The double-handed Global Ocean Race (GOR) fleet started Leg 3 from Wellington, New Zealand, to Punta del Este, Uruguay, with a 6,200-mile course through the Pacific Ocean, around Cape Horn and through the South Atlantic ahead of the five Class40s.

 

 Shortly after 13:00 local time, the Class40s motored out of Queens Wharf – the fleet’s base for almost one month – and into Lambton Harbour followed by a spectator armada of motorboats, sailing yachts and dinghies. While the fleet milled in Lambton Harbour, the five teams self-sealed their engines with instructions to email a time-stamped image of the yellow, plastic tie-wrap in place to Co-Race Director, Sylvie Viant within five hours of the start gun.

 In around ten knots of breeze, Conrad Colman and Adrian Kuttel were first across the line with Cessna Citation, followed by the South African duo of Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire with Phesheya-Racing. Colman and Kuttel led the fleet east across the mouth of Evans Bay as the breeze built fractionally and around Point Halswell, hoisting spinnakers and leaving Ward Island and Hope Shoal to port. For a brief period the breeze died completely before switching through 180 degrees, forcing a beat and short tacking through the gap between the eastern shoreline of Wellington Harbour and the jagged, exposed rocks of Barrett Reef before rounding Pencarrow Head and exiting the 2km-wide harbour entrance.

Cessna Citation led the fleet out into Cook Strait with Ross and Campbell Field on Buckley Systems in hot pursuit and as the Class40s dropped south into the Pacific, the wind built quickly to 20 knots with a long rolling swell for the first night at sea, forcing the teams to reef as the sun began to dip

 

In the 06:00 GMT position poll, the Fields on Buckley Systems were furthest east in the fleet, closest to the Great Circle route and led the fleet with Cessna Citation furthest west dropping back to fourth and Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron moving up to second on Campagne de France. The South Africans on Phesheya-Racingheld third place with Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon in fifth with Financial Crisis with just five miles separating the Class40s.

 

The GOR’s Race Ambassador, Dee Caffari, explains what is ahead for the teams over the next month: “This is the big one, but it is also rewarded with the infamous landmark of Cape Horn,” she explains. “The main difference with this ocean leg is that there are very few options along the way,” Caffari continues. “The previous leg had the teams cross the Indian Ocean which is littered with islands along the way which can give options. Now, they will have none,” she adds. “Once they leave the relative safety of the Cook Strait, they enter the Pacific with nothing between them and Cape Horn.”
Compared with the Indian Ocean, the Pacific is potentially a smoother ride for the five Class40s: “It is a long way, but the good news is the weather can be more enjoyable,” says Dee, who has raced around the world through the Southern Ocean four times; single-handed, double-handed and fully-crewed. “The waves will seem slightly longer and wider spaced allowing the boats to have more comfortable surfing conditions,” Caffari predicts. “The bad weather doesn’t seem as frequent as it is in the Indian Ocean, but it is almost guaranteed that there will be a big blow before you leave the deep South and head back into the relative safety of the Atlantic Ocean,” she warns. “It is almost as if the Southern Ocean wants to say goodbye and leave you with a lasting reminder of how hostile it can be. The sailors will finish this leg exhausted, but also exhilarated and possibly even a little bit sad, as saying goodbye to the South is difficult as it is such a magical place to experience.”
GOR Leg 3 positions at 06:00 GMT 29/01/12
1.    Buckley Systems DTF 6,040nm 7.4kts
2.    Campagne de France DTL 2.6nm 8.1kts
3.    Phesheya-Racing DTL 3.2nm 8kts
4.    Cessna Citation DTL 4nm 8.6kts
5.    Financial Crisis DTL 5.2nm 7.4kts

 

GOR points table and crew list for Leg 3:
1.    Buckley Systems: 64 points. Ross and Campbell Field (NZL/NZL)
2.    Campagne de France: 56 points. Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron (FRA/GBR)
3.    Cessna Citation: 54 points. Conrad Colman and Adrian Kuttel (NZL/RSA)
4.    Financial Crisis: 42 points. Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon (ITA/ESP)
5.    Phesheya-Racing: 24 points. Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire (RSA/RSA)
6.    Sec. Hayai: 6 points. Nico Budel and Frans Budel (NDL/NDL) RTD Leg 2, DNS Leg 3. Will re-join GOR for Legs 4 and 5

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On Saturday 22nd January at 12:11:45 pm (Paris time) the Maxi Banque Populaire V took off Ushant on her first attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy with a reference time of 48 days 7 hours 44 minutes and 52 seconds to beat.         
Thirteen days later, in the South Atlantic, just before entering the Indian, the wonderful adventure carried out by Pascal Bidegorry and his men stopped suddenly after a collision with an UFO *, damaging heavily the daggerboard. The crew decided to sail the giant trimaran back to Lorient after having performed some repair on the injured piece.

After 15 days delivery, the crew arrived this morning in Lorient, the opportunity for them to come back on this unique experience of this first attempt.
Pascal Bidegorry – skipper – off watch: “We continued to work well on this delivery. The objective was to carry on sailing as if we were still in the record … not with the full performance of the boat for sure but in the organization on board as the crew has done during the first twelve days of racing. It was important not to stop and to keep the same dynamic. I have had the time to ask myself all the questions possible. There are three tiny jobs to do (laughs) but I’m more determined than before. The boat is good, it’s a fact, everyone says so, but I really enjoyed sailing with the guys. We have everything to make this project a success. It is not trivial to spend thirty days at sea and it will definitely greatly serve us. The Team has done a tremendous job and we all grown up a bit. We learned to live together, living the boat’s performance. Living together at 20 knots or at 35 knots is not the same. We do not handle the boat as we used to do. I tried to learn by watching others and seeing the intelligence with which they conducted their boat and their men. It is not that simple. We did not break the boat. We sailed well. We hit something but we made no mistakes.
We are hoping to leave again this winter. There are roughly ten working days on the boat. We must make a complete check up as we sailed 30 days on this 40 meters multihull.

