WA Clipper rues indecision as Qingdao leads fleet

by Clipper Event media on 24 Jun 2008 westernaustralia2011.com, who made a very early tactical move to the south soon after departing Sydney, Nova Scotia, and then changed their mind have now paid the price for their indecision. A light wind area which dropped south after the recent low pressure moved off to the east stretched down further and stranded them for several hours yesterday and overnight.

Skipper Martin Silk says, 'It all seemed to be going so well; last night we’d just unhanked the number one for fear of it getting washed away, put a second reef in the main, and started sailing a more direct route to Fastnet Rock. Speeds were good, true wind 20 knots – perfect. Then within an hour we were down to virtually nothing. Nothing except a huge swell from ahead and about four knots of breeze from the wrong direction! So it’s been a day of whale watching again (some monsters today), whilst trying to make the best of a lousy breeze and watching foul weather gear dry in a very welcome sun. This evening things improved immensely; 10 knots from the west has arrived so we’re heading slightly south, lightweight spinnaker flopping around but still working to our advantage. As we watch the rest of the fleet disappear into the distance we can only hope that the low pressure system speeds up leaving them in the same boat as us!'

Race Director Joff Bailey says, 'There is a possibility that the area of light winds may also affect some of the other teams but westernaustralia2011.com has taken the brunt of the pain. The team is on the move again but the damage has been done.'

Over the next three days or so it will be worth keeping a close eye on Liverpool 08 and Uniquely Singapore who are staying south of the pack at the moment and could benefit from much better wind angles when the next low pressure system comes rolling across the Atlantic. For the time being though, Mother Nature is frustrating the Singaporean team’s efforts.

Skipper Mark Preedy reports, 'Sloppy seas and variable winds are making our efforts to catch the fleet a little difficult. The kite is difficult to fly but we need it up to have any chance of keeping up with the fleet ahead. We are unfortunately behind because our earlier attempt to get below the low that just went past was hampered by the low not moving as we wanted it to. This is Mother Nature not playing ball! The light airs that are about to be upon us will not help our cause.'

Clipper 07-08 title contenders Hull & Humber and New York are now second and third respectively and, geographically, are not very far apart. The top four teams have broken away from the fleet after timing their tack correctly over the weekend but it also means that if the positions were to stay as they are until the end of Race 13, the overall winner of the Clipper Trophy will not be decided until the outcome of the final race from Cork to Liverpool next week. This makes for great viewing for those of us following the race at home, as the excitement continues to build and the competition goes down to the wire but for the teams involved it is a very stressful period with lots of nail biting moments.

The downwind conditions beginning to engulf the fleet are proving a welcome respite from those of recent days. Jamaica’s skipper, Simon Bradley, says, 'The stronger winds and rougher seas have died down now, making a smoother passage possible on board Jamaica. Several crew members are very pleased about this as they have been suffering from a little ‘mal de mer’. This is not only affecting some of our newer crew members, but also some of our ‘old salts’ as well. It’s amazing how this sickness can inflict itself upon people even after many thousands of miles spent at sea.'

'It’s good to have a chance to dry out a bit,' according to Marcus Cholerton-Brown, skipper of Qingdao. He continues, 'We’ve had a great day’s sailing with a few emotional moments to keep everyone on their toes. One big wave managed to pick up everyone on deck and move them from one side of the boat to the other, plus the sail they were carrying, and also empty out all the lines from the snakepit and throw them over the side. Great fun! About time we had a wash.'

After a week at sea, notes Hannah Jenner, skipper of Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper, the crews have marked another milestone in their race around the world. She says, 'Although it won’t be until the Irish Sea that we cross our outbound track and complete our circumnavigation, in the early hours of this morning we crossed the longitude of Salvador da Bahia meaning that we have technically lapped the planet!'

The Clipper fleet is due to arrive at the Royal Cork Yacht Club on approximately 30 June.

Position Team Distance to finish
1 Qingdao 994
2 New York 997
3 Jamaica 1002
4 Hull & Humber 1002
5 Glasgow:Scotland with style 1032
6 Liverpool 08 1045
7 Uniquely Singapore 1054
8 Durban 2010 and Beyond 1064
9 Nova Scotia 1104
10 westernaustralia2011.com 1167

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