Clipper 09-10 - Race to the scoring gate is on

by Clipper Ventures PLC on 29 Nov 2009
Clipper 09-10. On your marks, get set for the race to the scoring gate. If you take a look at the race viewer on www.clipperroundtheworld.com you will see the yachts lined up like sprinters in the starting blocks, poised to fly down the track. The distance to finish figures belie how close the eight ocean racing boats are to the scoring gate at 55 degrees east and the curvature of the earth is not apparent on the map. With approximately 500 nm to the gate, the next two days will make for thrilling racing and the points to be won could go to any of the eight leading teams.

The crew of Spirit of Australia maintained their lead overnight with more upwind racing. 'While it's less comfortable with the boat on a lean, it gives us all a break from the stress of heavy airs downwind sailing,' reports skipper, Brendan Hall. 'Things on deck are wet and wild with at least one or two lifejackets automatically inflating during
every headsail change. The generator has been working overtime as a sock and glove dryer.'

It's no more comfortable or dry on Cape Breton Island, where they have spent another very cold night, heeled over and beating into Force 6 winds. 'We have just started to get lifted and are at present heading east again instead of north east, looking forward to being lifted some more so we can ease the sails and flatten the boat out. It is very cold
with the wind chill and spray,' writes skipper, Jan Ridd, in his 0600 report to the Race Office. Jan is planning to leave the comfort of the nav station for a while: 'I am going to stand a watch myself just to see what the crew are all moaning about,' he explains. 'Luke (Dampier, 19-year old student) keeps saying, 'Man up, chin up and shut up!' to
anyone moaning about the cold!'

Uniquely Singapore's crew have their eyes firmly on the scoring gate points. The first boat through will take three points, the second two and the third one point. 'After another cold chilly night going upwind we are constantly looking at the race scheds to see how we are doing. At the moment, as well as looking as our position, the most important thing we are looking at is our longitude compared to the other yachts. This tells us quite simply who is closest to the gate and, with the way the fleet is spread out, there are six boats all in with a chance. So to get the points we need to sail faster and straighter than everyone else. As I write this there is a slight bit of westing in the wind. The back of
my ear gets chilly on deck and one word instantly springs to mind: spinnaker. So once more we're looking forward to be racing down waves soon, getting that speed up and getting those gate points.'

There is single-minded determination on board Team Finland, too, according to skipper, Eero Lehtinen. 'We will focus on the scoring gate at 55 degrees east. It will be a close call between several boats to deal out the extra points for the first three crossing the invisible line. We haven't scored a point at a gate yet in this race. It is my last chance... so we are hungry for a couple of bonus points.'

Eero and his team are also looking forward to getting back on the sleigh ride when the wind comes around and they can enjoy some more fast, downwind sailing. 'I want to pole out the headsail, hang on and surf down the big rollers while eating up miles towards Australia.'

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital has been having a great race. The 0600 sched showed them to have covered the most ground of all the yachts in the previous 12 hours and the crew are in good spirits, despite the tough, freezing conditions.

Skipper, Matt Pike, says, 'Wave after wave roles noisily over the deck, spray and rain constantly shower everyone on deck but still we plough on east when we can, north east if not, slamming our way through the sea. No one seems to be able to sleep but they cheerfully go on deck to helm and trim, helm and trim.

'The scheds look good for us but every boat length is paid for by determination and hard work. When the wind drops below twenty knots the crew emerge from their oilies expecting a sail change (often disappointed by my cautious approach) but minutes later in slams the wind again, gusting low 30s. Slowly overnight it backed south; we eased
the sheets and are now flying east towards the gate. The fleet looks tightly packed and the gate could be anyone's. More importantly, the next low should be coming to give us the fast downwind sleigh ride I promised in the crew brief!'

Don't discount California in this race. They have been making good progress, claiming back the advantage Qingdao stole from them yesterday and creeping up on the top half of the field. Pete Rollason, the skipper of the American entry says, 'Although the winds eased overnight and backed slightly causing us to take a more northerly track, this morning sees us back on our preferred course sailing along well under full sail at more than nine knots. The last couple of days have seen California pull miles out of most of the other boats however the next sched may show something different after some slower hours overnight.

'There is a long way to go and we are all very upbeat about our recent speed and playing the strategy of 'slowly, slowly, catchy monkey'. It appears that most of the fleet has closed up and tracked further north to try to pick up the better winds that are due to come through in the next couple of days and I think that California is well placed to take
advantage and make some further gains on the leading boats.'

Cork's crew are also settling back into life at sea after their extended stopover in Cape Town. Richie Fearon, the skipper, says, 'We are happy to be back out on the water and sailing again thanks to an amazing effort from the Clipper team and guys who carried out the work. Everyone is settling into their routine and we have had an easy few days to start off with after clearing Cape Point. We are expecting some wind from behind us later on today so we can start enjoying some Southern Ocean sailing.'

Back in Cape Town, where they are switching on the city's soccer-themed Christmas lights this evening (the draw for the World Cup takes place here on Friday), work to repair to Hull & Humber is progressing well. In the early hours of this morning the carpenter finished dry-fitting all the internal woodwork, ready for the final layer of fibre glass to be
applied. He is back at Royal Cape Yacht Club to complete the work today. On the outside of the hull there is a little more work to do on the deck section that was replaced before the toe rail is installed and the stanchions and guard wires put back in place.

Skipper Piers Dudin and half a dozen of his crew will begin work this afternoon to prepare the yacht for departure, which is still scheduled for Tuesday, subject to the consent of the marine surveyor who must carry out a whole raft of safety checks before Hull & Humber can leave the marina. The whole of the crew will be back on duty tomorrow for
victualling, immigration and to make their 68-foot yacht ready to resume racing across the Southern Ocean.

POSITIONS AT 0900 UTC, SUNDAY 29 NOVEMBER

1 Spirit of Australia DTF 3529
2 Cape Breton Island DTF 3544 DTL +15
3 Uniquely Singapore DTF 3553 DTL +24
4 Team Finland DTF 3562 DTL +33
5 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 3578 DTL +49
6 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 3593 DTL +64
7 California DTF 3637 DTL +108
8 Qingdao DTF 3645 DTL +116
9 Cork DTF 4479 DTL +950
10 Hull & Humber DTF 4773 DTL +1243

(DTF = Distance to Finish, DTL = Distance to Leader)
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