 Since we decided to turn around, we have not stopped looking at St. Helena and the trajectory of the competitors in the Barcelona World Race and the one of Thomas Coville. We know very well that it is not fun for anybody to turn back. We weighed the pros and cons, but it was a good choice.”

Juan Vila – skipper – off watch: “It was a great experience, very intense moments of ups and down, as always in this type of race. Everything went really well. It’s a shame but we are hoping to go back there soon. In my navigator role, I always spent a lot of time inside, making a bit of a virtual race on the computer. But I was also on deck to help for all maneuvers. It allowed me to see both parts of the navigation and given the desire to be leaving again. I know that after a day ashore, I’ll be looking at the files, telling me: when are we going back? “.

Yvan Ravussin : Watch leader – watch n°1 : “It was a great start from Brest on this first attempt. Whether the boat or the crew, it really was pure joy and our only wish is to go back there! We know that mechanical hazards are part of our sport but I really thought we were under cover on this kind of big boat. Even if it is not the first time I make repairs at sea, this one was really big!  We must keep in mind that this first attempt was a perfect way to learn more about this machine and gives us an incredible urge to see what she can do on the whole tour”.

Brian Thompson : Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°1 : “ I’m feeling perfect and not too tired! We have been sailing back for 14 days which obviously were not that fast because of the daggerboard and we were not on the edge on the delivery. It was the first time I was sailing for that long on this boat and I must say it has an incredible potential: to reach the Cap Verde in 3 days is quite impressive. It is just a shame we had to withdraw. I was at the helm when we hit the UFO and we were doing a really steady 37 knots and t was really beautiful night. It was not a huge impact and we did not think it was such a big thing. When we crossed the Equator I made a dedication of saucisson to Neptune but I’m not sure it was enough. I guess he was a bit angry I did not give him any French wine!”

Thierry Chabagny : Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°1 : “Thirty days at sea on a boat like that, it’s a very rich experience!  They allowed me to learn a lot more on all the maneuvers, sail trim … all the hours spent at the helm helped me developing sensitivities that I had not before leaving. I also realized that I really wanted to go back to try to finally finish this round the world we all dream about but still is very hard. Humanly, you realize it’s like a small company and that concepts such as respect and listening are very important. It went really well between us. I did a lot of solitaire, and little crew. It’s interesting to see in the eyes of others what you show. So you tend to try to do better, to correct even if the truth always comes out. I think we also all been “chosen” for our ability to get along with others and there was no problem at all. We really shared every moment and it was a real treat! “.

Pierre-Yves Moreau : Bowman – watch n°1 : “We were waiting to be in calmer waters to remove the daggerboard. We were really disappointed when we lifted it because it was heavily damaged. There was a lot of patch-up to do, some cutting with the means onboard. We cut nearly two meters of it, which allowed us to re-sail with the boat. The crew is good and well! I was very happy with my watch, it was complementary. We had fun but it was serious as well.”

Fred Le Peutrec : Watch leader – watch n°2 : “Having sailed thirty days on the boat with the crew are all assets for the future. There was no scratch, no complaint; we were all so disappointed when the collision happened. It’s rare to get it on the first try. What you learn is acquired for the successful attempt. We did not attack the area in which you make the nicest memories,  ie the south. But it’s always a great pleasure to sail fast on a well balanced boat, to be at the helm with a machine that bursts at 37, 38, 40 knots in the middle of the night. These are real pleasures. It stopped too quickly but this is only a postponement. It’s part of the exercise, it is not only a race but the frustration does not go beyond the bearable.”

Emmanuel Le Borgne : Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°2 : “The departure was very nice with perfect conditions to reach the Doldrums. We knew long before arriving to Equator that the South Atlantic would be complicated, but we kept a small hope that things would improve. The mechanical problem has unfortunately forced us to review our strategies and we have had to take the decision to withdraw. I was sleeping at the time of the shock but it was not that violent. We had already hit a whale on our way to New York which was much more violent. Paradoxically this transverse shock is has provoked much more damage. The delivery back nevertheless allowed us to continue in validating things on board, such as watches organization, maneuvers and it oddly went quite fast. In any case, this first attempt was too short but very meaningful. We arrived at the door of the South, which remained closed so we will quickly go and knock a second time.

Erwan Tabarly : Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°2 : “ It’s a great experience to sail on one of the fastest boats of offshore racing.  It is a great honor and a great pleasure to sail with this crew. I enjoyed every moment as a great privilege. I have very nice memories even if we would have liked to finish it for sure. We must bounce back and we won’t stop there. There will be a sequel and it will be for next time. ”

Ronan Lucas : Bowman – watch n°2 : “We nearly spent a month at sea and I have not seen it ! The first fifteen days have been a succession: The Canaries, Cape Verde, equator, the attack of the South, St. Helena … it goes really fast and we are always focused on the next move. Then there’s the disappointment that the record is lost. It is a lot of energy for a hazard that cannot be controlled. We had no success this time, next time we will. We do have satisfactions though, the boat goes fast, the crew is competent. We were 400 miles ahead when we withdrew, with no perfect conditions. There is disappointment because there was a lot of energy spent by the crew, the technical team and the sponsor who supports us for a long time. Everyone believes it. We have just touched the mythical moments of a round the world race and we would have liked to go further. ”

Jérémie Beyou  : Watch leader – watch n°3 : “The principle of the delivery is not to push the machine too far but we still want to see certain things at the same time. The question was therefore to know where to stop. It was interesting to see how we could sail fast with the boat, the closest possible to its maximum capacity but taking the daggerboard issue into account, to see how we get out there and record the data. This delivery has allowed us to talk more with others including those of other watches which we were just crossing over while racing. This human factor is on top of the stack of criteria for success. ”

Kevin Escoffier: Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°3 : “ It was great! We saw that the boat was fast and I had a lot of fun. After a year and a half like we had, it feels really good to finally be leaving. It is obviously disappointing having to stop due to a daggerboard because expect that the boat has nothing at all. Those are unpredictable aspects of our sport and we have to take it as it is. We have to take the positive points out of this experience: the boat is in perfect conditions after 30 days at sea. Obviously we would have preferred to go further but this first attempt is a significant additional experience for a future departure. What impressed me most about this course are the first two days. We already had a fierce desire to go sailing, but we got super good conditions to go really fast. I have some beautiful memories of hours spent at the helm.”

