Clipper Race - First yachts arrive in Panama ahead of canal transit

by Clipper Round the World on 25 May 2016 2015 -16 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - LMAX Exchange and Unicef have joined ClipperTelemed+ and Derry~Londonderry~Doire in Panama today after completing the PSP Logistics Panama Cup.

ClipperTelemed+ and Derry~Londonderry~Doire arrived on Tuesday morning (local time) ahead of the Clipper Race fleet's transit of the famous Panama Canal.

It was champagne celebrations for Matt Mitchell and his ClipperTelemed+ crew as they celebrated second place in the PSP Logistics Panama Cup recording the team's best finish so far in the 2015-16 edition.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire arrived at Flamenco Marina around 30 minutes later with both yachts awaiting confirmation of Panama Canal transit.

Unicef and LMAX Exchange arrived late afternoon with ClipperTelemed+, Unicef and Derry~Londonderry~Doire will transit the canal on Wednesday 25 May.

It will take the entire day to get through the canal the yachts will start the transit, usually just after sunrise.

The three yachts then raft together whilst in each lock. It normally takes at least four days to get the entire fleet through the canal.

You can view the canal web cameras, here.

This means that the first nine yachts through will stop at Shelter Bay Marina on the Caribbean side and wait for the final yachts to come through. As these three yachts come through, the other yachts will depart Shelter Bay and rendezvous with them before motor-sailing offshore for a Le Mans start.