Clipper Round the World Race - Team Finland ready to leave Taiwan

by Clipper Ventures on 18 Feb 2010 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - Singapore to Qingdao Day 16.

The fleet seems to be getting some respite from the vicious conditions they've been facing over the last 48 hours but the battle for supremacy in this race from Singapore to Qingdao is no less fierce - if anything it's getting even more competitive and the yachts remain tightly bunched as they beat their way up the Chinese coast.

The Australian team is clinging on to their lead despite their tiredness, reports skipper, Brendan Hall, this morning. He says, 'The wind has eased a few knots now and the sea seems less hostile. This is a welcome respite for us on Spirit of Australia. We have had a tough slog these last few days, pushing the boat and o urselves hard to build up our small lead. The temperature is steadily dropping and the average girth of the crew is increasing with the extra layers needed to keep them warm on deck. We are rotating people off the deck so nobody gets too uncomfortably cold. Morale is high and the fatigue that I can see in everyone's eyes cannot dampen the fighting spirit of the crew.'

The boats behind them are so closely packed the smallest error or change in the weather could make all the difference. Hull & Humber is in second place this morning, and they're feeling the cold as well as the heat of
the competition.

'We were cracking open the hats and mittens for the first time since the Southern Ocean last night,' says skipper, Piers Dudin. 'Our push up the right hand side of the course has gone well. We've managed to overhaul the middle of the fleet and now our sights our firmly set on the Australians.

'The evolutions continue apace as the variable wind patterns keep us on our toes. The sea state has abated slightly but still we have plenty of opportunity to ramp-and-slam the boat off the choppy seas, especially during some of the darkest nights we've experienced in the race so far.

'There are still plenty of options up ahead and quite a variable forecast, so it's still anyone's race! And you thought the arrival in Geraldton was tight...'

And that's exactly what Jamaica Lightning Bolt's skipper, Pete Stirling, is thinking. 'With 460 miles to go to the finish this race is still absolutely wide open,' he says. 'The wind has eased, the sea state has calmed down and once again the 'Lightning Bolt' is on a charge. Over the last 24 hours we have been steadily taking miles off the rest of the
fleet. Just 15 minutes ago Qingdao appeared over the horizon ahead of us and we have California and Hull & Humber both within a few miles on the AIS system. The crew are fired up and hungry for another podium position.'

Stealth Mode worked to the advantage of Qingdao yesterday and today it's the turn of the other Asian entry, Uniquely Singapore, to disappear from our radar for 24 hours as they go undercover to make their tactical move.

'As we ease ourselves out of the gale conditions and the seas slowly subside I can now afford the luxury of looking back over the past couple of days,' reports skipper Jim Dobie. 'Last night was dominated by shipping and at one point I thought I was in a convoy as we had about ten ships all around us. This called for some interesting manoeuvres, including screaming away downwind (wrong direction) to avoid a tug and its tow. The nights have been a struggle for the crew on the helm with the pitch black conditions. With no stars and nothing to reference on,
keeping a steady course has been tough.

'We are a little disappointed with our results and are now hungry to get miles back as we get back into more reasonable sailing conditions. So as we slip into Stealth let's see what the Singas crew can whip out of the bag.'

Edinburgh Inspiring Capital's move out to the east on a losing tack has given the Scottish team a much needed boost and in the last 24 hours they've been able to claw back some of the miles that have separated them from the rest of the fleet now they are back on a long making tack.

Skipper Matt Pike reports this morning, 'The purple beastie is back! What a hectic 48 hours. Our plan of breaking east became a real battle as the sea and wind rose, trapping us behind the island of Myako Shima, unable to get around the far side as the north easterly wind built to a steady 35 knots raising a massive sea with it. Not wanting to turn back on ourselves we couldn't turn northwest, the coral outcrops kept us from passing too close between the islands.

'We soldiered on with our plan to get a better wind angle for the run to the finish. It was a long night for all but with the amount of laughter on the deck you would not know there had been any drama. Finally we rounded the island and, leaving its lee, we were facing a full on gale. Crew creeping forward on hands and knees constantly washed by spray with the occasional three foot high wall of water washing over them. All you can do is brace and wait until it's over, leaving the snake pit and cockpit full. Then you start counting the yellow hoods... if five went forward you hold your breath until you have counted all five heads. This is repeated every few minutes until the job is completed.

'But we're now on course for the finish line and closing fast! Another sheet goes; I can't believe these have a breaking strain of eight tons and we're snapping them like bits of wool! The nights are black - really black - it is a crazy feeling driving this boat as fast as possible into the darkness but that's what we're doing; everyone taking their turn at the helm and most enjoying the madness of the ride!'

In the next 24 hours the winds are forecast to strengthen again from the north, before calming slightly 24 hours after that.

In Hualien, Taiwan, meanwhile, the crew of Team Finland have been continuing with repairs and making preparations for the next stage of their journey, as well as making friends with the local Coastguards. While the crew work on the boat, in the Race Office the team has been busy sourcing a replacement mast and putting plans in place for it to be
fitted.

The yacht is due to depart Taiwan shortly and the plan is to replace the mast once Team Finland arrives in Qingdao.

POSITIONS AT 1200 UTC, WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2010

1 Spirit of Australia DTF 427
2 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 455 DTL +29
3 California DTF 459 DTL +33
4 Cape Breton Island DTF 465 DTL +39
5 Qingdao DTF 468 DTL +41
6 Hull & Humber DTF 471 DTL +44
7 Uniquely Singapore DTF 515 DTL +88 (Stealth:
position at 1600 17 February)
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 519 DTL +93
9 Team Finland DTF 750 DTL +323
10 Cork Did not start

(DTF = Distance to Finish, DTL = Distance to Leader)

Full positions are updated every three hours and can be found at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.