Clipper Yacht Race - Tactics play out through the Doldrums

by Clipper Ventures on 24 Sep 2013 In the Clipper 13-14 Race, as the Doldrums continue to try and test the patience of the 12 strong fleet of matched ocean racers competing, the battle to make gains in the midst of ‘nothingness’ sees the race heat up as it’s all change at the top of the leader board.

After clinching the lead from Great Britain early yesterday afternoon Mission Performance is now in second place with Henri Lloyd top of the leader board once again with a lead of just five miles.

As the fleet continue to battle through the challenging and uncertain conditions of the Doldrums, tactics are more important than ever as each team desperately try to claw back valuable miles. As Mission Performance head west, and Jamaica Get All Right, Qingdao and PSP Logistics head east the rest of the fleet are heading south east; destination the Southern Hemisphere in search of stronger trade winds.

Chris Hollis skipper of PSP Logistics explained, 'This really is a race to the other side of the nothingness (ITCZ), where all bets are off and the drag race to Rio is on.'

It was a close encounter of different kind for Team Garmin who after 2,500 miles of racing came within a boat length of rivals Invest Africa overnight. Although making steady progress, Rich Gould, skipper of Invest Africa shared his frustration of the ‘luck of the draw’ of the Doldrums.

'The most frustrating thing is that looking at the weather forecast it looks like in two days’ time the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is almost none existent. If we had arrived at where we are now instead of four days ago it would have been plain sailing all the way, but that’s what it’s like ocean racing. You have to make the most of what you have got, you simply have to play the hand you have been dealt.

In other news Old Pulteney has been celebrating after moving into fifth place (now currently in sixth place), their highest position in Race two to date.