* California due in tonight local time.

* Hull & Humber, Spirit of Australia & Edinburgh Inspiring Capital also due to finish today.

* Replacement mast starts its journey to San Francisco.

 

“The miles are ticking down and by tonight, Spirit of Australia and ourselves will hopefully be berthed and enjoying the party that awaits us,” says temporary skipper of Hull & Humber, Brendan Hall. “We have been relieved of escort duty by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, though with the light winds and slow sailing we have had today, it is unlikely we will catch California before the finish.

 

“All of us onboard both boats are looking forward to getting in and seeing our friends, loved ones and fellow crew and putting the final full stop on this epic of a Pacific crossing”

 

Judging by her current speeds, the plucky team on board California look likely to be safely tied up in the sanctuary of the Golden Gate Yacht Club by around 2100 local time. Since being rolled in the huge Pacific storm that struck them 14 days ago, it has been a mammoth effort from across the fleet to get them to this point and it is sure to be an emotional arrival. Supporters are planning to be on the dockside with a whole raft of long dreamt for food and drink that will be especially welcome.

 

It’s a theme picked up on by Mike Lewis, the Cork round the world crew member currently sailing on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital as he counts down the last few miles. “The immediate future, of course, involves a lot of thought about the things that we have missed for the last five weeks at sea. Fresh food, showers, an end to the constant motion and of course beer are all high on the list of things we are looking forward to when we arrive in San Francisco.

 

“Even for those of us who have by now completed a number of lengthy ocean passages, this time the sacrifices have been felt particularly sharply due to the sheer length of time spent at sea. We have been living on pasta, rice, tomato sauce, tinned tuna, spam and tinned meat, with very little variety since we left Qingdao. To be able to sit down to a meal, probably a good steak, and eat with a knife and fork from a plate – instead of a spoon from a bowl – perhaps with a glass of wine with which to wash it down, has everybody just counting down those final miles.”

 

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Hull & Humber and Spirit of Australia’s expected ETA will be close to that of California so it will be a busy night for the Clipper Race team. One important task for Race Director Joff Bailey is to head out in a RIB to oversee the berthing of Hull & Humber. That frees up Brendan Hall, skipper of Spirit of Australia to make an emotional return to his boat and arrive at the yacht club with the team he departed with from Qingdao.

 

Meanwhile, back in the UK, California’s replacement mast has started its journey from the fabrication unit in the west country of England. Engineers have spent the last ten days working flat out before shipping the spar to the airport. It will fly in to Los Angeles and then makes the journey north to San Francisco on the back of a truck. A suitable yard has already been located in the city where the stump of California’s mast can be removed and the new one stepped.

 

Meanwhile, on the race track, Team Finland have crossed the international date line and continue to tick down the miles. They have winds on the beam blowing at 15 – 20 knots which will be aiding their progress nicely towards the warm welcome that awaits them.

 

Positions at 1500 UTC, Sunday 4 April

 

Boat                          DTF*        DTL*

Cape Breton Island            FINISHED: 1425 UTC, Tuesday 30 March 2010

Jamaica Lightning Bolt  FINISHED: 0734 UTC, Thursday 1 April 2010

Qingdao                                  FINISHED: 2240 UTC, Thursday 1 April 2010

Uniquely Singapore      FINISHED: 1405 UTC, Saturday 3 April 2010

California                    62nm         62nm

Edinburgh Inspiring           69nm         69nm

Hull & Humber                 72nm         72nm

Spirit of Australia           75nm         75nm

Team Finland                  2545nm       2545nm

 

Skipper Peter Stirling sprays the champagne after his team arrived into San Francisco in second place after their 5,680 mile race from Qingdao.

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It’s the million dollar question. You’ve raced 5,600 miles across the planet’s biggest ocean, you’ve battled through storms, been knocked off your feet by the force of the water crashing over the open deck, surfed down waves taller than houses, been scared, exhilarated and exhausted in equal proportion and for the last four weeks lived on diet largely made up of pasta and sauce – but just what do you want to eat for your first meal ashore?

The crew of Cape Breton Island, who are set to take line honours when they cross the finish line later today, are all set to celebrate with pizza – delivered to the boat when they arrive in San Francisco Marina next to the Golden Gate Yacht Club. A quick email from the yacht this morning to family at home has secured the number of a pizza delivery place.

But as skipper Jan Ridd explains, the Pacific isn’t letting them go without a final test. “Less than ten hours to go and the battle that has been the North Pacific will be over for the Big Blue Canoe,” he says. ”The Pacific isn’t quite done with us, sending forth a different challenge today. Following the repair of our mainsail yesterday and sliders today we were able to re-hoist our main and get some power back – just in time for the wind to disappear!

“It does seem to be our curse that just as the finish starts to loom the wind that has been so steady fades for six to eight hours. We are now, however, cracking along again at nine or ten knots.

“Thoughts are set towards creating the perfect finish line treats before we move into party mode tomorrow morning, afternoon and night! Our excitement is, however, dampened by the thoughts of so many of our mates in the rest of the fleet that won’t be there to join in the usual fun. To them: sail fast, sail safe and we will see you on the pontoon for what will be a warm welcome!”

Qingdao and Jamaica Lightning Bolt are locked in a battle to be second across the finish line and it’s closer than it might appear on the Race Viewer. Yesterday we reported that Jamaica Lightning Bolt had applied to the Race Committee for redress for the time they spent assisting California.

Race Director Joff Bailey says, “Jamaica Lightning Bolt claimed a time redress of 32 hours 15 minutes for the assistance they gave to California over approximately 3.5 days after they lost their mast.

“This was calculated based on the average VMG (Velocity Made Good – ie speed towards the finish line) over the previous nine days, the weather during the period of assistance, the Distance to Finish (DTF) when Jamaica Lightning Bolt stopped racing and changed course to provide assistance and the DTF when Jamaica Lightning Bolt finally started racing again and therefore the miles lost whilst giving assistance.

“The Race Committee has reviewed the request for redress and agrees that it is a fair time allowance for the distance lost by Jamaica Lightning Bolt during the period of assistance. As such the Race Committee agrees with the request for redress and 32 hours 15 minutes shall be deducted from the Jamaica Lightning Bolt finishing time. This revised finish time will be used to calculate overall finish positions.

“The Race Committee would also like to thank the crew of Jamaica Lightning Bolt for the speedy reaction to the situation and the assistance they gave to California.”

