Tara docked at North Cove in Battery Park NYC (Photo by by Julien Girardot / Tara Expeditions)
by Vincent Hilaire
The 118-foot schooner is sponsored by private sponsors and a scientific consortium including the French National Centre for Scientific Research and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. This research expedition is taking place under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Program and in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
Researchers from Tara will be sharing their message of a sustainable future for all at the United Nations Rio+20 Conference in June. Scientists on board Tara are investigating the role played by plankton in the earth’s life-support system; the effects of climate change on this critical base to the marine foodchain; the preservation of marine biodiversity and ways of combatting pollution and overfishing. Artists and journalists on board are helping to promote public awareness of these important issues. Twenty-one laboratories in 10 countries are collaborating with the mission, and research findings are published immediately on free access databases.
“Tara’s visit to New York is a great opportunity for us to think deeply and raise awareness of the issues that will be discussed in Rio,” said Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary General and head of the United Nations Department of Public Information. “The aims of the Tara Oceans expedition are completely in tune with our own campaign for The Future We Want and they will resonate with everyone who cares about the ocean and the environment.”
For More Information on Tara along with photos and videos
of her travels visit Tara Oceans Expeditions
Scientific ship Tara is arriving in NYC and passing in front of Manhattan
Gold Coast Australia at the start of Race 5 from Geraldton, Western Australia to Tauranga, NZ, (Photo by Karl Monaghan/onEdition)
At first light this morning in Queenscliff, Australia, Singapore’s crew slipped lines and headed back out through the Port Philip heads and into the Great Australian Bight after successfully repairing their steering quadrant. Happy to be helming with a wheel again and not a tiller, skipper Ben Bowley has sent a note of appreciation at today’s 0600 position report.
“I would like to extend a hearty thanks to all those who presented a wonderful reception committee for us in Queenscliff yesterday afternoon,” he says. “Especial thanks to Kate Parbury and family for proving such wonderful hosts. A delicious barbecue and some cool refreshing beverages were served to us almost as soon as lines hit the dock!”
Kate is the mother of round the world crew member and Singapore watch leader, Will Parbury, who lives a stone’s throw from Queenscliff in Victoria and regularly sails and dives in the area.
Ben continues, “Many of Will’s former colleagues, friends and ex-crewmates were on hand with an array of tools and advice. It really served to remind me how many supporters we have and how far they are willing to go out of their way to help us. Once again, we were truly grateful to see so many welcoming, supportive faces waiting for us on that small dockside. Many thanks also to Queenscliff Harbour Marina and pilot station for accommodating us at such short notice and allowing us full use of their excellent facilities.”
Now back at sea and making best speed towards New Zealand, Ben and the Singapore crew are determined to turn around their run of bad luck and make the most of the time they have together on board.
“Reading the other boats’ updates I fear that we are missing out on a bit of a sleigh ride down south! Much is the shame as we are having to nose our way out of the Bass Straits under iron top-sail [engine]. We did have an excellent hour’s close fetching under full main and Yankee 1 after leaving Queenscliff this morning. However, as we rounded Cape Schanck, the wind veered to almost exactly our desired course, forcing us to motor at a conservative RPM for probably the first 24 hours of our training/passage sail to Tauranga. Things look a little rosier for the following 72 hours though; we should have a nice fast fetch across to New Zealand, assuming we can keep pace with the weak front sweeping across the Tasman Sea. We intend to use this period as an opportunity to ensure that the knowledge base of all members of the crew is improved by concentrated coaching sessions not just delivered by myself. We have some key (halfway round the world) crew members leaving in Gold Coast and we want to ensure that the knowledge they have gained in the last four months is passed on to new and remaining crew members. We intend to be as well trained and focused as possible for the short sprint leg back to Gold Coast. Time to gain back some cruelly snatched points I think.”
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital looks set to claim the bonus point on offer for the Race 5 Ocean Sprint between the longitudes of 150 and 154 degrees east. The Ocean Sprint is a time trial rather than a first past the post contest, which means every team, no matter their position in the fleet, has the chance to pick up an extra point if they cover the distance in the quickest time.
Welcome to Yorkshire had been the yacht to beat, with a time of 21 hours and 22 minutes for the sprint of approximately 240 miles. But the team representing Scotland’s capital city have declared a time of 19 hours and 10 minutes to complete the trial, meaning Qingdao needed to finish by 0820 UTC today to beat them. The results are provisional until the Race Committee verifies them in New Zealand but it looks like they’ll be celebrating on the deck of the Purple Beastie at happy hour tonight.
Gordon Reid, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital’s skipper, says, “The Purple Beastie is doing some fierce 12-hour runs in these strong winds she thrives and carries a lot of momentum (kinetic energy), so for now we stay the furthest south, closing on the fleet and pushing ourselves and the yacht as hard and fast as we dare, ensuring we keep a little in reserve for when it all gets fruity again.
“After our wild, crazy ride in 60 knots plus, 40 to 45 knots seems a bit pedestrian. The sea is still wild, with some of the swells as big as a two-storey building, but it is amazing how quickly you become used to conditions which are, to be fair, pretty extreme. The crew are loving it and so am I. We spent the day surfing monster wave after wave to see who could top the highest speed of 26 knots. We initiated a squall watch and a few of us took turns at seeing who could ride the wave mid-squall for the longest. A few months ago that would have seemed like a totally crazy thing to aspire to, but on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, sailing in the beautiful fury of the Southern Ocean, it’s just another day at the office.
“With New Zealand approaching fast I’ve got a feeling we are about to face our biggest challenge yet with the forecast predicting up to 60 knots as we surf all the way on to the continental shelf of New Zealand.”
The conditions are certainly challenging all of the teams – they are further south than on the previous leg and the Southern Ocean is making sure they have something to remember her by.