Xavier Revil  : Helmsman / Trimmer – watch n°3 : ” First is the first time I spend that length of time at sea and I loved it! I am eager to go back. Everything went really well and I quickly got into my watch rhythm. The first night was a little difficult but you quickly adapt to the boat life and it give me a lot of confidence for the future. For my first crossing of the Equator, we had a little party on board. As we were fully concentrated in the race, it helped to have a pleasant moment altogether. I was in charge of the food on board and it went fine as well. There was no lack of anything but the only issue I faced was that it is not easy to satisfy everyone in terms of taste. As for the boat, we have learnt a lot and some improvements and adjustments will be made on the food. The most important is that everybody was happy. “

Florent Chastel : Bowman – watch n°3 : “There really were only positive aspects during these 13 days of racing, apart from the collision with the UFO. The boat’s ability to go fast in little air is impressive and although the weather has not always been very supportive, we still managed to stay a bit ahead of the reference time during most of it. It was a good session which does not end the way we would have liked but we must now do everything in order to be leaving the soonest. In any case, the boat has the full potential to get this trophy.”

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With a lead of 324 miles over the reference time, the Maxi Banque Populaire V was handicapped for more than 48 hours by a damaged daggerboard due to a collision with a UFO*.  The crew have tried everything to repair the broken piece and resume their round the world tour. However, after 24 hours of intensive care, Pascal Bidegorry and his men must face the facts: it is not possible for them to continue this journey with a daggerboard that does not fulfil its potential when one looks closely at the long upwind voyage ahead to the Kerguelen Islands. After fourteen days of sailing that has seen an impressive performance from the boat, the fourteen men on board are therefore forced to quit in their first record attempt of the Jules Verne Trophy.
Reached by telephone late this morning, Pascal Bidegorry talked through this difficult but reasoned decision:

“Yesterday, we spent the day sawing the end of the damaged daggerboard. We managed to clear a good part of it and scraped inside it to make it fair.  Right now, the guys are trying to fill it in with whatever they find. Then we will have to fair the outside. The boat is a true composite workshop at the moment, which is not ideal at 46 ° south, in the cold and permanent fog. We are left with two meters of daggerboard instead of the usual 5.80 meters. At the scale of a boat like ours, it does not help performance and we have a lot of upwind conditions ahead to get up to the Kerguelen Islands, conditions under which the total length of the daggerboard is essential. We have been working on it for two and a half days and despite all our determination, we fully realize that we cannot put it back before noon tomorrow at the earliest. We need to be objective, we are racing a record and need to be competitive. Not carrying on is more than obvious today, especially since we know that there are a lot of upwind conditions awaiting us. We cannot sail as fast as we wanted in the south. We have left the boundaries of what is the essence of our mission.

We have thus decided to leave some time for the team in charge of the “yard-work” to finish repairing the damage properly. Then slowly but surely we will return to Lorient. We are big boys, we came here alone and we will come back under sail. For now, we are still heading east. We should have a wind shift within a couple of hours to make a northern route. We should get very soft conditions within 24 hours, which will allow us to finish the repair. Then we will start again in the trade winds, downwind to the Doldrums. ”

The disappointment and frustration of the Maxi Banque Populaire V’s crew and of Banque Populaire itself are inevitably strong today, but everyone knows that this decision is right, as there is still two thirds of the world left to sail around in this attempt.

After leaving Brest on Saturday, January 22, the Maxi Banque Populaire had performed well, confirming its potential as a hunter of records. Nevertheless, on the night of February 2nd to 3rd, what is suspected to be a whale destroyed Pascal Bidegorry and his men’s hopes in the South Atlantic, a few hundred miles away from the Cape of Good Hope. Forced to retire after two and a half days spent trying to find a way out, they do not intend to stop and will therefore head north to their Lorient base Lorient, a trip that will take 18 to 20 days.

Without doubt, these fourteen great sailors and the Maxi now have a mission to take on this world tour. This is how Pascal Bidegorry concluded the today’s vacation:
“I am determined to do this round the world and to beat that record. We have both a reliable boat on which we worked really well and a sporty degree of quality that makes me think that the Maxi Banque Populaire V deserves so much better than what we are offering it today. We must continue to work for the future. ”

If this Jules Verne Trophy attempt ends this Saturday 5th February, we must recall that this was the first attempt of the giant trimaran bearing the image of the Sailing Bank, tenaciously committed forover 20 years in offshore racing and its mechanical hazards.

* UFO: unknown floating object
Maxi Banque Populaire V’s crew list
Off Watch :
Pascal Bidégorry : skipper
Juan Vila : navigator

Watch n°1
Yvan Ravussin : Watch leader, in charge of video and composite
Brian Thompson : Helmsman / Trimmer
Thierry Chabagny : Helmsman / Trimmer
Pierre-Yves Moreau : Bowman, in charge of fittings and composite

Watch n°2
Fred Le Peutrec : Watch leader
Emmanuel Le Borgne : Helmsman / Trimmer, in charge of medics
Erwan Tabarly : Helmsman / Trimmer, in charge of electonics
Ronan Lucas : Bowman, in charge of security

Watch n°3
Jérémie Beyou  : Watch leader
Kevin Escoffier: Helmsman / Trimmer, in charge of video
Xavier Revil  : Helmsman / Trimmer, in charge of food
Florent Chastel : Bowman, in charge of medics and rigging

Marcel van Triest : Shore weather routeur

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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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* Skippers and crews keen reach the open ocean
* Uniquely Singapore crew bugged by illness
* Clipper Race founder, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, receives prestigious award

The skippers and teams of Clipper 09-10 are ready to hit the open ocean again. The frustration of dodging container shipping and fishing fleets is beginning to grate, and the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean can’t come soon enough.