Qingdao’s skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, comments, “The news of Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s redress comes as no surprise aboard the Dragon. It was clear from the start that after the assistance they gave California they would seek redress using the means available under the Racing Rules of Sailing. They are now approximately 20 hours ahead of us on corrected time although still ten behind on the water. It would take an uncharacteristic error On Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s behalf or an unfortunate weather pattern to slow them down sufficiently to allow us stand on the podium ahead of them but stranger things have happened and we shall continue to make the best headway we can at full race speed in case Lady Luck fancies throwing us a bone at the last moment.”

And while Jamaica Lightning Bolt surfs towards the finish line – recording a top speed for this leg of 22.4 knots with Belinda Smith on the helm – Mother Nature still has a few surprises to spring on the crew.

Skipper, Pete Stirling, reports this morning, “Life was sweet with the miles slipping effortlessly by under the keel. Life was obviously a bit too sweet because out of nowhere a particularly large wave picked up the back of the boat and, despite the best efforts of the helm to counter it, spun the bow up into the wind. The poled out Yankee 3 backed and the spinnaker pole ripped a section of the mast track it was attached to from the mast. The spinnaker pole was catapulted aft, fortunately wedging itself firmly in the leeward rigging whilst the Yankee was flogging out of control. Immediately the shout from the on watch of ‘all hands on deck’ was heard down below.

“This is only the second time since leaving Hull that such a call has been heard. The crew know it is serious when they hear this and the response was impressive with all the crew on deck within a couple of minutes, some even appearing in their pyjamas. The situation was quickly brought under control with the Yankee sheeted in on the leeward side before dropping it and the spinnaker pole carefully disentangled from the rigging. Apart from a slightly bent spinnaker pole and the damage to the mast track we came away relatively unscathed, largely due to the fast and professional response of the crew.”

Uniquely Singapore has clocked the highest 12-hour run of the fleet. “The wind has picked up and is giving us some good speed and the crew are now fixed on the GPS as they see the miles go down,” says skipper, Jim Dobie. “There was an unusually big swell today which must be a pulse or leftover from quite a large system and which has been uncomfortable to deal with.

“The Race Office confirmed news of Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s redress and we are now following the battle which is taking place between Qingdao and Jamaica Lightning Bolt – it should make for some interesting viewing all the way to the finish,” he adds.

Spirit of Australia and Hull & Humber, accompanying California are set to pass the ‘fewer than 1,000 miles to the finish line’ milestone today. It will lift the spirits of the crews who have been severely tested – and definitely not found wanting – on this marathon leg from Qingdao, China, to San Francisco, California.

The Scottish entry is not far behind, skipper Matt Pike saying, “Edinburgh Inspiring Capital keeps on trucking towards the Golden Gate Bridge, fiddling her way between the windier lows and the slowly developing high pressure system. The first rendezvous points for meeting California are passed; their speed is better than expected and we can’t go any faster, so we are shadowing them as best we can but the most comfortable angle for them to motor is different to our best speed/wind angle. We will see if we can cross paths before the finish – hopefully in a couple more days as the distance reduces hour by hour.”

Cape Breton Island is on course to cross the finish line later today and will arrive in San Francisco Marina several hours later – updated ETAs will be posted on the official race website, www.clipperroundtheworld.com and on Twitter: twitter.com/Clipper0910.

POSITIONS AT 0900 UTC, TUESDAY 30 MARCH 2010

1 Cape Breton Island DTF 66
2 Qingdao DTF 594 DTL +527
3 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 682 DTL +615
4 Uniquely Singapore DTF 892 DTL +826
5 Hull & Humber DTF 1036 DTL +970
6 California DTF 1037 DTL +971
7 Spirit of Australia DTF 1039 DTL +972
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 1105 DTL +1038
9 Team Finland DTF 3421 DTL +3354
10 Cork Did not start

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Whilst the Southern Ocean leg is the one that often has the most
fearsome reputation, for the teams competing in Clipper 09-10 it pales
into insignificance when compared to what the Pacific Ocean is currently
throwing at them. 24 hours into the latest tempest and another team has
fallen victim to the punishing conditions with California reported to
have been dismasted at the level of their first spreader.

Race Director, Joff Bailey, says, “We received a call from Falmouth
Coastguard at around 1600 GMT yesterday to advise us that California’s
EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) had been activated.
At the time we made every attempt to contact the boat by all means
available but were unfortunately unsuccessful.”

Given that the yacht had been sailing in more than 50 knots of wind with
associated heavy seas, it was essential to establish why the EPIRB had
been activated. Falmouth Coastguard handed over the incident to the US
Coastguard who promptly sent a C130 aircraft towards the transmitting
emergency beacon.

The crew of the aircraft successfully located the yacht and communicated
with skipper Pete Rollason using VHF radio. The aircraft also made
contact with fellow race entry, Jamaica Lightning Bolt, whose skipper,
Pete Stirling, was able to relay the first brief detail back to the
Clipper Race office.

The California skipper confirmed that the yacht has lost her mast at the
first spreader but that her hull is undamaged and that they are
currently motoring towards San Francisco. Jamaica Lightning Bolt,
Uniquely Singapore, Spirit of Australia and Hull & Humber have all been
asked to make for the yacht and the Jamaica sponsored boat is expected
to be on station by around 1400 GMT. A merchant ship in the vicinity has
also been directed to the yacht by the US Coastguard and is due to
arrive early this evening.

“Fruity” is how skipper Brendan Hall describes the conditions through
which he and his adopted crew on board Hull & Humber have just sailed.
“Fruity is the word I now use to describe wind over 60 knots,” he
explains. “It sounds less intimidating when describing the conditions to
those back home.

“If we had seen these sorts of seas back on Leg 1, the crew would have
been incredibly scared. Now, having sailed 20,000 nautical miles, the
round-the-worlders take these conditions in their stride, handling the
boat in a safe, confident, methodical way. This confidence flows on to
the leggers, who are becoming more hardened by the day.

“The boat is under control and we have a very small amount of sail up.
>From time to time, a wave comes in from an unexpected angle and slaps
the hull, rounding the nose of the boat up towards the wind in a very
violent manner. Down below, anything that isn’t anchored down, stowed or
braced goes flying across the boat.

“There is nothing you can do in these instances except hold on, keep
yourself safe and trust that the boat will get through it. While every
lurching round-up makes us all cringe, the boat has not faltered and we
have absolute confidence in her strength and integrity and equal
confidence in our crewmates up on deck, driving her as safely as they
can.”

Uniquely Singapore is taking time to get back up to speed following
their recent knock down which caused some minor damage – tearing off the
companionway hood and buckling the steering wheel and frame in front of
it. As a precautionary measure skipper Jim Dobie made the decision to
hove-to overnight and wait for daylight and the prospect of reduced wind
strength and a better sea state before fixing the steering and carrying
on.