Mark Light, Derry-Londonderry’s skipper describes the “fantastic sailing conditions” his team has been experiencing.
“We are flying along with some really excellent boat speeds: averaging 12 knots and surfing between 15 and 23 knots,” he explains. “The swells are huge with a lot of power behind them; things are very physically demanding and it takes a lot of skill and nerve to helm one of these Clipper 68s powered up in these conditions. My crew have done exceptionally well. We have managed to look after our boat and equipment very well.”
Just the second and third reefing lines have broken. These are the ropes attached to the mainsail which allow the sail area to be reduced or increased according to the conditions.
Describing how it happened, Mark says, “We were reefing down the main just before a series of dark clouds arrived over us and unfortunately one of the mainsail cars jammed on the mast track between the first and second spreaders. While we tried numerous ways to free it, the second and third reefing lines managed to flog, snap and tangle with each other and the existing first reefing line. This resulted in a huge bundle of very tightly knotted line right at the end of the boom which prevented us from grinding in reef one – the whole purpose of the operation in the first place!”
A heave-to and 25 minutes of hard work later and the team was back on track, holding on to third place. Could Tauranga be where the ‘LegenDerrys’ claim their first podium place?
While the Northern Ireland team has been lucky to avoid any worse breakages than a few snapped and tangled lines, second placed New York has not escaped so lightly.
“Just over 12 hours ago, I was thinking it was ‘race over’ for New York,” reveals the US team’s skipper, Gareth Glover.
“While we were putting a second reef in the main as the wind was building and an unseen squall hit us with gusts of over 50 knots, the mainsail got pushed though the rig, breaking three battens and putting three rips along the batten reinforcements.
“The first was about half a metre above the second reef and the two others about 30cm above the third reef. We quickly went to three reefs to make sure the biggest rip did not get bigger and called all hands on deck. As we do on New York, we got on with the job of taking down the Yankee 3 and putting up the Yankee 2, taking the mainsail down on the deck and our storm sail went up in its place. We have been racing under this sail plan now for over 12 hours and have only lost a few miles to De Lage Landen and Derry-Londonderry.
“We have had all the crew working in teams on different parts of the mainsail. The hard bit is that you’re hand sewing though four pieces of sail cloth in 30-knot winds and breaking seas. We’ve got about four more hours of work to be done, taking the full repair to about 13 hours. And then we will put the main back up and chase down Gold Coast Australia.”
With New York in second place, De Lage Landen is running neck and neck with Derry-Londonderry, jostling for third place. After two and a half thousand miles of racing, just a couple of miles separate them but although the racing is red hot, the weather is decidedly not.
“It doesn’t look like the weather is going to give us any reprieve until we are past the southern point of New Zealand,” comments De Lage Landen’s skipper, Stuart Jackson, this morning. “It has also got a lot colder with the south westerly winds bringing cold air up from the Antarctic, so everyone is looking forward to the conditions improving as we make our way up the New Zealand coastline. It’s just all a bit repetitive, putting reefs in and out as the squalls come through.”
Rupert Dean, skipper of Welcome to Yorkshire, echoes Stuart’s comments about the cold, explaining, “These 30-knot winds have been accompanied by enormous, vicious squalls, demanding rapid evolutions to shorten sail and/or bear away. Consequently the crew are working hard in some arduous sailing conditions.
“Race 4 has, for us, been a far truer reflection of what the Southern Ocean should be than Leg 3. Since leaving Geraldton there has hardly been a day when we haven’t been sailing in gale force conditions. To perform day in, day out in winds ranging from Force 8 to 10, in mountainous seas under racing conditions, is no small feat. It demands courage, determination and teamwork of the highest order and I thank my crew for it. In particular, I wish to praise my watch leaders, Hannah Richards (Management Consultant) and Jim Stamp (Plant Operator), along with their deputies, James Charlesworth (farmer) and Richard Williams (accountant), for their sterling efforts in keeping our boat and crew motivated, happy and safe.
“As we near the southernmost point in our round the world adventure, we look forward to turning north again, towards warmer climes (and cold beer). The crew has come a long way since their training days in the English Channel, in more ways than one. They are doing themselves proud.”
Clipper 11-12 is raced by people like you – people from all walks of life who put their everyday lives on hold to fulfil a long-held ambition or take on the challenge of a lifetime. Hannah, a management consultant, Jim, a plant operator, James, a farmer, and Richard, an accountant will have completed the sailing equivalent of climbing Mount Everest when they return to the UK in July 2012 – a circumnavigation under sail. There are presentations taking place in New Zealand and Australia in the next few weeks – go to www.clipperroundtheworld.com for more details.
Geraldton Western Australia’s having a pretty good day as well, according to skipper, Juan Coetzer, whose team will be more refreshed after being allowed to shower instead of the standard wet wipe wash during the rough weather of the last two days.
“For the first time since leaving Geraldton, we have got our Yankee 2 up and a first reef in the mainsail. Being short numbered one has to take seamanship into consideration and choose the best sail plan for the long term.”
The team does appear to have an extra body on board – but not a helpful one, says Juan. “It looks like the electrical gremlin is back again, as our instruments have gone bonkers. Even our deep water anchor alarm has been going off.”
On board mid-fleet Visit Finland, Olly Osborne is in reflective mood as they prepare to head north and begin the first stage of their climb back towards the northern hemisphere.
“With a little more than two days to run to the Stewart Island waypoint our time in the Southern Ocean is drawing to a close. It has not been without its adventures and over the last few days we have seen some of the most challenging conditions yet. Indeed for the first time this year we made good use of our storm trysail which allowed us to weather gusts of up to 60 knots through the night, and the sea state would at times certainly be referred to as ‘high’ if it were given over the shipping forecast,” he says.