Spirit of Australia’s skipper Brendan Hall says, “I am very much looking forward to getting around Japan and out into the Pacific, leaving behind the shipping, fishing fleets, obstructions and fickle Yellow Sea winds. We’ve had more variable winds overnight and this morning. More heavy sail changes as we respond to the shifts in wind angle and speed.”

As the crew shake off the last remnants of seasickness the gloves are back on for the Boxing Kangaroo and the Aussies are getting ready to go the full 12 rounds. Kit preservation will be top of the agenda, safety and rig checks a part of the daily routine of life on board.

“This morning, we noticed some chafe on a few of our lines, which we have quickly repaired,” says Brendan.

The Cape Breton Island eagle is getting ready to spread her wings as soon as she is out of the confines of the Yellow Sea but it’s taking longer than skipper, Jan Ridd, would like. “It has been a frustrating 24 hours as we ran into an area of very light winds last night and made little or no progress,” he says. “The Yellow Sea is being as fickle as ever, giving you brief teasers of a decent breeze only to take it away again 20 minutes later. The weather files were originally quite accurate but for the last few hours we have been experiencing wind from exactly the opposite of the forecast. Although it is no longer cold it has been replaced with a fine misty rain which reminds me so much of sailing back in the UK!

“Apart from the fickle weather, everybody seems to be settling in well and getting used to the on board routines. I cannot wait to get into the Pacific Ocean and get away from the mad Chinese fishing fleets and find some stable wind.”

After a slow start to their Clipper 09-10 campaign, California are putting in consistently decent performances and are determined to win this race to their home port. There are still plenty of points available between now and the finish on the Humber on 17 July and, as has already been seen, the fate of a team can change in the blink of an eye. The wind can appear just as quickly but Pete Rollason and the crew of the American yacht were ready for it when it happened this morning.

He says, “After a really frustrating time of little or no wind when Cape Breton Island, Spirit of Australia and ourselves have all been in sight of each other while really going nowhere, in a matter of seconds the wind picked up to 28 knots. The crew reacted with lightning speed and, before I could say too much, had wrestled the Yankee 1 down to the deck, hoisted the Yankee 2 and were busy preparing to flake and bag the Yankee 1 while one crew member went down below to make tea. It was completed like any other every task you may undertake, but this is no everyday task and undertaken by the extraordinary people that I am sailing with.”

A racing headsail change takes a huge amount of energy and teamwork but for the more than 83,000 people playing the Clipper Virtual Race online at www.clipperroundtheworld.com a sail change takes no more than the click of a button – and you don’t get a soaking on the foredeck! It’s not too late to sign up to the game and take part in the transpacific race to pit your skills against those of the teams competing in Clipper 09-10.

Back on the water those ever-shifting winds have been frustrating progress.

“Twenty-four hours of constant changes,” reports Piers Dudin from on board Hull & Humber. “We’ve had every wind from every direction and all sorts of sail plans making their contribution to some frustrating progress. Looks like the race just got tough! The crew, however, are on top form, driving each sail to its maximum and keeping us in touch with the front runners. The rain isn’t dampening the mood just yet although any glimpse of sun is received with cheers already.

“I’m looking forward to stepping off the continental shelf back into some deep blue once we shake Japan and her islands. Until then there’s still plenty of shipping and fishing to keep us entertained.”

You get a really clear view of where the continental shelf finishes and how far away from that deeper water the fleet is if you click the ‘satellite’ tab on the race viewer.

The varying wind conditions have left the Jamaica Lightning Bolt crew exhausted but happy after 24 hours of sail change after sail change, says skipper Pete Stirling. “The one consolation is that the work has kept their bodies warm and their minds occupied. Unable to lay the course to the southern tip of Japan we decided to head east last night unlike most of the rest of the fleet which headed south. The forecast was for the wind to veer round to the north east which would then give us a better angle on the course. The forecast, however, is completely wrong and we currently have a southerly wind which is 180 degrees out on the forecasted direction. We have no choice now but to continue with what we have so time will tell if we find ourselves in a better position than the rest of the boats.”

Uniquely Singapore is just a few miles from Jamaica Lightning Bolt but a bug that has swept through the crew has forced them to sail more conservatively than they would like.

Skipper Jim Dobie explains, “Our land based friend which made it on to the boat and has managed to claim more crew including myself now. This made for quite the interesting night. So, once again, a night filled with fishing fleets, the Korean navy and today the American Navy made for some wonderful sailing. Clearly with me out of action, a lot of crew down and the magical busy traffic we were forced into a cautious night of sailing and once again were saddened to see the loss of miles against the other yachts. However we are made of strong stuff and once the air of sickness has left Uniquely Singapore we will once again rise up and chase down the others as best as possible. Luckily it happened to us at the beginning of the race with 5,000 or more miles to play with. At the moment Rachel (medic/vet) is supervising a disinfectant session including all the galley crockery and utensils, the heads, all the surfaces and the bilges. I’m pretty sure if she had her way she would try and dip us, too. The wind seems to be filling in nicely and we can’t wait to clear the south coast of Japan and head into the Pacific to leave our dear fisherman friends behind.”