“Don’t know what to say today except I’ve had a gutful of this bloody
ocean,” writes Jim in his 0600 GMT report to the race office. “We
thought we had fixed our wheel but is has come loose again and we don’t
want to carry on with the emergency steering in this large swell and
breaking wave conditions. So the safest thing is to hove to and wait for
this weather to pass or the first light, whichever comes first. We also
haven’t quite solved the companionway issue yet but have managed to
board it up with storm boards and cutting a floorboard.”

Whilst Jim is confident he and his crew can repair the damage caused to
their steering wheel, the decision to wait until daylight is a wise one,
allowing the tired crew to get some much needed rest first.

Jim is not the only one to have found the stormy Pacific conditions
wearing and Cape Breton Island’s skipper, Jan Ridd, reports that things
are becoming harder by the day as the initial excitement and adrenaline
rush wears off.

“We are now all very cold, very wet and very tired,” says Jan. “We are
all looking forward to being able to sail the Big Blue Canoe in more
normal conditions and hopefully without the driving rain, howling wind
and being knee deep in sea water as the waves crash onto the deck. We
are dreaming of blue skies, sunshine and a gentle breeze on the beam -
all things being relative 25 to 30 knots would probably feel gentle to
us at the moment!”

“Apart from the physical ordeal the heavy weather has put the crew and
myself through, we have managed to hold on to and even extend our lead
over our competitors. This has been a motivating force for us when
climbing into soaking wet sailing clothes in the middle of the night to
drive the boat as hard as we dare.

“We feel we are just on the edge of the storm now and are cautiously
starting to put up more sails. Although, every time we increase the sail
area the Pacific firmly reminds us that it has not quite finished with
us yet by sending another squall through with torrential rain and a
burst of very heavy winds.”

Team Finland has just arrived at Bayside Marina in Yokohama in order to
top up with enough fresh water for rest of the leg to San Francisco
following an unresolved problem with their on board watermaker.

“Our aim is to get in and out as fast as possible with water and diesel
supplies for the trip,” says skipper Rob McInally. “Our race against
time to be in San Francisco in time for the race start has thrown us a
number of curved balls that have taken a toll on our efforts. There is
no letting up and we will have to change sails even faster and make
decisions even quicker. Everyone is pushing for the time table to be met
with the difficulty of nursing our new sail and rig at the same time.
This is our first go at a Formula 1 style pit stop, the next will be in
San Francisco.”

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital continues to nurse their damaged
rig across the Pacific and a prudent move to stay further south has
meant the team avoided the worst of the storm. With more than 2,000
nautical miles of Race 7 still to go, California’s recent dismasting
will serve as a sharp reminder that the Scottish team cannot afford to
take any unnecessary risks if they are to preserve their rig all the way
to San Francisco.

Positions at 1200 UTC, Monday 22 March

Boat DTF* DTL*
1 Cape Breton Island 1803nm
2 California 2072nm 268nm
3 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 2074nm 271nm
4 Uniquely Singapore 2132nm 328nm
5 Qingdao 2155nm 352nm
6 Hull & Humber 2194nm 391nm
7 Spirit of Australia 2199nm 395nm
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 2342nm 539nm
9 Team Finland 4533nm 2730nm
10 Cork Did not start

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 Cape Breton Island extends their lead as all teams prepare for strong wind of the approching low       pressure system.
 As Team Finland makes excellent progress through the Yellow Sea towards the waypoint at the southern tip of Japan that will mark their entry into the Pacific, out on the vast expanse of the world’s largest ocean the rest of the Clipper 09-10 fleet is eating up the miles towards the finish line in the shadow of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

The last 24 hours has seen Cape Breton Island consolidate her lead and make gains on the chasing pack although, as skipper Jan Ridd explains, he and the crew of the Canadian entry know that even a substantial lead can disappear in the blink of an eye.

He says, “Everyone on board is feeling upbeat about our performance so far in this race but we are all too aware that there is still a long way to go and if we make one mistake and damage the big blue canoe, what looks like a comfortable lead could disappear in a couple of days, so everything we do now is done with extra care and caution.

“We have enjoyed 24 hours of stable wind blowing from a favourable direction allowing us to sail very comfortably at a respectable speed seeing the distance to the finish at San Francisco drop considerably. The only drawback is that the watch on deck have had to endure some very wet weather; with a front sitting over the top of us we have had drizzle making time on deck particularly unpleasant. We have also had a couple of good results in the schedules seeing us gain miles on the whole fleet and most importantly Jamaica Lightning Bolt who time and time again have crept up on us and passed us.

“My attention is now firmly focused on the weather, as the latest information shows a new low pressure developing just behind us and forecasting 60 knot winds around the area of the scoring gate, so we have already stopped going any further north and are trying to put as much distance between the low pressure and ourselves. We cannot sail fast enough to outrun the storm but hopefully it will track north and we will be far enough to the east to avoid the worst of the winds. It will be interesting to see the rest of the fleet’s tactics, especially the boats further back, as they could be nearer to the extreme wind. I have already forewarned the crew that we could be in for some heavy weather and both our storm sails are prepared ready to go! Here’s hoping that we get lucky and that the Pacific weather is kind to us.”

Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper Pete Stirling is also fairly up beat after success at the Scoring Gate. “The crew were duly ecstatic about it and much hand shaking, hugging and back slapping was had by all. Before the last leg I had really developed a dislike for the whole scoring gate part of the race. We hadn’t benefited in any way whatsoever but had seen other boats take advantage. Now, however, having got five scoring gate points out of the last two races I’m actually getting to quite like the concept!

“We have been slowly gaining ground to the north over the last couple of days but I have now decided we have gone far enough. From now on it is east all the way with maybe a touch of south in it. The weather is now horrible with constant rain, fog and very cold, although we do have a favourable wind. There is also a very deep low pressure system moving in to the north of us in a couple of days’ time which is going to bring gale force winds once again.”

The other teams are all more than aware of what may be in store with the approaching low. Jim Dobie, skipper of Uniquely Singapore says, “We’re having a great run at the moment with great boat speed but a little put out by the constant rain which has appeared since very early this morning. This constant grey companion of ours has been depositing a steady stream of fine rain (the kind that soaks you slowly but surely) but so far without the squally windy conditions seen a few days ago.