“But we are making good speeds none the less and, despite the frustrations of living in a constantly pitching environment, everyone is well rested and in good spirits. The sun shines between towering cumulus clouds and when the boat is lifted onto the crest of a wave you can see for what seems like miles over the surf streaked glittering surface.”
While the rest of the fleet has been experiencing winds of up to 60 knots and more of the same is predicted in the next 72 hours, Qingdao has been slowed down by the high pressure system that they were hoping to avoid.
“It is amazing to watch the barometer down here,” says Ian Conchie, ‘down here’ being right below ‘Down Under’. “In the UK it is rare to get a change of more than one millibar per hour unless there is a strong weather system around. But here, due to the stream of low pressure systems that revolve around the bottom of the globe the pressure goes up and down all the time like a yoyo!”
Currently racing at between seven and eight knots, the team is hoping to stay ahead of the weather to avoid being becalmed as they were on the way in to Geraldton. The crew is anxious to push as hard as they can to arrive in Tauranga in time to enjoy a longer than expected stopover and fully recharge their batteries.
“In the meantime we have been using the gentler conditions today to inspect and repair sails, do our routine maintenance and tidy and clean up the boat,” says Ian. “In rough weather it is hard to keep everything spick and span due to the motion of the boat, so we have to use these days when we can to keep our beloved purple dragon in top shape.”
At the head of the fleet Gold Coast Australia is having a wild and windy ride.
“Some would say it is a bit breezy down here,” comments skipper Richard Hewson. “Yesterday conditions were nearly perfect as we ran downwind towards Stewart Island. Today we have throttled back a bit as the wind has increased to a steady 32 knots, gusting 50 knots. This may sound a little extreme to some, however to make it even more interesting the gusts sometimes last for up to an hour. Gold Coast Australia is handling like an absolute dream and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t acknowledge these yachts as being the most seaworthy I have ever sailed.”
If you think the conditions are hairy, you should see the faces of the crew – the men, at any rate.
They are growing moustaches for Movember – the charity movement that raises funds and awareness for male cancers and mental health issues – and there are some fine sets of whiskers being cultivated on board many of the boats. Styles range from Errol Flynn to Tom Selleck as well as hommages to the facial stylings of Chopper Read and Merv Hughes on the Australian yachts.
“Today we took our half time photos for Movember. No doubt it will be one of the most extreme Movember photos in history as at the time it was blowing over 50 knots and with five-metre swells and two-metre seas,” writes Richard.
As the teams approach the waypoint to the south of New Zealand, all ten are preparing for a change in conditions – and perhaps a shake-up in the rankings. Meteorologist, Simon Rowell, a former winning Clipper Race skipper and Assistant Race Director who sends wind and weather forecasts to the yachts each day, has been looking ahead and has today told the skippers and navigators, “There’s a big spread in wind strength locally as you get further north.”
The depth of the ocean floor will also have an impact on the sea state.
“What is going to be very interesting is the increase in sea and swell in the shallow water to the south of Stewart Island where the depth decreases from 1,000 to 140 metres as we go over the continental shelf,” explains Richard. “I gather that the sea is going to be quite treacherous and we will be battened down and ready to rumble when we go over the shelf.”
Positions at 1200 UTC, Thursday 17 November
Boat DTF*
1 Gold Coast Australia 1,052nm
2 New York 1,130nm (+78nm DTL*)
3 Derry-Londonderry 1,153nm (+102nm)
4 De Lage Landen 1,161nm (+109nm)
5 Welcome to Yorkshire 1,179nm (+127nm)
6 Visit Finland 1,238nm (+186nm)
7 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 1,305nm (+254nm)
8 Geraldton Western Australia 1,330nm (+278nm)
9 Qingdao 1,507nm (+455nm)
10 Singapore 1,975nm (Retired)
IDEC in New York Before Recod Attempt (Photo by George Bekris)
The giant trimaran IDEC skippered by Francis Joyon has overturned this morning around 7:00 (HF) off the coast of New York. He had crossed the start at 00 hours, 08 minutes and 10 seconds GMT (02 hours, 08 minutes and 10 seconds HF) in his attempt against the record for crossing the North Atlantic. Francis Joyon was about twenty miles off when his multihull was taken at night in a violent burst the passage of a storm. The trimaran was then the “web time”, with three reefs in the mainsail taken and CRO in the front, is the ideal combination to manage and some 25 knots of wind blowing from the south in the area. Through the wind, a sea still calm, Joyon was facing the most perilous conditions for a multihull. A violent and sudden squall capsized suddenly has the maxi trimaran IDEC on the side.
Relief was immediately alerted. Francis Joyon is well. He is in contact with the router Jean-Yves Bernot. He will probably remain on board the boat overturned pending the arrival of a tug capable of IDEC back safely.
Francis Joyon’s own words on what happened during the night:
“I was in my seat to watch outside the boat. I began to extricate myself meteorologically disturbed area as close to American shores. I had managed to drive about 90 miles on the road in very irregular and highly unstable, with a poorly established wind direction varied between 10 and 30 knots. I went through some very intense storm episodes, marked by violent gusts but it’s at a time when I thought I extract myself from this area that I received as a true giant mushroom that has catapulted the boat on its side. I was sailing under reefed mainsail with three reefs, with the small CRO in the front. The violence of the gale was such that the bed sensor, alarm anti capsize so did not have time to go off I felt the pressure and I shocked the mainsail, then the cart in style. The wind continued to grow very violently and I felt the boat literally catapulted into the air. Within seconds, I was “on the roof.” I found myself under water, as plated in the nets. I tried to m ‘ guide to see how back in the open air. It was night and chaos. In energy, I found myself near a float. I’m not sure how I joined the forward beam and I was able to climb onto the platform. I then joined inside the boat through the flap survival.
