Yacht race operator Clipper received a share price boost on news it has chosen the city of Liverpool as host port for the start and finish of its 2005/6 and 2007/8 Round the World Yacht Races. Clipper has also granted the city title sponsorship rights for its own yacht entry in both events. In return for these sponsorship rights, the city will pay cash fees of £1.8m to Clipper. This is Clipper's biggest ever sponsorship deal and is 'unprecedented' in the arena of round the world yacht race hosting. William Ward, Clipper's chief executive, says the company is keen to establish Liverpool as the home of the Clipper race, extending a partnership that's been effective over the last four years. In the half to October 2002, Clipper made £13,000 pre-tax, down from £64,000 a year earlier, on sales of £1.7m (£1.4m). Income from the Clipper 2002 race, which also set off from Liverpool, and the Around Alone race was included in these results. Clipper Ventures' chairman is race organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo non-stop around the world. So far, the company has disappointed since launching onto the markets in 1998, posting a loss in its accounts for each and every year since. But City analysts predict a £2.5m pre-tax profit from £2.8m sales when the company reports for the year to April 2003. Speculative buy.