“Trying to work out the weather is a bit of a struggle at the moment as our barometer is dropping which is contrary to what our GRIB files are telling us as we have been expecting the pressure to rise as a ridge comes in. Anyway, we’re not complaining – we have wind, we’re going in the right direction and apart from a being a bit damp it’s a happy boat nonetheless. Now our thoughts turn to the next few days as we keep a cautious eye on this low which is building and see whether it’s still going and forming in the same way.”

“Our strategy of staying to the south of the fleet should be played out over the next 24 to 48 hours and hopefully we should see some significant gains on the leading boats,” says California’s skipper, Pete Rollason. “That is if the weather files do as they say they will but we all know how reliable a weather forecast can be!” he adds.

“Other than that we have been sailing nicely with average boat speeds of ten to 12 knots for the last 18 hours and there does not appear to be any let up at the moment so we will keep on making miles to the east north east. With under 3,000 miles to run talk on board has already turned to, ‘what will be your first meal ashore?’ The answers to this vary from beer to start followed by beer and beer for desert, to large steaks followed by more meat!”
They will have plenty more time to fine tune their dream menus for their first meal ashore after the longest ever individual stage in the history of the Clipper Race.

Despite facing their own particular challenges since the med-evac of Hull & Humber skipper Piers Dudin after he broke his leg, Hull & Humber and Spirit of Australia’s crews are showing the quality of their seamanship and are making good ground, even moving up the leader board. The teams have been instructed to sail closely together towards San Francisco and the Australian yacht with acting skipper Bob Bell in charge currently has the slight advantage.

“We’re sailing safely and focused on what we have to do to weather the oncoming storm,” he reports this morning. Spirit of Australia has been particularly successful at the Scoring Gates in previous races so their lack of points in this race rankles a little and Bob notes wryly, “Completely gutted by the gate news – we was robbed!”

>From on board their companion yacht where regular Spirit of Australia skipper has assumed command, Brendan Hall says, “another day of repairs and rope craft aboard Hull & Humber. The conditions have been stable and consistent. Once the sails are trimmed and the helm is holding a good course, we can set about the ongoing maintenance that every ocean-going yacht needs. We seem to be gaining on Qingdao, which is nice and hopefully we will overtake them in the next few position reports.”

They have done just that but skipper of the Chinese entry, Chris Stanmore-Major, is not overly concerned. He says, “Slowly we eat up the miles between ourselves and San Francisco – sometimes making miles on the fleet sometimes losing. With the halfway point of this leg only just past it seems a long way still to the warm reception no doubt awaiting us in California.  The crew are jocose, enjoying the fair weather we have had for the last few hours. It is a welcome opportunity to air the boat and dry damp clothing. Albatrosses follow the boat inspecting us and gracefully gliding over the uneasy swell that shakes and buffets the boat in the light air. We are north of the high pressure cell forecast some four days before but it seems we will lose ground to those to the south of us before we gain any. For now though there is the ocean and the journey yet to come to fill our minds without worrying about position.”

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital’s path through the forecast high winds will be largely dictated by their bent spreader. “With the conservative sail plan set we are concentrating on weather routing to find the best path forward,” explains skipper, Matt Pike. “We need enough wind to keep us moving but not too much to put the rig under more strain that it need be. In two and a half days time and right on our path a small depression will start to deepen. Investigating further it will become a fully functioning low in its own right and will be carrying the associated wind strengths. So in our likely position we are predicting winds of 55 knots and gusts exceeding that! Not a good place to be at the best of times but for us there is no choice but to turn south and try to avoid the worst of it.”

Back on dry land Hull & Humber’s skipper Piers Dudin has undergone a second operation to pin his broken leg. He is expected to be able to fly home from Japan to the UK in seven to ten days.

Preparations continue apace for the Cork yacht to rejoin the fleet in Panama. Hannah Jenner, who was announced this week as the team’s new skipper has unveiled the challenge she will take on after the finish of Clipper 09-10. Hannah, one of the rising stars of ocean racing, has been announced as the first female entry in the Global Ocean Race, a two-handed race around the world on Class40 yachts beginning in 2011. No question, then, that Cork’s crew will have a highly talented and competitive yachtswoman leading their team when they come together again for Race 9.

POSITIONS AT 1200 UTC, THURSDAY 18 MARCH 2010

1 Cape Breton Island DTF 2608
2 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 2708 DTL +99
3 Uniquely Singapore DTF 2729 DTL +121
4 California DTF 2804 DTL +195
5 Spirit of Australia DTF 2899 DTL +290
6 Hull & Humber DTF 2903 DTL +295
7 Qingdao DTF 2907 DTL +298
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 3005 DTL +397
9 Team Finland DTF 5227 DTL +2618
10 Cork Did not start

 

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* Hull & Humber skipper safely medevaced to Japanese Coastguard vessel
* Spirit of Australia skipper takes command of Hull & Humber
* Team Finland’s mast clears customs

After sustaining a fracture to his right leg on the tenth day of Race 7,
Piers Dudin, Skipper of Hull & Humber has been safely medevaced by the
Japanese Coastguard. The 50 metre rescue vessel is now motoring towards
Japan where it will rendezvous with a larger vessel which has a
helicopter that will airlift the skipper to the city of Sendai,
approximately two hours north of Tokyo.

Reports from the boat suggest that a large wave hit the boat, causing
the skipper to be swept down the deck which resulted in the injury. Hull
& Humber crew member Tom Salt was on deck at the time. He says, “Two of
the crew were on the high side and got swept across the deck – one
stopping by the helm station and the other at the starboard quarter.
Piers was on the low side of the helm station and was swept into the
guard rail and then aft on top of the other crew member who was
uninjured. We believe that Piers caught the side of his right leg around
the forward starboard stanchion of the pushpit and the force of the
water broke his shin. Kevin (Austen) was on the helm, but managed to
keep control and did not lose contact with the wheel. Piers calmly
informed the crew he had broken his leg and was assisted down below,
giving calm instructions on what needed to be done.”

In a message to the crew, Clipper Race Chairman, Sir Robin
Knox-Johnston, praised the way the team had handled the situation. “You
have all been through a difficult ordeal over the last 36 hours, one
that very few people have to cope with. Thank you for the calm manner in
which you have dealt with the situation, this is a testament to you all
and also to the way Piers has instructed and managed the team. It is
also a sign of a very good team that can really pull together in times
of need.”

Following the incident and as one of the nearest vessels, Spirit of
Australia was called upon to shadow Hull & Humber as they headed west to
rendezvous with the Japanese Coastguard. With conditions safe enough for
a boat to boat transfer, skipper Brendan Hall moved on to Hull & Humber
to assist with the evacuation and has now taken charge of the English
entry for the remainder of Race 7.