I think Idec has not suffered too much. I have about 10 cm of water inside. I could save my mail. I got my phone from my Iridium to prevent capsizing. I have a “flash light” very powerful and I felt like the boat drift into the path of major shipping to New York, I spent the late night on the threads to report my presence to freighters. The sun rises now and what danger is. I am in contact with hourly Christophe Houdet down. I know that many people are mobilizing to find a tug. I am only fifty miles from Newport (Rhode Island). The boat seems intact and I know that the rig does not bump against the platform. The sea state is calm and air temperature quite bearable. I have something to eat. ” Once a towing vessel arrives, I will be able to dump the rig, and perhaps consider a turning operation to facilitate towing … ”
A rescue boat arrived on area to assess the situation, take part in securing the area of the capsizing, and may lend support to Francis. Patrice Lafargue, Chairman of the IDEC active all her network of contacts in real time and follows the evolution of the situation. Francis Joyon has no plans to leave his boat. Various contacts are underway with U.S. and tugs can be reasonably estimated that the recovery operation of the boat with Francis on board will be set up in the day ….
We are so sorry to hear of this news about IDEC , but very thankful that Francis was uninjured in the capsize.
Francis Joyon on IDEC in New Your prior to record attempt (Photo by George Bekris)
* Slow progress as wind drops for first night at sea
* Qingdao caught on foul tide
* Crews thank HMS Illustrious for support in parade of sail and
flotilla for stunning turn out on the water
After the magnificent send off from Southampton yesterday the ten teams
taking part in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race have spent
their first night at sea, settling into new routines that will become
second nature during the course of the next year.
As the sun set on race start day, the wind died and by the early hours
there was barely a breath of air to fill the huge windseeker sails.
Gold Coast Australia was first out of the starting blocks, first around
the mark in Stokes Bay and pulled out a good lead over the rest of the
fleet but as skipper, Richard Hewson, explains, light winds overnight
have thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.
“After a cracking start Gold Coast Australia led the fleet out of the
Solent and we hoisted the medium weight spinnaker beautifully as we
rounded Bembridge Ledge. We carried the spinnaker throughout the first
part of the night but then suffered big losses stuck without wind as the
fleet caught up and now draws abeam. The crew is now working hard in
light and fickle winds to maintain boat speed and get through shipping
lanes in the Channel. All is well and buzzing on board as we settle into
the watch system and first day of an epic 12-month journey around the
world.”
“Good morning from the mid channel mill pond,” says Singapore skipper,
Ben Bowley. “It’s been a long time coming but finally we’re off! Our
procession down Southampton Water yesterday was quite awe inspiring; a
huge thanks to the Captain and crew of Lusty for providing such a great
send off. Seeing such a large flotilla of spectator boats really
brought home to us the enormity of what it is we are about to undertake,
huge thanks and a fond farewells to those who came to show their
support.
“We had good (albeit very cautious) start aboard Singapore with only
Gold Coast ahead of us on the line. I was initially lamenting my choice
of headsail (Yankee 2) as we seemed a little underpowered compared to
the majority of the fleet. However, as the Yankee 2 is non-overlapping
we were able to climb higher than those carrying the Yankee 1 and
subsequently held good position making it round the first mark still in
second place. As we approached the forts with the wind easing we
changed up to the Yankee 1, a flawless change (quite surprising for the
first one!) all credit to the crew and watch leaders. The headsail
change cost us only one place and some close cross tacking ensued, the
yachts all feeling different tidal effects from one side of the Solent
to the other.
“The last 12 hours have been quite frustrating with a distinct lack of
breeze. We elected not to fly a spinnaker last night for two good
reasons: firstly, I’m keen to sail the rhumb line and it was too tight
for the kite as several of the other yachts have proved by having to
sail almost due west. Secondly, the idea of wrapping the kite on the
first night at sea in fluky wind conditions with heavy wash from
shipping was not my idea of fun. On refection, the Yankee 1 and main
alone have set us fairly well and although it is hard to judge positions
at present, I believe we are in the front group, still fairly on the
rhumb line, exactly where we wish to be.
“Now it is time for some strong coffee, porridge and a look at whether
the light kite would be advantageous now the sun is up and we are all
well rested and alert…”
After all the excitement and emotion of yesterday’s spectacular send
off, sunrise on a new day has also brought some a new emotional
atmosphere to Visit Finland, which didn’t have the best of starts in the
Solent but whose crew have worked hard overnight to pull into the lead
by the 0600 UCT report this morning. Skipper, Olly Osborne, sums up what
a difference a day makes, saying, “A night of little or no breeze has
kept us busy trimming and trying to keep the boat on the move. The dawn
is hazy and the sea appears glassy in the morning light, and the quiet
stands in sharp contrast to the noise and emotion of yesterday.”
A lot of that noise came from the flotilla of more than 300 spectator
boats which turned out to give the fleet a fantastic send off. Gareth
Glover, skipper of New York, says, “The boats of the flotilla gave us
great support. Individual cheers from friends and family had the crew
jumping from their hike-out seats to identify themselves and shout back
fond farewells.”
New York was up with the leading pack at the start and has maintained
pressure at the front despite the lack of wind.
“The wind started slowing down and died completely around 0230 just as
the second watch came on deck. All that our attempts to coax some boat
speed with the wind-seeker would get us was a bit of bobbing around and
just the tide speed. It is morning again and we are moving along at
about four knots with the mid weight spinnaker flying, Welcome to
Yorkshire for company and Visit Finland south of us,” Gareth continues.
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital’s skipper, Gordon Reid, says, “After an
amazing but emotional race start the team is working hard to keep the
boat moving in the very light breeze and strong tides of the English
Channel. Tactically Edinburgh Inspiring Capital is in a strong position
having already crossed the northern shipping lane and heading towards
Casquets. At this early stage in the race, it is very much all to play
for.”
