonderry and Den Helder in the Netherlands.

There are 84 sailors competing in the whole circumnavigation and 250 in all legs.

In third place was Great Britain, followed by Garmin in fourth and Qingdao in fifth.

Mission Performance finished sixth to the delight of crew members James Shepherd, 30, a banker from Alresford who completed the whole circumnavigation, Greg Miller, 40, from Gosport, and Alison Hudson, 44, ambulance care assistant from Lee-on-the-Solent who came on the first leg.

Da Nang – Viet Nam finished seventh, ahead of Visit Seattle in eighth which included crew members Rosalind Guy, 46, an IT training consultant from Hook, Chris Beddoes, 61, chartered chemical engineer from Hursley who completed legs one, four and eight and Katharine Garner, 57, retired air traffic controller from Burley who took part in legs two, three and six.

Clippertelemed+ was ninth and PSP Logistics which featured Damien Sweeney, 45, a business director from Romsey and Max Stunell, 34, from Portsmouth – finished in twelfth place.

Clipper Round the World race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 77, described the 10th edition of the biennial race as "extremely tough".

As the first person to non-stop sail solo around the world in 1968-69, he said: "The conditions encountered in the Pacific were the worst we've seen in 20 years of running the race.

"I am proud of all of the crew; they have taken on all the world's most challenging oceans and have been very resilient.

"They should be justly proud of themselves - whether crossing a single ocean or circumnavigating the entire planet.

The event was founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox Johnston in a bid to give amateur sailors the chance to take part in ocean racing.

Most of the 680 sailors were novices - and 40 per cent had no sailing experience at all before signing up.

Since the event started more than 4,000 sailors have taken part in at least one leg.

The next event, starting in 2017, will cost £49,500 to take part.