In the meantime, round the world crew member Bob Bell has been appointed
acting skipper of Spirit of Australia on account of his experience and
qualifications.

Sir Robin says, “Bob is an exceptionally qualified crew member and has
completed approximately 10,000 miles of RYA courses, including RYA
Yachtmaster with ocean theory, and bareboat chartering. He also has more
than 35,000 miles experience from the Challenge Business, completing
their training course and taking part in the BT Global Challenge
2000-2001 race as a round the world crew member on the winning boat.
Added to that, Bob has 20,000 miles of offshore experience with Clipper,
including our comprehensive training course and more than 18,000 miles
of the 09-10 Race.

“He also has the support of another well qualified Yachtswoman, Liz
Simmons who is a qualified RYA Yachtmaster and the crew is now highly
experienced. With nine round the world crew members who have each
completed the Clipper training programme and 18,000 miles of the race,
they are a strong team and I have every faith in their ability.”

Spirit of Australia and Hull & Humber have now turned east again and
been instructed by the Race Office to keep in close company for the
remainder of the 5,680 mile race to San Francisco.

“We have made the decision for both boats to continue to San Francisco
due to the weather forecast,” says Sir Robin. “Between their current
location and Tokyo is the remnants of the last low pressure system which
is currently centered over the Japan sea delivering steady winds between
25 to 35 knots. To head to Japan would mean sailing against the Japan
current and a nasty wind over tide effect. These conditions are
forecasted to persist for the next 24 to 48 hours and will make for a
very difficult ride for any boat that is heading west. The safest course
for the boats is downwind and they have been instructed to head east and
take it easy whilst everyone settles in to the new arrangements.”

Amongst the rest of the fleet, conditions have calmed and the mood is a
somber one as Piers’s accident serves a sharp reminder to all of the
dangers of ocean racing. Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Pete
Stirling, sums it up in his report to the race office today.

“First of all I must extend my heartfelt sympathy to Piers. Over the
course of the last year, since we have known each other, Piers has
become a good friend on land and a fine adversary on the water. It’s a
very cruel twist of fate that has caused him to be taken out of this
race in such a dramatic way. These things can happen in a blink of an
eye and it just demonstrates once again the immense power of the sea and
the amount of damage it can do. As one of my crew pointed out one cubic
metre of water weighs one tonne. On occasion we have a lot more water
than that coming across our decks and then it is also travelling at
speed.”

With two medics on board, Cape Breton Island, along with Spirit of
Australia, was initially called upon to rendezvous with Hull & Humber to
provide assistance if needed. They were stood down but the slight detour
has clearly not affected their performance and the team is now 75
nautical miles ahead of the chasing pack. However, following yesterday’s
incident skipper Jan Ridd’s team isn’t going to push their luck as the
Weymouth-based skipper explains.

“Last night we were carrying on the hunt for Hull & Humber and Spirit of
Australia when the satellite phone rang. I answered with a little
trepidation as we really only use this system for emergencies only. It
was Joff (Bailey, Race Director) who quickly explained that Piers had
been in a nasty accident and had possibly broken his leg and could we
standby to see if we could help as I have two qualified medics on board.
After a short while we were stood down which has allowed us to carry on
racing but under a very conservative sail plan. All of us have been made
very aware of the dangers of ocean racing.”

The Canadian team’s move to the front of the fleet means that their
North American rivals, California, will be fully focused on catching
them as they continue to chase the elusive home port win.

With the repairs to their mainsail now complete, skipper Pete Rollason,
says, “California is back on the race track at full speed. At about 0400
local time after battling for two hours the crew finally managed to get
the mainsail hoisted. The wind has eased this morning and so it’s just
as well the repair had been finished.

“We have used the respite offered by the light winds and sunshine to
conduct various equipment checks, undertake some preventative
maintenance and servicing, dry out our kit and recharge everyone’s
batteries.”
Likewise, Uniquely Singapore’s crew have used the break in the weather
to get their boat ship shape and ready for the next low pressure system.

“Singas has been a hive of activity today,” says skipper Jim Dobie. “We
have managed to fix our instruments which had been intermittently
shutting down due to some corrosion on wiring and connectors. Craig
(Davey) went up the mast and carried out a rig check and the team on
deck worked their way through halyards and sheets, checking wear and
chafe and repairing when necessary. As the next low starts to affect us
and the winds come in again, we are in good shape and itching for some
fast downwind weather. The race is still changing and we are now eyeing
up the gate and those extra points as we march onwards to San
Francisco.”

Meanwhile the crew onboard Edinburgh Inspiring Capital are busy
investigating a problem with one of their spreaders and are sailing
conservatively until the problem is resolved. This will come as a blow
to the team that is presently in second place and they will be hoping
that it can be sorted if they are to achieve their first podium of the
race.

Good news for Team Finland today as their replacement mast has now
cleared customs in Shanghai and is making its way by truck to Qingdao.
Expected to arrive at 1400 local time tomorrow, the crew will be
chomping at the bit to get to work and get back on the race track as
quickly as possible.

Positions at 0900 UTC, Friday 12 March

Boat DTF* DTL*
1 Cape Breton Island 3974nm
2 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 4048nm 75nm
3 California 4067nm 93nm
4 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 4069nm 96nm
5 Uniquely Singapore 4077nm 104nm
6 Qingdao 4129nm 155nm
7 Hull & Humber 4148nm 174nm
8 Spirit of Australia 4148nm 175nm
9 Team Finland 5612nm 180nm
10 Cork Did not start

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*  ”Sometimes you cry out in exhilaration and sometimes you just want to
    cry!” – California’s skipper on the joys of ocean racing.
*  Winds gusting in excess of 50 knots test the mettle of the crews
*  Fleet makes fast progress towards scoring gate and San Francisco.

The Pacific is throwing her full weight at the Clipper 09-10 fleet and
the last 24 hours have been tough. Now the winds have moved behind the
fleet they are making fast progress towards their goal of San Francisco
and they should continue to do so for the next few days.

The huge forces exerted on the 68-foot ocean racing yachts are powerful
and the massive seas and high winds mean the helms and on-watch crews
cannot lose focus for a second – but ask any of the crew and they’ll
tell you the thrill of riding the great ocean rollers is second to none.

Race Director, Jonathan Bailey, said, “It is clear from the forecasts
and subsequent reports that the fleet has endured some of the toughest
conditions so far. Lines that have breaking strain of many tonnes have
been exposed to huge forces and in those conditions it is inevitable
that things will break as the yachts battle against some of the most
extreme seas in the world. Kit preservation and good seamanship when
dealing with breakages is all part of the challenge and it is clear that
the teams are coping magnificently.”