That is a fact that will be reassuring to the Qingdao crew who, as you
will see from their track on the race viewer, appear to be heading back
to Southampton, so good was the welcome there this weekend.
In fact they were in the wrong place when the tide turned and are being
pulled east, in the opposite direction to the one they wish to travel
in. They have two knots of breeze but the speed of the tide against them
is more and therefore they are effectively moving backwards. They are
trying to use their sea anchor – known as a kedge – to hold them in
position off Portland until the tide turns and they can shake loose.
Juan Coetzer, Geraldton Western Australia’s skipper, says “Today it is a
drift-a-thon. It has been sail change after sail change – Yankee 1 up,
then down, spinnaker up and down. The crew are settling in well and
giving it their best. Yesterday was an amazing start, so many boats,
supporting us all on the start line.”
Derry-Londonderry’s crew is also settling in and, according to skipper,
Mark Light, they’re all relaxed, settling in to the watch system, even
enjoying a chicken curry and home-made fruit cake for dinner.
“It was a great start to the race with beautiful conditions. We need
some more wind now though – it dropped overnight and we’re making slow
progress under full main and spinnaker.”
Positions at 0600 UTC, Monday 1 August
Boat DTF*
1 Visit Finland 1249nm
2 Welcome to Yorkshire 1250nm (+2nm DTL*)
3 New York 1251nm (+2nm)
4 Singapore 1254nm (+5nm)
5 De Lage Landen 1257nm (+8nm)
6 Gold Coast Australia 1257nm (+8nm)
7 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 1257nm (+8nm)
8 Derry-Londonderry 1257nm (+9nm)
9 Geraldton Western Australia 1258nm (+9nm)
10 Qingdao 1260nm (+12nm)
Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race
The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started on 31 July 2011
from Southampton on the UK’s south coast and will return to the Solent
in July 2012 after 40,000 miles of ocean racing – the world’s longest
ocean race. The event was established by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to give
everyone, regardless of sailing experience, the opportunity to
experience the exhilaration of ocean racing. More than 500 people
representing more than 40 nations will compete in Clipper 11-12. They
can sign up for the whole circumnavigation or one or more of eight legs.
The only qualification for the race is the minimum age of 18 – there is
no upper age limit. The overall race is divided into individual stages
and points are accumulated in a Formula 1-style scoring system. The
yacht with the highest total at the finish wins the Clipper Trophy.
Dragon In Atlantic Cup (Photo by George Bekris)
Under the backdrop of the Manhattan Skyline, with over 100 spectators at the Thomson Reuters race start line, The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing took off in lightconditions on Saturday, May 7th. As part of Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas certification for the race, the boats sailed the course using bio-diesel, hydro-generators, solar power, and reusable water bottles.
Team Dragon crossed the finish line at 9:23pm ET Sunday, May 8 with an elapsed time of 30:48:44 to capture first in the off-shore leg of the Atlantic Cup. The race was a back and forth with five lead changes and the top three finishers completing the race within 1 hour 17 minutes of each other.
The Atlantic Cup off-shore course took the fleet out of New York Harbor Saturday afternoon south to the only turning mark on the course at Barnegat Light and from the turn boats headed straight to Newport, RI. The start of the race was in light air and saw Team Cutlass cross the line first. Team Icarus took the False Hook Channel out of New York Harbor and was the only boat to do so and in taking that route they were able to get a jump on the competition and arrive at the turning mark off Barnegat Light first. However, after Team Icarus broke a halyard on their Code 0, they saw their lead dwindle and slowly the competition over took them. As daylight rose on Sunday morning, Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing, Dragon and Toothface all followed a similar course and traded the lead throughout the morning. Team Icarus chose a more northern route and hugged the Long Island Coast, which ultimately proved to be costly and they fell further and further back from the fleet.
With a win in the off-shore leg of the Atlantic Cup, Mike Hennessy and Rob Windsor were thrilled to have arrived first after a questionable start to the race, “I think everyone suffered at different points during the race, we suffered before the gun, we were a little far north of the line, caught a no wind and headed in the wrong direction,” said Skipper Mike Hennessy. After the start, Team Dragon made up ground and going into Sunday morning they were in a close second with Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing when they ran into a light air patch. They tactically decided to get some separation from their competition and go to the west of Block Island and that decision paid off, said Skipper Rob Windsor, “once we got to Point Judith and I had to use binoculars to see the next boat behind us, I knew we were pretty good.”
Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing crossed second with an elapsed time of 31:38:07. For most of Sunday, Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing was leading the fleet by close to 13 nautical miles. However, their good fortune turned when they got to Block Island and chose to go the eastern side of the Island. Skipper Rob MacMillan explained his decision, “Basically just based on wind I was a little terrified of the current to the western side and I didn’t think there was going to be as much wind based on the direction the wind was coming from, which was due east. As we approached Block we kept getting headed…and that made our easy decision kind of difficult and at that point we saw Dragon which was kind of was, uh, a Holy Cow moment.”
Team Toothface finished just 27 minutes after Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing with an elapsed time of 32:05:22. Skipper Mike Dreese on the off-shore leg said, “I just thought it was amazing, the venue was unbelievable…and you’re racing past the Statue of Liberty, it doesn’t get any better than that, then for us to come home to Newport where we race out of all the time was reallyfun. I think that the organization, to see the ambition, to have a high quality, credible, exciting format be birthed and to be part of that first race, to me, I think I’m going to look back, [and say] I’m really glad we did this race.”
