Clipper Round The World Yacht Race - Henri Lloyd leads fleet

by Clipper Ventures on 15 May 2014 On day 1 of race 12 in the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race 2013-14, after a Le Mans start at 07:05 local time (12:05 UTC) Wednesday off the coast of Panama, the yachts set off in fresh north east trade winds headed on an upwind 590-mile course for Jamaica.

The majority of the fleet is still packed tightly together and beating upwind, with Great Britain and Qingdao tacking off on a more easterly course, with Jamaica Get All Right also now choosing to head east.

Skipper of OneDLL, Olly Cotterell, currently in third position, said a developing low pressure to the north of the Bahamas has caused the pressure gradient to be much more easterly than it can be, meaning the so-called ‘one tack wonder’ to Jamaica is not happening.

'We have seen the wind fluctuating between north, north east and east. We are tacking on the shifts trying to utilise them to make the best VMG (Velocity Made Good) to the first waypoint on the south east corner of Jamaica, called Morant Point.

'The upwind helming which is so vital in this short race is coming along nicely,' Olly added.

Simon Talbot, skipper of Great Britain, currently in ninth, commented: 'It looks like this is going to be a very close race, with little room or time for significant tactical advantage to be gained. It is going to be about sailing continuously well and maintaining a solid course with good helming being vital.

'For us it is a very different kind of race, being very much a sprint with the distance to finish already under 500 miles, so we really do have to be at the top of our game from the get go.'

The boats are expected to arrive into Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio between 17-18 May.

Standings

Position - Team	DTL
Henri Lloyd	0NM
Great Britain	0NM
Team Garmin	5NM
One DLL	4NM
Derry~Londonderry~Doire	5NM
Old Pulteney	5NM
Invest Africa	10NM
Mission Performance	14NM
PSP Logistics	19NM
Jamaica Get All Right	24NM
Qingdao	29NM
Switzerland	58NM