Revelling in the conditions is the southern hemisphere entry, Spirit of
Australia.

“Surf’s up on the green and gold missile!” says Brisbane-based skipper,
Brendan Hall. “The last 12 hours have been some of the most exhilarating
sailing of the race so far. The large waves and 40 knot winds are now
behind us, pushing us along at terrific speeds. Helming in these
conditions is a knife edge proposition. Steer too far one way and the
headsail backs on itself, which can pop the hanks off; steer too far the
other way and a crash-gybe awaits. Concentration and assertive wheel
action is the key to keeping the boat on track. Still, the grin on the
face of the helmsman after a 20-knot surf is worth the pain and struggle
of getting here through the headwinds.”

Cape Breton Island’s eagle has soared up through the fleet to slip into
second place this morning and, says skipper, Jan Ridd, “We are sailing
very comfortably in a Force 9 gusting to Force 10 with some truly
magnificent seas, the Pacific showing its awesome power.”

However the Canadian team has negotiated some tricky conditions over a
wet and windy 24 hours. “We were sailing comfortably yesterday afternoon
with an economic sail plan when, in the early evening, the wind picked
up,” explains Jan. “We set about reducing sail area with the on watch
and once again my instincts were spot on. No sooner had we lashed the
headsails securely, a gust hit us which topped 56 knots. We went about
securing everything on deck and ensuring we were set for the night. I
must admit it was very unpleasant on deck with the true wind steady at
over 40 knots and a very confused sea as the wind backed.

“This morning, after a few hours sleep in my wet weather gear on the
floor beside the nav station, Luke (Dampier, 19, a student), one of the
watch leaders, woke me to tell me the wind had backed even more and
wanted to know if we could pole out the storm jib. After a quick
assessment we decided to change up to the bigger Yankee 3 headsail and
shake out a reef which meant a busy last hour to their watch. We held
those sails till just before lunch when again I started to feel edgy so
we hastily dropped the Number 3 and hoisted the storm jib again.”

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital has had a cracking run over the last 24
hours, lifting them from eighth to fifth place but they’ve had a sharp
reminder of the need to conserve their kit during this marathon race
across the largest ocean on the planet.

Skipper, Matt Pike, says, “This is more like a 68-foot windsurfer than a
yacht! There’s no place for a lapse in concentration. We plane at a
steady 15 knots until a big wave comes and hit 20 for a minute at a
time. A particularly vicious set came too close together and somehow we
made the top of the second crest, flying over it like a steeple chaser,
but this coincided with a 50 knot gust and we’re still clearing up four
hours later. The pole snapped like a match stick and a section of track
came off the mast. With nothing holding it, the sharp edges started
damaging the main and the cost of pushing hard suddenly became apparent.

“We now have the third reef in the main and the staysail and we’re still
topping 16 knots off the waves. The wind is a steady 35 knots with the
occasional gust of 40 and once the repairs are complete we’ll be back to
full speed.”

Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Pete Stirling, explains the issue
isn’t the strong winds – it’s their inconsistency. “It’s been a couple
of days of vicious weather conditions which has slowed down progress
quite considerably,” he says. “Though it is quite possible to sail fast
in heavy weather conditions the problem is the weather is very
changeable which makes it very difficult to choose the right sail plan.
Last night we ran with a third-reefed mainsail and storm jib only but
this morning were forced to drop the mainsail when the reefing pennant
snapped and the block it passes round at the base of the mast was also
damaged. Repairs are currently underway to replace the broken line and
block. We are now running with the staysail only making a steady eight
knots boat speed in the right direction. We have seen 50 knots of wind
recorded on the wind instruments and expect it to get stronger tonight
so things could get really interesting! Still we have a very
conservative sail plan so should be able to handle anything the weather
can throw at us. The crew have been kept incredibly busy over the last
couple of days with multiple sail changes in very rough conditions.”

And while the Scottish and Jamaican entries have made gains, California
and Qingdao have seen their placings slip – in Qingdao’s case, from
third to eighth.

Chris Stanmore-Major says, “We found ourselves last night suddenly
caught in the middle of a 50-knot squall with apparent winds bouncing
higher than that initially. Luckily we were already pretty snugged down
but the initial blast was so strong it snapped the staysail halyard
sending the sail to the deck and half overboard and blew out the clew of
the storm jib, changing our mild mannered little friend into a crazed
animal shackled to the forestay. I was asleep at the time, taking an
hour as we had found our line, had good speed, a wind that was freeing
up and open water ahead. In a Wallace and Gromit manoeuvre I leapt clear
of my bunk and seemingly straight into my drysuit and was on deck before
I had both eyes open. Luckily the issue was not complex to deal with but
with the boat heading directly before the wind we still had too much
wind to re-hoist the staysail and we had to run the rest of the night on
trysail alone meaning we were slow and could not hold a course. The
outcome? Third to second last in the blink of an eye. This morning we
started to piece things back together and we started to rebuild the
storm jib.”

California has lost two places but is still very much in touch with Cape
Breton Island and Hull & Humber, their distances to the finish separated
by just three miles – astonishing after 1,300 miles of hard racing. Last
night was perhaps one of the hardest so far.

Skipper Pete Rollason reports, “The crew are absolutely exhausted after
enduring 50+ knot winds last night and making great speeds when all of a
sudden the second reef line snapped under the load, swiftly followed by
five sliders detaching themselves from the mast. The joys of ocean
racing; sometimes you cry out in exhilaration and sometimes you just
want to cry!

“The main has now been down and off for 12 hours with ongoing repairs
being completed as and when conditions allow, bearing in mind we still
have over 30 knots of wind. Hopefully we will be fully up and running
before dark and pushing hard to regain our second place and then resume
the kangaroo hunt.”

POSITIONS AT 0900 UTC, WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH 2010

1 Spirit of Australia DTF 4291
2 Cape Breton Island DTF 4341 DTL +50
3 Hull & Humber DTF 4341 DTL +50
4 California DTF 4345 DTL +53
5 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 4391 DTL +99
6 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 4404 DTL +113
7 Uniquely Singapore DTF 4437 DTL +146
8 Qingdao DTF 4439 DTL +147
9 Team Finland DTF 5612 DTL +1321
10 Cork Did not start

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* Low pressure system delivers strong headwinds across the fleet
* California makes repairs to mainsail in tricky conditions
* Edinburgh Inspiring Capital chases the pack in some very wet
   conditions

With the first 1,000 miles of the race to California almost completed,
the forecasted low pressure system has finally arrived and the skippers
who were cursing the lack of wind yesterday now find themselves with
more than they bargained for. Strong headwinds have been hard going on
the teams and they will all be looking forward to the wind shifting
round and a return to the fast downwind sailing the Clipper 68s relish.