The final team to cross the line was Team Icarus coming in early Monday morningwith an overall elapsed time of 38:42:20. Team Icarus faced a number of hurdles just making it to the start line as up until one week ago they did not have a boat. In addition to having a dated set of sails, their boat was in poor condition with many electrical malfunctions. However, Skippers Ben Poucher and Tim Fetsch took a number of tactical risks throughout the race to make up for their less than speedy boat. Said Skipper Ben Poucher, “We knew from the beginning we were going to have to take some risks to compete. We’re not going to have enough speed with the sails we have and we don’t know the boat that well so the only way to make any gains is to take risks and the first risk we took really paid off.” Their second risk, hugging the coast of Long Island did not pay off as well and they watch what was once a 6nm lead disappear to a gaping 40 mile deficit.
Attention now turns to the in-shore series, which will be held Saturday and Sunday May 14-15 in Newport, RI. Teams will use a crew of six for the three races heldeach day. Inshore races are weighted less in points, however any of the teams could see their current position change dramatically. The overall lowest point scorer will win The Atlantic Cup.
Presented by 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing’s establishes a dynamic new platform for public education about the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of an exciting recreational and competitive sport. The use of hydro-generators and bio-diesel in the boats competing in the Atlantic Cup is a direct result of 11th Hour’s commitment to the environment.
New York City events are hosted by Thomson Reuters
Atlantis Weather Gear is the official apparel provider
The Newport Shipyard is the official Newport home of the Atlantic Cup
Boomer Esiason Foundation is the Atlantic Cup’s Official Charitable Partner
Run under Sailors for the Sea ‘Clean Regattas guidelines
Using canteen water bottles on the boats while racing and set up and maintain water filling stations during the event
Using environmentally friendly cleaning products on all boats
Recycling at all sites during the race
Recycling by all boats when completing the off-shore and in-shore portion of the race
Using biodegradable plastic throughout the race including at pre and post-race parties and dinners
Using 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all event packets
Organizing a green team to maintain a trash-free site at both hospitality events
Preventing discharge of untreated sewage or black water in harbor areas and on race courses throughout the event
Asking all race participants to use water only when washing down their boats during the course of the regatta
Open to Class40 boats
$15,000 prize purse
One day of Pro-Am racing held May 6, 2011 in New York Harbor
Depart New York Harbor May 7, 2011
Race double-handed from New York to Newport
Off-shore course is approximately 260 nautical miles
Two days inshore fully crewed buoy racing held over the weekend of May 14 in Newport, RI
Finish Party and prize giving in Newport at Newport Shipyard on May 15
History of The Atlantic Cup
· Having sailed professionally and worked on some of the biggest sporting events in the world, the creators of The Atlantic Cup have watched professional sailing grow in popularity around the world, however interest has not been as strong in the United States. They realized that professional sailing in the United States has remained a secondary sport largely because there is a lack of races that are sponsor driven, have mass media attention, professional competitors and award prize money.
· The organizers of The Atlantic Cup, therefore, came together to fill the void and create a top-level premier sailing race in the United States. The goal is to produce hard fought, intense sailing competitions featuring the top U.S. and international short-handed sailors. The races will be surrounded by entertaining, engaging events that will engage the casual fan’s interest.
ICAP Leopard Racing (Photo courtesy of ICAP Leopard)
The ICAP Leopard_3, the 100ft super-maxi racing yacht is preparing to launch her assault on the west-to-east monohull transatlantic sailing record in the coming weeks.
The ICAP Leopard 3 features a radical new design concept and is a luxurious, signature charter yacht, a passage record breaker and a race winning super maxi sailing yacht.
The ICAP Leopard 3’s structural design and detailing were created by Farr_Yacht_Design and her interior and exterior styling is by Ken_Freivokh Designs. All other aspects have been managed by owner Mike Slade’s own very capable team, Ocean Marine.
The yacht is 30 m (100ft) in length, with a 6.8 m beam, a 5.5 m draft and a 4.5 metre fixed bowsprit. Her towering mast is 47 m high and her keel cants 40 degrees either side of centreline.
The yachts sleek hull is made of a powerful carbon fibre/nomex combination enabling exceptional speed. The interior volume allows for spacious accommodations which is a notable departure from the current fleet of extremely narrow boats. The wide hull of the ICAP Leopard 3 is especially suited for offshore high-speed sailing and racing and is enhanced by the presence of a chine that increases water flow off the hull and reduces structural weight.
LEOPARD 3 Racing.
The ICAP Leopard features a set of efficient underwater foils including a canting keel, twin asymmetric lifting canards forward and a single rudder on centerline aft. The stability of this canting the keel is equivalent to 200 crew members sitting on the rail, without the added weight. Two hydraulic cylinders typically operating at a load of 61 tonnes cant the keel.
The ICAP Leopards towering rig is 47 metres above the water and can carry up to 15,000 square feet of sail area.
Sailing yacht ICAP Leopard_3 has other unique High Performance Features such as twin dagger boards, (rather than a single forward canard) mounted on hydraulic rollers and a single rudder. The canards, located on either side of the mast, perfectly balance the sail forces and are lifted and lowered using hydraulically powered pinch rollers. A single, aft rudder controls the steering. The sailing yacht has the ability to take aboard up to six tonnes of water in the transom area enabling the bow to lift in fast downwind conditions.
Designed and styled by ‘Ken Freivokh Design’ in Fareham, UK, the Leopard’s interior is fitted out in an ultra light, airy and modern decor. The elegant and modern saloon is fitted with home comforts and comfortably seats 12. The large dining table is to port and to starboard a custom-built carbon coffee table is surrounded by ample seating in rich cream leather.
Following a period of extensive racing, sailing yacht Leopard will ‘evolve’ into phase 2 when three luxurious double guest cabins forward will be fitted prior to the yacht being offered to the termed charter markets of the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Her interior is fully removable for racing.
LEOPARD 3 Saloon
The 100ft super maxi racing vessel ICAP Leopard_3 is currently berthed in New York preparing to launch her attack upon the west-to-east monohull transatlantic sailing record in the coming weeks.
