Clipper Round the World Yacht Race to re-start from Hobart

by Peter Campbell on 13 Dec 2013 Hobartians will see a spectacular re-start of the international fleet contesting the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race on January 1, only days after the twelve Clipper 70s finish the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania today announced plans for the re-start at 3pm on Wednesday, January 1, off Castray Esplanade. The Club will conduct the start of the leg from Hobart to Brisbane on behalf of Clipper Ventures

Spectators will get a bonus view of the yachts as they will sail a short windward/leeward leg on the River Derwent before heading down the river to the Iron Pot and into Storm Bay.

Depending on the wind direction, the RYCT plans to set a windward rounding mark near the John Garrow Light off Lower Sandy Bay, with the boats then heading back to the starting line mark off Castray Esplanade before heading off to Brisbane.

'The Clipper Race organisers are keen for Hobartians to view the most competitive re-starts between these 70-footers that been seen at earlier stopovers,' RYCT sailing manager Chris Oh said. 'Hopefully, we will be able to set a good windward/leeward course on the Derwent.

'The Clipper Race re-start will be part of a sailing spectacular on the Derwent between the finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart and other ocean races and the iconic King of the Derwent. Hobart will have a feast of sailing,' he added.

After the Clipper 70s finish the Sydney Hobart they will be berthed together at the end of the Elizabeth Street Pier in Hobart’s historic Sullivans Cove.

The leaders in the largest one-design fleet of ocean racing yachts in the world are due to finish their leg from Albany in Western Australia to Sydney after sailing around the bottom of Tasmania, early Friday morning.

The near two-week break before the start of the Sydney Hobart will enable work to be done on the boats and their sails, and allow some crew changeovers.

The Sydney Hobart will be Race 6 of the Clipper Race around the world, with the Clipper 70s starting with the rest of the 95-strong Sydney Hobart fleet, from two lines, on Boxing Day, December 26.

Each Clipper 70 is identical and has a professional skipper, but the crew are all amateurs, many with little sailing experience but an adventurous spirit to take part in this unique ocean racing event.

Closing in on the finish of the leg from Albany to Sydney tonight, the three main contenders for line honours were One DLL, Qingdao and Derry-Londonderry-Doire. They were within three nautical miles of each other as they sailed up the New South Wales South Coast with Henri Lloyd close astern.

Two previously prominently placed yachts, PSP Logistics and Great Britain, are trailing the fleet, crossing the Bass Strait, after having had to return to Albany for damage repairs resulting from a collision at the start of the leg from Albany to Sydney.