What a difference 24 hours makes,” says Jim Dobie, skipper of Uniquely
Singapore. “Yesterday we were in little wind and then bang! In rushed 30
to 40 knots and it has been with us ever since. The frustrating thing
has been the angle we have been forced to sail at and have lost quite a
bit of ground to the south. But as the low moves through, the wind will
veer round and we can head due north again before the wind settles in
behind us and we can get back to the fast downwind weather we love.

“The crew are a little worse for wear with tiredness etched on their
faces and all their clothes wet and damp. But as I always say, nothing
stays the same in the ocean and once we’re back in the high, clothes
will dry, skies will brighten and the smiles will return.”

Hull & Humber’s skipper, Piers Dudin, says, “The seas are getting a
little confused and the occasional slam jolts memories of our trip past
Taiwan. We’ve nearly reached the top of the hill in terms of our upwind
beat and are looking forward to giving Hull & Humber an easier ride
downwind.”

“Even moving round below decks requires constant effort in the confused
seas and as the wind shifts it’s likely to become even more so.”

Life on deck is just as difficult as that down below and none more so
than for the crew on board California.

“We needed to take the mainsail down and completely remove it from the
mast track in order to repair the top five sliders that had become
detached, ” explains skipper Pete Rollason. “This is no easy feat in the
shelter of a marina, let alone on a rough ocean in the conditions we’re
currently experiencing. The crew worked tirelessly to complete the
repairs and with everyone exhausted and soaking wet we hoisted the
mainsail.”

The strong headwinds are certainly taking their toll but the wind
strength continues to vary making sail choice particularly tricky as Jan
Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island explains.

“Most of the crew are coming to terms with having to sail close hauled
for the next few days as we fight our way out into the Pacific. The wind
is building and dropping and the highest gust our instruments have shown
was 48 knots, which dropped just minutes later to 19 knots.

“With the wind varying so much, the boat was set up last night for the
worst, with the storm jib accompanied by our normal staysail and the
third reef in the main. If the wind built the staysail could be dropped
allowing us to go into complete safe mode. Today the problem we have is
the boat is a little underpowered and just as we think we should put
more sail up the wind builds, the boat heels right over again and the
decision is made for us.”

Qingdao’s skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, believes the worst is yet to
come and if he is right the already tired crews will need to dig deep to
find that extra bit of strength and determination.

“A great night’s sailing on board Qingdao with us returning to the
conditions we favoured so much during our time in the South China Sea,”
says Chris. “Last night however was only a precursor to the real show
which will probably start within the next 30 hours.

“With 40 knot winds predicted we will be experiencing up to 50 on the
nose if we are unfortunate enough to be at that angle to the wind. My
hope is that we can take some of that brutish wind strength on the beam
to catapult the dragon forward to the super sonic speeds we love.”

For the team on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, the change in conditions
came all too quickly but according to skipper Matt Pike his crew are
revelling in the challenge as they push to Scottish boat hard to make
gains on the rest of the fleet.

Matt says, “Misty drizzle and a rolling swell was the weather as we
chased the small patches of breeze to reach the fleet – all the time
knowing soon the wind would fill in. It came in one solid wave and
caught us midway between sail changes.

“The chase begins now through the wet. We have salty spray, the slightly
fresher rain and the most easily identified, the solid wall of water
that comes crashing back swamping the whole boat. Below is no better as
everything is wet, no longer just damp but wringing wet. The crew have
stopped mentioning wet bunks but just crash out as they are for a much
needed rest before going ‘over the top’ through the companionway and
back into the fight. Still smiling the hardened crew take our tough
little boat forwards and push to gain those precious miles on the
competition.”

Meanwhile, back in Qingdao, Team Finland’s crew will be keeping a close
eye on the fleet’s progress as they await the arrival of their
replacement mast. The 90-foot spar has left Luxemburg and whilst the
Clipper Race team is doing everything to ensure a timely delivery in
Qingdao the journey is at the mercy of shipping agents, airlines and
customs. Team Finland is just ten points behind overall race leaders,
Spirit of Australia, having been awarded one point by the Race Committee
for Race 6 from Singapore to Qingdao. They will therefore be hoping for
a fast run across the Pacific if they are to close the gap and regain
the top spot once more.

Positions at 0900 UTC, Monday 8 March

Boat DTF* DTL*
1 Spirit of Australia 4662nm
2 California 4712nm 50nm
3 Qingdao 4726nm 63nm
4 Cape Breton Island 4747nm 84nm
5 Hull & Humber 4748nm 85nm
6 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 4751nm 89nm
7 Uniquely Singapore 4766nm 104nm
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 4779nm 116nm
9 Team Finland 5612nm 180nm
10 Cork Did not start

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* Spirit of Australia pulls out a lead as the other yachts park up in
   variable winds
* Uniquely Singapore back to full strength after illness
* Non-stop evolutions for crew of Jamaica Lightning Bolt

The forecast headwinds have not yet materialised for the Clipper 09-10
fleet. Instead most of the teams on board the 68-foot ocean racing
yachts are contending with spells of variable and light winds which are
playing havoc with their speeds and ability to sail the course they
want. They have also spent lengthy stretches parked up, desperately
trying to find any breath of wind to keep them moving.

However Spirit of Australia, on a more northerly course than the others,
has been dealt a different hand, enabling them to pull out a lead over
the rest of the fleet. Skipper Brendan Hall says, “Japan faded into the
sunset last night, the last land we will see for another three weeks.
Thus far, the Pacific Ocean has not lived up to its name, delivering us
another night of near gale force winds and sheeting rain. More heavy
headsail changes were needed to keep Spirit of Australia on the pace.”

As Brendan says, their next glimpse of land will not come for more than
three weeks in this, the longest of the individual races that make up
the Clipper Race.

“Looking at the chart, the enormity of the ocean before us is daunting,”
he says, “But we have set ourselves lots of smaller milestones to aim
for and celebrate as we pass.”

Just 39 miles behind, the last 24 hours for California’s crew have been
frustrating as they find themselves with totally different conditions.