Launched in 2007 ICAP Leopard, has already broken 12 major offshore racing records, including the fastest elapsed time ever set in the prestigious Rolex Fastnet Race. The west-to-east monohull transatlantic sailing record will see her tackle the path between Ambrose Light, NY and the Lizard Point, which marks the entrance to the English Channel.
ICAP Leopards target for this attempt will primarily be the record for monohull yachts with power-assisted systems of seven days, 19 hours and 21 minutes that she set in June 2008. Since setting this benchmark the yacht has undergone a series of modifications and the crew are confident that in the right conditions, they will be able to better Mari Cha IV’s outright monohull transatlantic speed record of 6 days 17 hours and 52 minutes.
Negotiating complex weather systems will play an integral role in ICAP Leopard’s latest transatlantic record attempt and will be monitored by veteran navigator Hugh Agnew.
The Captain of the ICAP Leopard is Chris Sherlock who commented: “We can’t wait to get stuck into another attempt on the Atlantic record. Last time a tight weather window forced us into accepting less than ideal conditions for our record run but we have slightly more leeway this time. Our weather window will open on the 11th May and then we will have roughly three weeks to plan our departure. This should allow us to set ourselves up for the best possible weather pattern.”
Mike Slade the owner of sailing yacht ICAP Leopard noted: “This is something that I have been looking forward to ever since we crossed the finish line last time around. It has been brilliant to hold the record for yachts with power-assisted winches but we know we can go faster. The yacht and crew have been tempered over a two year period of hard racing and we are now sailing faster and harder than ever before. We will have a decent period of time in which to pick our weather window and the crew are all preparing to go on standby for what promises to be a thrilling sprint across the pond!”
Estrella Damm Getting To The Low (Photo © Estrella Damm / FNOB)
The weather forecasts confirm that not only is deliverance from the 35-40 knot gusts and big seas due by Friday early afternoon, but then strategic decisions need to be taken over the following 24 hours which could have a lasting effect on positions up the Mediterranean.
Perennial leader Estrella Damm has a lead of just over 30 miles, and they still have no options but to press on flat out. Both teams well know that the miles up the Mediterranean are likely to be in light to moderate, variable headwinds and that in those conditions, the tables could be turned and W Hotels is acknowledged by most as having the potential speed edge.
As Estrella Damm’s vastly experience Project Manager Jan Santana (ESP) noted after this afternoon’s live audio and video conference with the boats, Pepe Ribes, Alex Pella and Stan Schreyer recognize that over three or four days from Gibraltar even a small speed deficit can quickly consume their 30 miles lead. Add to that the fact that some compression is inevitable, where the chasing boat stays with the better breeze when the lead boat has emerged into lighter going, and all predictions are for this remaining a close challenge.
On board both boats spirits are reported to be high, in spite of the challenging conditions. W Hotels could not be contacted, but Estrella Damm’s Alex Pella remarked that the thought of being so close to what will feel like the homeward stretch feels especially good.
Pella, Ribes and Schreyer are not having any significant problems except for routine small things that are an occupational hazard in the robust conditions, which they have been dealing with. On W Hotels the situation is similar although they had their hands slightly full when the videoconference was taking place this afternoon, as they were undertaking a repair to the compression bar and the part of the blade control mechanism of the windward rudder after it was damaged by a wave.
The W Hotels trio has had to throttle back to make the repairs, but the three co-skippers were confident in their ability to make good a relatively routine, but nonetheless annoying repair. The repair time was estimated to be around three or four hours which should allow W Hotels to return to optimum speed in five or six hours.
Boat speeds through last night and today have been impressive, averaging just under 20 knots and swallowing miles to the south of the Azores, rapidly approaching the improving conditions.
And then, probably on Saturday morning, comes the decision when to gybe, probably between 0800hrs and midday. Certainly for the Spanish crews that will feel like the turn for home.
Pachi Rivero At The Nav Station On W Hotels (Photo courtesy of W Hotels)
Quotes
Pachi Rivero (ESP), Co-skipper W Hotels (ESP): “Approximately 1 hour ago we got a damage in the windward rudder of the boat. I was on deck and a wave shook the boat completely and covered it in water. Once out of the wave I noticed a noise at the stern and it was the rudder hanging. Anyway after evaluating the damage (we have dismounted the rudder) we are already fixing it. We are still in the Record” in an e-mail to Record Control HQ.
Alex Pella (ESP) Co-skipper Estrella Damm (ESP): “We are going very well, with 20-30-32 knots of wind and so the work is still hard, we are happy, but it is reefs in and out because the wind is up and down and quite shifty. We are very concentrated and looking forward to when to gybe. The mood is up and we have no large jobs for the shore team when we get back, just small things and we have generally dealt with them as they happen.”
Jan Santana, Project Manager, Estrella Damm (ESP): “They (Estrella Damm) are pushing as hard as they can because they want to gain as much as possible now, because they know that when they pass Gibraltar the winds will be lighter.”
“You know that you have to prepare for different conditions and our boat is very good like that and upwind and for strong winds. If we are now at 30 miles in front of them, we know only too well that in 24 hours we can lose 20 miles. Now the forecast says that in three or four days the wind will be from the NE, very variable and light, between eight and 12 knots.”
“Both crews are working very hard, the skippers are very high level and the boats are pretty similar and so I expected it to be so close. The options are all pretty similar, and we have run the routings maybe ten times, sometimes with different programmes, and most of them have given exactly the same course that they have done. They don’t want to gybe too early because they go back into the low, and too late and the wind will be too close wind in 12 hours time. When they pass to the east of the centre of the low pressure the wind will change quickly.”