There’s a trick to avoiding the fishing boats that the Hong Kong based skipper of Qingdao has been playing to his advantage. Chris Stanmore-Major says, “At the moment we are beset by fog and drizzle and the scene could well be the Solent or the Thames. The only difference is the huge number of shabby Chinese fishing boats which have been our constant companions since our departure from Qingdao.  I have read much from the other skippers about being pushed back and off course by these fleets but experience from Hong Kong tells me to aim for the middle and simply dodge those who, in curiosity, get too close. Out here the fishing style is with pots on the sea bed so the vessels can be passed at close range. The effect of this realisation on watch leaders has been profound and they now pass through fleets of 50 or 60 vessels with the deck lights blazing and a light hand on the helm rather than biting their nails and stressing.  Am I going to tell the other skippers about this? Hmm… Maybe tomorrow or perhaps the next day.”

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital’s crew have loved the sailing over the last 24 hours. Skipper Matt Pike reports, “The best sailing ever! Despite the cold and overcast sky Edinburgh Inspiring Capital picked up in the thirty knots, the following sea and flew. 15… 16… the surfing speed records kept falling as a new helm took over at the ‘concentration station’. We maxed at 19.7kts and an hour’s run of 13.6 – a great afternoon’s sail. Dusk came and a change of direction in the wind slowed us down overnight and by dawn we were back to chasing the breeze with the wind seeker. As for the next 24 hours, we will see what it brings, but one thing’s for sure the crew of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital has never felt so strong as a team!”

The Clipper Race was founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world more than 40 years ago. Since the first race set off in 1996 more than 2,000 people like you have learned to sail and taken on the world’s oceans in this unique challenge and interest in the race has never been higher – more than half the berths for Clipper 11-12 have already been filled.
Today Sir Robin is in New York to receive a top sailing award. The Cruising Club of America has selected the British sailing legend to receive its prestigious Blue Water Medal, without date, for a lifetime devoted to the advancement of sailing, sail training and youth development and on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his singlehanded, non-stop circumnavigation of the world. In the 85-year history of the CCA’s Blue Water Medal only seven Medals have been awarded without date. The medal will be presented this evening by CCA Commodore, Sheila McCurdy (Middletown, R.I.), during the club’s annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club in New York.
Blue Water Medallists have included such luminaries of the sailing world as Sir Francis Chichester, Pete Goss and Bernard Moitessier, whose boat Joshua led the Clipper 09-10 fleet from La Rochelle in September last year.
POSITIONS AT 1200 UTC, FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2010

1 Spirit of Australia DTF 5103
2 California DTF 5103 DTL +0
3 Cape Breton Island DTF 5103 DTL +0
4 Hull & Humber DTF 5111 DTL +8
5 Qingdao DTF 5125 DTL +16
6 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 5125 DTL +22
7 Uniquely Singapore DTF 5133 DTL +30
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 5143 DTL +40
9 Team Finland DTF 5612 DTL +509
10 Cork Did not start

(DTF = Distance to Finish, DTL = Distance to Leader)
Full positions are updated every three hours and can be found at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.

Become a fan of the Clipper Race on Facebook: www.facebook.com/clipperroundtheworld

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race started on 13 September from the Humber on the UK’s east coast and will return there in July 2010 after 35,000 miles of ocean racing. No previous sailing experience is required to take part as full training is provided. Crew can sign up for the whole circumnavigation or one or more legs. The overall race is divided into individual races and points are accumulated according to each individual race position. The yacht with the highest total at the finish wins the race trophy.

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 All 16 crew have been safely evacuated to two sister yachts, Team Finland and California. All are safe and next of kin have been informed.

The Irish entry was sailing in 20-knot winds when she struck a rock off the small island of Gosong Mampango at 2018 GMT, 13 January The yacht was competing in the fifth race of the biennial global challenge which left Geraldton, Western Australia for Singapore on 3 January 2010.

Initial reports from skipper Richie Fearon stated that the boat is lying on her side on the rock with the toe rail under water and that some hull damage has occurred. Because the winds were increasing, the crew evacuated to the island as a precaution. Competitors Team Finland and California were in the vicinity and immediately stood by off shore. The skipper and crew of Cork have subsequently used their life rafts to transfer to the waiting boats and all are now safely on board. Team Finland’s skipper Rob McInally is relaying updates with both the race organisers and the coastguard agencies.

The yachts on station are best placed to assess the situation and consider what salvage options are practical. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of race organisers Clipper-Ventures said, ‘Clearly our priority has been the safety of the crew and we have received confirmation that all on-board have evacuated the boat and are now safe. Their welfare is our prime concern at this time.’

At this stage, it is too early to consider what impact the incident will have on the Irish entry and whether the team will be able to continue in the 10-month-long 35,000 mile race around the world.

California is now making her way on towards Singapore with eight of the Cork team on board. The remaining eight crew members, including skipper Richie Fearon, are on Team Finland which continues to monitor the situation.

Qingdao has now joined Team Finland and when the wind dropped earlier today, skipper Chris Stanmore-Major and team member Chris Connell (who is an active crew member with the RNLI) went ashore on Gosong Mampango in order to conduct a further assessment of the damage to Cork. This included taking digital photographs and video footage which can be sent back from the boats communication system, so that experts from around the world can better assess the situation and formulate a plan of action.

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital is also now abeam of the island. Colin Campbell, one of the team members on board, is a naval architect and he will provide further expert advise on the situation and the best options for recovery.

The Cork crew’s passports are already safely on board Team Finland and other valuables were collected when the boat was assessed earlier today.

In the event that Cork is unable to start Races 6 and 7, crew places will be available across the nine other yachts for the leg to Qingdao in late February and on to San Francisco in early April. Long before then, a clear understanding of the longer term implications will have become apparent and Clipper will keep all interested parties fully updated.

 Of the boats whose position are known Spirit of Australia continues to lead the race with Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Uniquely Singapore close behind. With boats diverting to deal with the emergency, there will clearly be requests for redress once the fleet has arrived in Singapore.

Unsurprisingly, everyone’s thoughts are with their fellow competitors from Cork. Jan Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island, sent back the following to race HQ this morning.
 
