A SOUTH Cheshire man has been picked to sail on the trip of a lifetime next summer.

Barclays Bank IT project manager Stuart Sim, 49, of Pickwick Close in Sandbach, has been selected to take part in the Clipper 2007-2008 Round the World Yacht Race.

He says: 'I saw posters advertising the race on the Tube and was hooked. I have lots of sailing under my belt but this is something else, 10 months and 35,000 miles around the world.'

Stuart will set off from Liverpool's Albert Docks in September with a crew of people from all walks of life. Together they will attempt to circum-navigate the world, pausing at stopover points such as Brazil, South Africa, China and North America.

He hopes to raise £35,000 as part of the event for the New Hope Children's Centre, an orphanage in Kenya that is also supported by Barclays. The money would help meet the cost of a new school.

Stuart adds: 'I want to be able to look back on my life and seize all the opportunities that have come my way and I would recommend others to do the same.' South Cheshire people can still apply to take part in the world's longest ocean race. Competitors receive intense training before they sailing thousands of miles of ocean aboard the 68-foot yachts.

Crew members will take turns to cook, clean and carry out repairs as well as take the wheel.

Father-of-two Stuart knows the race won't all be plain sailing, saying: 'I'll miss my son and daughter and new girlfriend a great deal.'

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race was established a decade ago by the highly-respected sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was keen for amateur sailors to experience the adventure and rewards of ocean racing.

Sir Robin says: 'Stuart will be joining more than 1,400 people who have made the Clipper experience a turning point in their lives. We want people to finish the race thinking that it's the best thing they have ever done. You could join these people.'

Anyone over the age of 18 can enter and there is no upper age limit. Of the competitors who have signed up for the race, 40% have no sailing experience before signing up, and include an vicar, housewife and a postman.

* For more information on applying to become a crew member in the sixth Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, phone Clipper Ventures on 02392 526000 or e-mail David Cusworth, Clipper crew recruitment manager at dcusworth@clipper-ventures.com.