“This morning and overnight we have been beset by light winds, however,
with some favourable current we had been making good progress northeast
in the hunt for kangaroos. Then very suddenly the wind filled in to a
steady 20 knots from the north east which meant that we can no longer
take the course we want. It is so frustrating when you can get good boat
speed and not the desired course and we can only console ourselves with
the fact that all the other boats should be experiencing the same
dilemma. The forecast is for the wind to continue to build up to 30-35
knots from the north east and is due to last about 36 to 48 hours so we
will try to make the best course we can towards the Scoring Gate and San
Francisco.

“I hear that a number of crews have been suffering various illnesses and
California is no exception. We have a nasty cold doing the rounds that
is sapping the energy of those it gets hold of so we are working with
reduced numbers on deck while some people get some down time to fully
recover.”

Uniquely Singapore’s crew are back up to full strength after recovering
from the illness that has swept through their crew and there is a note
of optimism in skipper Jim Dobie’s report to the Race Office today.

He says, “After being at the back of the fleet since the start things
are starting to look up. As I write this I have now picked up Hull &
Humber, Jamaica Lightning Bolt and, of course, our companions, Edinburgh
Inspiring Capital. We’ve now got our act back together and the crew,
including me, are no longer queuing for the heads and reaching for
buckets – the bug has gone through, we have a full head count and can
now get to the business of racing.”

But, just when things are looking up, Mother Nature throws in a curve
ball and the wind doesn’t quite do what you’re expecting.

Jim explains, “Looking at the GRIB (weather file) we made a decision to
stay south of the incoming low which will take us away from the
favourable current but should allow us following winds sooner and not
such huge waves. However things are not going to plan… According to
our weather files we should be in some brisk headwinds but find
ourselves floundering around in little to no wind, trying to make some
headway. As we know, the ocean can change quickly so the next 24 hours
should see some dramatic changes in conditions and we’re look for any
signs of the movements of the low.”

Observing your environment to predict exactly when that pressure is
going to fill in and get your yacht moving again is a fine art and Cape
Breton Island’s skipper, Jan Ridd, seems to have the key.

“We are still in this unstable airflow with long periods of little or no
wind with short periods of a stiff breeze filling in,” he reports.
“Earlier this morning we were within sight of Hull & Humber and Qingdao
as we all ran into an area of light wind. When the crew asked me what
they could do, I said the best option would be to wait it out and see
where the wind fills in from. They were getting frustrated as they saw
both the other teams hoist their windseekers, trying to get the boats
moving. I still insisted we wait it out and, sure enough, within half an
hour we saw the wind build to a Force 6 and, as we sailed on course at
ten knots, we saw Qingdao hastily sailing away from the wind in the
wrong direction to reduce the apparent wind strength so they could drop
the windseeker without damage.”

Cape Breton Island is opting for a conservative sail plan for the coming
days to cope with the variable conditions, says Jan.

“All the boats are aware of an area of stronger winds to the north of
our position and every time the wind builds we are preparing ourselves
mentally for the expected 20+ knot head winds the forecast predicts. So
far all we have seen is brief spells which die as quickly as they start.
I am sure the wind will fill in eventually and we will start making some
good mileage towards San Francisco,” he adds.

Qingdao is just a mile ahead of the Canadian entry and experiencing the
same frustrations but the crew is coping well, according to their
skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major.

“With a weather file that shows I should be hammering east at 12 knots
hard on the wind with probably three reefs in, staysail and Yankee 3
flying and water rushing along the side decks, instead we are sitting in
a muggy patch of drizzle with sails slatting in a cheeky, choppy sea.
Rain runs down the crew’s faces as they stare upwards at the sails
trying to perceive some pattern or trend they can trim to but there is
nothing and, despite all the noise and motion, we remain resolutely
parked watching on the AIS every other boat picking its parking space
and rate of drift. The crew are unstinting in their efforts and humour,
making light of a frustrating situation.”

Qingdao has picked up a hitch hiker as well, reveals Chris. “In the
middle of this cold, wet, forlorn landscape a small, ragged scrap of
life has sought us out as a refuge and I write this eye to eye with a
house martin that has taken up residence in the nav station.”

Hull & Humber’s skipper, Piers Dudin, suggests the current situation in
which most of the teams find themselves adds to the excitement of the
race.

He says, “It’s good to have the whole fleet compressed again. It’s sure
to make for an epic few weeks. Breaking the back of ’5,000 miles to go!’
is something you don’t get to do very often, rarely are such long
passages undertaken in one go. But after of months of training we like
to think we’re well set up for ‘The Big One’.

“The crew who joined us in Qingdao, Andrea, Tony, Nick and the ONE HULL
Ambassadors, Sonny and Nathan, have adjusted to life in ‘Umberland
admirably and are already solid handy crew members.

“The rain still fails to dampen spirits as we’re getting used to the
on-off weather patterns. We doubt it’ll last long and we’re set up for a
solid two days of up-hill deep-reef wave bashing, before the proper
downhill sled run begins.”

The hugely ambitious crew of Jamaica Lightning Bolt has been working
flat out to keep their yacht moving.

Pete Stirling says, “So much for the deep blue Pacific Ocean and
favourable winds. Apart from the lack of fishing boats and merchant
shipping this is really no more of a pleasure than the Yellow Sea was.
It is quite a bit warmer but with constant wind shifts a sloppy sea and
heavy rain. The standing joke amongst this morning’s 8am to 2pm six-hour
watch is that they only did one evolution. The thing is they did lots
but they never stopped between each of them. I did let them stop once
for 15 minutes for a tea break so I guess that means they did two
evolutions. This afternoon’s watch are waiting to get on deck with eager
anticipation!”

“After playing out our hand we have ended up with the rest of the fleet
in a tight circle waiting for the north easterly gale that has been
forecast,” says Matt Pike. He says the wet, tiring and frustrating
conditions are preventing Edinburgh Inspiring Capital from getting into
her stride.

“We had a great sail out through the straits from south Japan and were
looking to continue east then suddenly, and in about 20 boat lengths,
the wind was gone! Rain followed squall followed rain and pursuing the
best course to windward has us back in the pack. So now we wait and,
when the wind fills in, we shall be off on a new start and onwards to
California.”

POSITIONS AT 1500 UTC, SUNDAY 7 MARCH 2010

1 Spirit of Australia DTF 4736
2 California DTF 4775 DTL +39
3 Qingdao DTF 4802 DTL +66
4 Cape Breton Island DTF 4803 DTL +67
5 Hull & Humber DTF 4809 DTL +73
6 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 4812 DTL +77
7 Uniquely Singapore DTF 4821 DTL +85
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 4828 DTL +92
9 Team Finland DTF 5612 DTL +876
10 Cork Did not start

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