“We are all so glad to hear that everyone on board Cork is safe and that no one was hurt. We cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been as the weather was awful last night and at one point, we experienced wind speeds of 56 knots.

“We are now in a very close tacking match with Spirit of Australia and Jamaica Lightning Bolt, but to be honest since receiving the news about the seriousness of Cork‘s situation to both myself and the crew, the racing does not seem important right now.”

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was first across the start line to the delight of the home crowd as Race 5 of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race got underway. Hundreds of supporters lined the breakwater in Geraldton, Western Australia, and cheered as the Australian team raced past with the other nine internationally sponsored yachts in hot pursuit. Conditions were perfect for the beginning of the next leg to Singapore with a strong southerly breeze blowing 15-20 knots.Spirit of Australia’s skipper, Brendan Hall, said, “I’m really looking forward to this one, it’s going to have a different flavour – a bit of an ocean race to start off with but then going up through Indonesia the navigational hazards are going to be a real challenge. It’s something a bit different but also something to sink our teeth into.

Spirit of Australia

 

Speaking ahead of the race start,

“The enthusiasm and the effort put into this stopover by the people of Geraldton has been absolutely fantastic. Words can’t describe the welcome we’ve had, all the crew have had a fantastic time in Western Australia and we’ll all be very sad to leave.”

Spirit of Australia was followed across the line by California and their closest rivals, Team Finland, with only three points separating the Finns and the Aussies on the overall leader board. Chasing the front three and in order across the line were Cape Breton Island, Uniquely Singapore, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Jamaica Lightning Bolt, Cork, Ireland, Hull & Humber and Qingdao.

By the time the fleet rounded the first mark, Hull & Humber had moved into third place with Spirit of Australia holding the lead and the Californian entry staying in second place. As the fleet headed out to sea the crews, who come from all walks of life, were just getting their spinnakers ready for hoist as the boats disappeared from view.

Race 5 is one of the most interesting and varied races of Clipper 09-10. The initial part will deliver some very high average speeds as the teams head north across the Indian Ocean. Approaching Christmas Island the conditions will then change quite dramatically as they sail across the Monsoon Trough, an area similar to the Doldrums where the winds will drop and temperatures will soar.

Race Director, Joff Bailey, says, “The crews face a number of challenges on this race and the winner will be the team that can quickly exit the light patch of winds and get themselves into the steady airflow further north. The boats will also be crossing the Equator again and the new crew joining for this leg will have to meet King Neptune just before the finish.”

 

The fleet is now racing towards the first of many gates on the course and this one is particularly poignant as it marks the site of HMAS Sydney, the Leander Class light cruiser which went down with all hands in February 1941. Following a fierce engagement with the Komoran, a German raider, both ships sank and while many from the German vessel managed to launch their life boats, HMAS Sydney went down so quickly that no one survived. 645 officers and men perished, making it the biggest single loss of life for the Australian Navy.

Each yacht has picked a representative to lay tributes in the form of a wreath of flowers as their boat passes over the war grave. They include a tribute from Her Majesty’s Royal Australian Navy which will be laid at the site by the crew of Spirit of Australia. During the three-week stop in Geraldton the fleet has been overlooked by a beautiful war memorial dedicated to the servicemen who lost their lives. Prior to the race start some of the crew headed up to the site to pay their respects, the centre point of which is a dome made up of 645 interlocking steel seagulls.

 

Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Peter Stirling, sums up the feelings of all. “I know I speak for all my crew when I say what a brilliant stopover we had in Geraldton. From the moment we stepped ashore we had a fantastic reception from everyone we met. Several very well organised events were laid on including the procession / prize giving event, the New Year’s Eve party and the send off / race start. The people of Geraldton Greenough should be very proud of what they achieved.”

He adds, “For me the stopover was made particularly special by the fact that my girlfriend agreed to marry me.” Congratulations Pete and Su!

Now attention is turned once more to the racing. “Game faces on and we’re back in action,” as Spirit of Australia’s skipper, Brendan Hall, says. 

California’s crew will be hoping the new year brings a reversal of fortune. They got off to a flying start, following Spirit of Australia across the start line in second place yesterday and, says skipper Pete Rollason, “Thereafter we switched into top gear and sailed passed her. We are now locked in a very close battle with Uniquely Singapore, Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Qingdao. Everyone is finding it strange to be back on the race course after such a long and enjoyable stopover.”

Cape Breton Island has taken the early advantage overnight, nosing ahead of Uniquely Singapore whose crew are hoping to become the first in this edition of the Clipper Race to win the race to their home port.

Across the fleet there has been quite a large crew changeover in Australia and, with five new people joining the Canadian team for the race to Singapore, skipper, Jan Ridd, knows it will take a little time for them to get back into the rhythm of life on the ocean. He says, “It has been quite an interesting first night for Race 5, after a good start we decided to hoist the spinnaker early and see if we could pull out an early lead. We held the spinnaker until nightfall and then dropped it and sailed under white sails overnight, very mindful of the long break we have all enjoyed as well as the new crew who have just joined.

“We are now on course for the Sunda Straits and have hoisted the spinnaker again but by the way the boat is swinging it feels like the crew are having trouble controlling it so it will not be long before we drop and go with poled out headsail. The long break in Australia was well needed but I am well aware that we all need to now focus on the race and put all our efforts towards getting our first podium position.”

Uniquely Singapore won’t easily let go of their chances of victory and a hero’s welcome at Marina at Keppel Bay on 23 January. Skipper Jim Dobie says, “Overnight we took the offshore option as we figured there would be more wind so, while one half of the fleet chose the inshore route, we went with the other half offshore and, as expected, the wind held out through the night.

“It seems now we are in the thick of the fleet with boats everywhere. From here it is a drag race straight for the scoring gate and it will make an exciting next four to five days of close racing. So as the crew settle down once more into the routine of a race yacht we look forward now to the fantastic reception that will greet us in Singapore.”

