Clipper Race - PSP Logistics first of final three teams into Seattle

by Clipper Round the World on 19 Apr 2016 2015 -16 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - PSP Logistics has arrived into Seattle after completing the mighty Pacific Ocean crossing.

The team, led by Max Stunell, finished race nine, the Seattle Pacific Challenge, in tenth place, after being pipped to the finish line by Visit Seattle yesterday by around 35 nautical miles in lightening winds.

The home port team had overtaken PSP Logistics eight days from the finish and a game of cat and mouse ensued with PSP Logistics clawing back miles in the final throes.

PSP Logistics had gone into Stealth Mode on day 26 in a final tactical move.

Max said upon arrival: 'We are all relieved to be here. I am very proud of how my team performed and kept up motivation for such a long race. The fight with Visit Seattle definitely helped with that. We are going to have some good rest and reflect on the achievement of having crossed the world's largest ocean.'

Leg six and seven crew member Grace Kitching talked about the rivalry between the Visit Seattle team and how it helped keep motivation up.

'There and back it was a constant battle with Visit Seattle. We tried Stealth Mode but it didn’t work. It’s a rivalry that’s been going on for a long time and they just pipped us.

'We were gaining on them at one stage, we had great wind and then all of a sudden it just left us and there was no way we could catch them, we couldn’t point in the right direction. At the very beginning of this race it was a different boat that kept cropping up on the radar, they were all there and we were all in the same place and then all of a sudden some went north, others further south and then you are on your own and whatever risk you take you have to go with it, but it was fantastic,' Grace added.

Round the world crew member Nicola Edwards said she had enjoyed the race despite the huge physical challenges. 'It was really full on and brutal at times but that makes it more rewarding. I did a lot of helming, my shoulders feel huge but it was good fun, my top speed was 18.4 but Pavel got 22.8!'

IchorCoal and Da Nang – Viet Nam continue to make best speed to Seattle. They are roughly 60nM and 235nm from the finish line respectively as at 0100 UTC 18 April. Seattle is a further 120nm beyond that.

“Land ho! Off in the distance on the portside is the unmistakable outline of coastal mountains the first land since we lost sight of Japan about seven months ago,” reports IchorCoal Skipper Darren Ladd. “The good ship IchorCoal is motor-sailing the last few miles to the finish and onward to Seattle. The last gasps of wind proving too light and are typically bang on the nose.

“The sun is setting low in the sky behind us and it's cooling down again. Just one more night and a scenic cruise up the Juan de Fuca Strait and we'll finally be in. It's looking like an evening arrival (ETA 2000-2100 local Monday 18 April). Looking forward to seeing all the boats tied alongside in Seattle, it's been a while and feels a lot longer.”

Da Nang – Viet Nam has been sailing again today, much to Skipper Wendo Tuck’s delight: “After a day of motoring we are back sailing yippeeee. The miles are rolling by, I hope we stay in this current breeze for at least 10 hours so we chock up some good mileage…Morale is good, the sailing has been one of the nicest in a long, long, time. So happy days, it’s still grey though.”
Their ETA is currently 2000-2100 local Tuesday 19 April