Stu McLachlan boat captain W Hotels (ESP): “I have been really impressed with how close it has been, clearly both teams are working very hard, Pachi, Toño and Peter have being going really well. Both Pachi and Toño have sailed together a lot in the past but they clearly have good chemistry and they have been able to make the boat go fast. Our job is to build in reliability and we have made good progress since last year with the boat. That reliability needs to be completely across the board and in all weathers, it is possible to have gear failures in light winds as well as big winds.”
Standings at 1300hrs GMT Thursday.
1. Estrella Damm (ESP), Ribes, Pella, Schreyer: 1272 miles to finish
2. W Hotels (ESP), Rivero, Piris, Becker: 1303.2 miles to finish (+ 31.2miles)
Estrella Damm (Photo © Estrella Damm / FNOB)
The two IMOCA Open 60’s pass into their second week of the New York to Barcelona Transoceanic Record Sailing Challenge battling with the toughest conditions of the passage so far.
The Three Skippers Onboard W-Hotels Hours Before The Record (Photo Courtesy of W-Hotels)
· High stress levels and intense concentration as the two Barcelona IMOCA Open 60’s fight to get free of the light winds and into the strong north easterlies which will propel them at speed towards Gibraltar.
· W Hotels closes up and sights leader Estrella Damm five miles away after four days and 1450 miles of racing since leaving New York Thursday.
Barcelona, 12 April 2010.- If any small measure or additional motivation was required for the two teams on the Barcelona IMOCA Open 60’s, it was injected early this morning when W Hotels spotted their sole rivals Estrella Damm on the horizon only five or six miles away after four days and 1400 miles of racing since the pair set their transatlantic duel in motion, departing New York’s Ambrose Light last Thursday.
On running into the calmer airs Sunday both teams had individually highlighted that light, capricious breezes are much more stressful and tiring than the high speed, on- the-edge reaching which they have enjoyed since they left. And today as they fought for every metre early on (their) Monday morning, the resulting fatigue was much more apparent in the voices of the two co-skippers who joined today’s short audio call to the Record control headquarters in Barcelona.
W Hotels’ Toño Piris (ESP) admitted that he is maybe getting no more than an hour’s sleep in eight, and even when he did lie down to rest, his level of stress and adrenalin, hearing his team-mates working tirelessly on deck was not conducive to switching off and achieving restful sleep easily.
The Bow of Estrella Damm At Dawn (Photo courtesy of www.ny-bcn.org)
But Piris and Pachi Rivero (ESP), along with American co-skipper Peter Becker ,were quietly satisfied that their hard work to date has ensured they remain a constant challenge to Estrella Damm, the yacht on which Pepe Ribes (ESP) and Alex Pella (ESP) have already completed one gruelling east-to-west Transatlantic last November as a duo.
Their key focus during the hours of very light breezes and calms have been simply to keep the boat moving. Piris explained today that they had already witnessed the ‘triple donuts’ on the speedo that all sailors hate to see, a trio of big fat zeroes.
On the IMOCA Open 60’s when the boat stops and steerage is lost, the boat can tack involuntarily and it takes many minutes to regain boat speed and to sort out the mess of sails and ropes which sometimes results.
Both boats were on the wind, trying to maintain forward momentum to escape the clutches of the high pressure ridge which has been barring their eastwards progress. Estrella Damm’s Pepe Ribes wondered if they might be emerging from the worst of it, arriving into a more northerly breeze.
After having a deficit of 26 miles yesterday evening, today W-Hotels was within five miles of their rival, and was still sailing slightly faster on average, but as soon as they wriggle free of the calm zone they remain assured of a speedy passage to the Straits of Gibraltar.
Quotes:
Pepe Ribes (ESP) Co-skipper Estrella Damm (ESP): “We are sharing all the jobs, we do everything when we are on watch. Everyone does his job and we are doing very well. We are not specialised in any one thing, we all do the work depending who is on watch, the one who is off watch is the one who is doing the weather. We normally schedule everything like that at the moment. Last night was very stressful with a lot of sail changes and we still only have three knots of wind, so there is a lot of concentration to sail the boats in the puffs, to trim the sails and to drive the boat, build the speed up. We are very tired but we need to keep up concentration. We are doing about 4 knots of boat speed at the moment, the wind is from about 090 degrees and we are heading 140 degrees. We are not really sure where we are in relation to the middle of the high pressure ridge. The decision where we head all the time is about where we can make maximum speed, the best angles for the wind and where we want to be going, we are not really thinking about W Hotels at the moment. If we were 20 miles from Barcelona it would be maybe different but there are too many miles to go.”
Toño Piris (ESP) co-skipper W Hotels (ESP): “We are both on port tack, we have the wind right on the nose, under Code Zero, but we cannot tack yet. It feels like we have been eaten by the High. We have even had 0.00 but have been able to move on in some puffs under the clouds, but not much. We both knew that we would have to pass through the complicated high area. We hope this evening we will be able to tack and get the Northerlies. It is a difficult situation. The sea conditions are quite flat, we put some stuff out to dry. In these conditions with a sailboat you have to concentrate more when it is light. In terms of rest I can reassure you that we are all tired. We were lucky to have less than maybe one hour every eight hours or something. It does not matter if you are supposed to have three hours to go to sleep or three hours to be on watch. I personally have struggled to find sleep. Pachi is an incredible hard worker all the time, he does a bit of navigation and then is on the bow and is all over all the time but we are all very motivated and very hard working. Peter is working like a champ all the time and is really motivated.”
Standings at 1300hrs GMT Monday:
1 Estrella Damm (ESP), Ribes, Pella, Schreyer: 2260.9 miles to finish
2 W Hotels (ESP), Rivero, Pires, Becker: 2267.3 miles to finish (+6.4 miles)
Sran Schreyer The American Skipper On Board Estrella Damm (Photo Courtesy of http://www.nyc-bcn.org)