With just a dozen or so miles separating the teams at this stage of the race, Jamaica Lightning Bolt has also been mixing it up with the leaders – in second place at the 0600 UT sched, losing just a mile to Uniquely Singapore by the 0900 UT update on the Race Viewer, click here to view.

They, too, are settling in to the routine of life on an ocean racing yacht, says skipper, Peter. “The conditions have been perfect for the first day back at sea with good winds, mainly behind the beam, and a moderate sea state. With Australia having been such a long stopover the crew are inevitably a bit rusty and it will take a bit longer for them to find their sea legs. Furthermore we have six new crew on board, our biggest crew changeover of the race so far, and for them the favourable conditions are even more welcome.”

As well as new crew, Team Finland has a new skipper, Rob McInally taking over the reins from Eero Lehtinen who made the tough decision to step down at the end of Leg 3. Rob, who skippered Nova Scotia in Clipper 07-08, is taking a cautious approach to the start of this race.

He says, “After crossing the start line third we rounded the windward mark in fourth but took Hull & Humber as we turned. The kite went up for a time and then a bigger one then, as agreed by the crew, we are now enjoying the poled out Yankee 2 allowing less pressure on us and our yacht at these early stages of what is sure to be a very eventful leg. Meanwhile the crew and I are properly getting to know each other.”

Hull & Humber and Cork, Ireland got to know each other a little too well at the start of Race 4 – not so this time and both crews are clearly revelling in the experience of being back on the race track amongst the whole of the fleet.

Cork’s skipper, Richie Fearon says, “It is great to be racing in among the fleet again and at the minute we can see eight other boats around us which is fantastic racing. We were in ninth place earlier today but, as we’ve converged on the site of the HMAS Sydney II, we have passed five boats on the water and we have the others in our sight. We ran with a number 2 and one reef in the main for most of the night and changed to a full main and heavy weight spinnaker earlier this morning which has given us the advantage to pass half of the fleet. The crew is working very well on board and the hunger is in the crew now to start delivering the results and building on our victory in the race to Cape Town.”

Piers Dudin, Hull & Humber’s skipper, says, “We cleared the start line in clear air and at speed and with plenty of space – if a little late – but made it out of the bay in third place. Then the games really began! We’ve been peeled to the binoculars trying to keep track on the ‘who’s who?’ that Race 5 is quickly becoming. The fleet has been belting along in familiar southerlies and now our course opens up for the scoring gate in 950 nm – about five days’ time.

“It’s great to be out racing again with the others and refreshing to see such a turnaround in the standings! Mikey and Jack our ambassadors are living up to the high helming standards set by their predecessors. It’s pretty humid and a little overcast but as long as there’s wind it’s GAME ON!”

Wind is one thing the Race Office is keeping a very close eye on during this leg as Tropical Cyclones can be a big issue in this region at this time of year.

Race Director Joff Bailey explains, “There are two Tropical lows that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is tracking at the moment which are in our area of concern. The first is near Darwin and is expected to become a Cat 1 Tropical Cyclone tomorrow and cross the coast near Darwin. The second is well to the west of the fleet and is moving further west. Forecasts have now downgraded this Tropical Low and are not expecting it to become a Tropical Cyclone. The Race Office is monitoring both of these systems and at the moment doesn’t consider that either of them will cause the fleet any issues.”

The Race Office will continue to monitor and advise the fleet accordingly – in the meantime the ten 68-foot ocean racing yachts are making fast progress north and making the most of the southerly airflow provided by the Indian Ocean High.

Early this morning the teams passed the first waypoint at the wreck of HMAS Sydney, a designated war grave 230 miles north west of Geraldton. They were there for a purpose – to pay tribute to the 645 men who were lost when the ship sank with all hands following a fierce battle with the German ship, Kormoran, in November 1941. The wreck site was discovered in 2008 and a memorial to those who died, among them men from Geraldton serving on board, now stands in the city.

Passing over HMAS Sydney’s final resting place was a poignant moment for all. Peter Stirling says, “We actually sailed almost directly over the site of the wreck and after dropping the wreath over the side observed a two minute silence as a mark of respect.”

Uniquely Singapore’s crew also held a minute’s silence as they laid their wreath on the ocean and Cape Breton Island’s skipper, Jan Ridd, says, “It was a solemn moment whilst we gathered on the aft of our yacht and thought of all the lives that were lost.”

 

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital crew member, Paul Rogers, read a touching tribute as they paid their respects. Paul, a 37 year old plumber from Hampshire, has joined the Scottish crew for this leg of the race to Singapore and Qingdao. As he visited the memorial in Geraldton before setting sail Paul read words sent to him by Spirit of Australia crew member, Lance Costello. Lance will race on leg 7 of the Clipper Race but asked Paul to speak on his behalf. Lance’s uncle was on board HMAS Sydney and is one of the 645 names engraved on the memorial.

In addition to their own wreath, Spirit of Australia’s crew laid another on behalf of the Royal Australian Navy. Skipper Brendan Hall says simply, “Crossing the gate over the wreck site was a touching moment for all of us as we quietly set adrift the wreaths into a building swell under a steel grey sky. Lest we forget…”

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The last 24 hours have seen some big tactical moves, variable winds keeping the crews busy with endless sail changes and a great deal of reflection on the best way to tackle the high pressure system sitting between the ten yachts of the Clipper 09-10 fleet and their goal of Geraldton-Greenough on the coast of Western Australia.

Almost all of the teams have been experiencing light winds uncharacteristic of the Southern Ocean and for the crew of Spirit of Australia it made for a particularly sour-tasting start to the day.

“Lemons at breakfast. An hour of lemons,” writes skipper, Brendan Hall. He explains, “Lemons are what we call it when the boat speed reads 0.0. Two big, fat zeros, staring the helmsman in the face. There was not a lot more we could do. We had our lightest sails up and were trimming them constantly; there was just not enough wind to keep them full. The wind hole we have been driving north to avoid has swallowed us up and given us lemons. I just hope the rest of the fleet are getting some lemons of their own. We are just creeping along now, waiting for the wind to fill in.”

