Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race

by Fast Track/Helena Broadribb on 18 Jul 2006 This weekend’s weather conditions across the fleet are best described as lively. Strong following winds were giving the boats high average speeds but the general weather was dull and wet. Dry suits were the order of the day and everything on board would have been exposed to the weather as rain and spray found their way through every conceivable opening.

Clearer conditions are anticipated for today’s racing but ironically they won’t be welcome as they will be accompanied by a severe drop in wind strength as the low pressure that has been driving the winds disappears off to the north and the boats sail inexorably into an expanding ridge of high pressure stretching from the Azores to Ireland.

Full Circle!:

Having completed their circumnavigation of the globe, the fleet is now more than half way to Jersey and it’s easy to think of them as being 'nearly there'. In many ways they are. With less than half of the last major ocean crossing to go, the crews who left Liverpool in September of last year can indeed think of themselves as 'almost home'. Before they reach Jersey they will have crossed their outward track and become true 'circumnavigators'.

For those leggers that joined in Jamaica, there is still a long way to go until they finish there journey in Liverpool. This is their first major ocean crossing and although the races from Jersey to Holyhead and Liverpool are short by comparison with the Southern Ocean or the North Pacific, they would still qualify as long offshore passages by the standards of most leisure sailors and the weather in the Western Approaches and the Irish Sea can be distinctly unfriendly. There is no room for complacency wherever one is sailing.

Jersey is moving on up!

Having been in last position over the weekend, the crew on Jersey will be relieved to have overtaken Durban and Cardiff to find 8th position and the will not only be hoping to avoid a last place into their home port (the return of the 'home port curse' perhaps) but will also be desperate to put some places between themselves and Glasgow, only half a point ahead of them overall.

Whilst Durban will not be at all happy with their current position, having sailed consistently well for virtually all of the recent races a finish in the bottom half of the fleet would be way off form and could cost them their first place overall.

Nearest rivals westernaustralia.com will find this hard to mourn. Having recovered from their own personal dip in fortunes, the WA boat is once again delivering a consistently good performance with a podium position still well within their grasp.

With 25 points still available (10 for the winner of the current race, 10 for Jersey to Holyhead and 5 for Holyhead to Liverpool) the race is extremely competitive and still far from over. Over the course of the weekend the New York crew found themselves in first position only to be overtaken by Victoria, whose crew have fought to maintain their lead. With equal points to Liverpool overall, New York continue to fight hard to regain their advantage, meanwhile Liverpool 08 will also be determined to win it back. Indeed the focus on every boat will be to maintain or increase the place difference between themselves and their nearest rivals, as well as the more routine desire to do well in the current race.

First Cross-Race Clipper Wedding!:

Saturday was a happy day for Ed Thorogood and Sarah Beaugeard as they tied the knot supported by a strong contingent of familiar Clipper faces from both Clipper 2000 (Sarah’s race) and Clipper 2002 (Ed’s Race). This wedding is, astonishingly, the 37th Clipper wedding!

Race 11 Positions at 0400 17/07/06:

1. Victoria
2. New York
3. westernaustralia.com
4. Liverpool 08
5. Qingdao
6. Glasgow
7. Uniquely Singapore
8. Jersey
9. Durban
10. Cardiff