The good news for the Aussie team, and equally frustrating for the others, is the light winds are affecting most of the leading pack, with perhaps the exception of Cape Breton Island whose eagle has been soaring up through the fleet, regaining places lost when they found their own wind hole in spectacular fashion a few days ago.

The Canadian crew is hot on the heels of Uniquely Singapore, currently sitting in third place behind leaders Team Finland and Spirit of Australia. But if Jim Dobie, skipper of the Singaporean entry, has his way, they won’t be there for much longer.

He says, “It’s fairly obvious we made a tactical move over the last 24 hours. On the surface it might appear that we have lost a lot of miles on the back of the fleet but the miles lost versus our new position will, fingers crossed, pay off and allow us to keep our position and catch Spirit of Australia and Team Finland – a big ask! We can now look at regaining miles lost and we believe we’re in a better position to tackle the next few days and the high sitting off the Australian west coast.”

Although he was born in Singapore Jim’s family originally comes from Kalgoolie in Western Australia, and he knows a little bit about the weather there.

“The west coast is typically hot and dry as a result of these massive highs sitting off the coast. They don’t move much and it takes something dramatic to shunt them out of the way. So your options are go over the top, underneath or through the middle. A southerly route will keep the wind with you but you have to sail a longer distance; over the top you face head winds and, depending on its position, lighter winds but a shorter distance to sail; or through the middle is the shortest distance but the route takes you into areas with no wind.

“The next week will test our abilities to read the forecasts, sail well in light winds and cover the rest of the fleet. There could be some dramatic racing coming up.”

Peter Stirling, skipper of Jamaica Lightning Bolt, knows with fewer than 200 miles separating the leading eight yachts and a massive high pressure system between them and the finish line, it’s still anyone’s race.

He says, “The Southern Ocean is currently playing its latest hand with the weather trying to lull the crew into a false sense of security with calm seas, light winds and bright sunshine. Not for long though, because by tonight we will be beating into 25 knots of wind and big seas. Though the spray and waves landing on deck will be freezing cold the wind will at least be from the north and not blowing up from the Antarctic, so some small consolation.

“Though we lost our fourth place to Cape Breton Island during the night we managed to take ground out of most of the other yachts. Cape Breton Island is much further south than the rest of the fleet and experiencing different weather conditions. We still have a long way to go and are quietly confident we can regain our lost position and hopefully even get on the podium.”

The Jamaican team has been taking the opportunity the break in the weather has afforded them to do some essential maintenance jobs including replacing the starboard spinnaker halyard they had to cut during a broach a few days ago.

“Our prediction of the light wind conditions we experienced overnight was spot on and, although we have had a shocking night in comparison to those around us, this, too, was an accepted part of the equation,” Qingdao’s skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, reported to the race office this morning.

“With the north west – south east axis of this high pressure lying directly across our path it would always be us to the north of the fleet that would get caught out first but it is our hope that those to the south of us will be caught later and for longer – allowing us to recapture our position or perhaps even gain some advantage.”

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital is slightly to the south of the Chinese entry and the crew have been busy throughout the last 48 hours adjusting their sail plan to the variable winds they have been experiencing.

“No sooner have we got the correct sail plan set and trimmed the wind changes again!” exclaims skipper, Matt Pike. “The last sched shows it is fleet wide and with so few miles between us all it’s time to plan the final push. Will the large high pressure remain stationary and force us down and around or will it track back north and give us a shorter run in? How far into it dare we go before we lose the wind altogether? We have been caught by that one before! By the latest positions it looks like no one wants to gamble and we’ll all be covering the positions of our rivals.”

California’s crew has had much the same workout, according to skipper, Pete Rollason. He says, “The crew has been doing a magnificent job with all the evolutions running like clockwork. During one watch yesterday we put in and shook out numerous reefs, poled out the headsail a couple of times and every time we completed the task the wind would either shift, increase or decrease.”

California has kept a fairly northerly position within the pack and, says Pete, “We are cracking along, beating into a freshening northerly wind having had a good run overnight, taking some decent miles out of the fleet. We are tracking slightly north, as are the rest of the fleet and probably all trying to figure out how this high pressure system is going to affect the outcome of Race 4.”

The high could provide an interesting end to this leg which has produced some edge of the seat racing throughout the first 3,000 of the 4,700-mile course.

“I believe it will be the deciding factor and whoever plays it well could make some massive gains,” agrees Pete. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves as that is probably three or four days away and later tonight we are looking at 35+ knots of wind (on the beam according to the forecast) which should make for a lively night and probably the last major blow of the Southern Ocean as we gradually track north to a warmer climate.”

While the rest of the fleet are preparing to leave the Southern Ocean, Hull & Humber’s crew are just getting used to life below 40 degrees south and loving it, according to skipper, Piers Dudin.

“Visions of the Southern Ocean have become reality. It’s easy to be poetic about what it’s like down here. But really it’s big winds, big waves, loads of birds and we’re having big fun! We changed down to the Yankee 3 and three reefs as the wind increased throughout the day to a consistent Force 8. Early on, just as the second reef was about to go in Hull & Humber picked up to 28.4 knots, sliding down an especially long wave with Charles Mischel on the helm. He was new to the boat in Cape Town but has become a full time member until San Francisco. ‘Keep it straight,’ was all I needed to say and he did exactly that as the waves in front were carved sideways.

“The wind’s settled to a Force 6 now and during the night Mike’s watch shook out the third reef and hoisted the staysail to help keep us on full pressure and course. We won’t be here for long but the Southern Ocean certainly lives up to its legend.”

The first yachts are due to reach Geraldton between 14 and 18 December, with Cork and Hull & Humber due to arrive before Christmas.

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