Clipper 09-10 Race 11 Day 4 - Nothing in it as yachts approach finish

by Clipper Ventures PLC on 10 Jun 2010 Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race - Race 11: New York to Cape Breton Island, Day 4.

Excellent progress is being made by the fleet with a little over 200 miles left to go to the finish line at Cape Breton Island. The first yachts are expected to arrive on Thursday in Sydney, with just 15 miles separating the first six yachts.

The final stages are going to make for nervous viewing for supporters of the teams - even more so as there's a possibility that the winds could become lighter and more variable in the next 24 hours, and that could shake up the positions.

That's something the home favourites are hoping might allow them to move up the rankings. Right now they are neck and neck with Team Finland, 10 miles behind leading team, Hull & Humber.

Skipper Jan Ridd reports, 'We have enjoyed some very close racing with Team Finland, with the crew showing their skill as we continuously change between spinnakers as the wind builds and drops. We have just had an exhilarating, if not a little scary, watch as we held our heavyweight kite at a very close angle as the wind built till it was gusting well over 20 knots. It required total concentration by the helm to keep the Big Blue Canoe from becoming overpowered and broaching, all the time with Team Finland close beside us, until they pulled ahead as they were flying the larger and more powerful medium weight spinnaker.

'We are now flying the lightweight kite again in a gentle breeze with the crew packing away the heavyweight kite beside me. I have lost count how many times we have changed sails but the crew suggest to me that they have packed six spinnakers today, a busy one for the crew but they are all eager to keep Cape Breton Island moving as fast as possible to see us arrive first into Sydney our home port.

'With four boats in sight it promises to be a very close race and if the forecast is correct we will all be suffering an area of very light wind which will again test the crews as they battle to get as much as they can out what little breeze is there. The light wind patches are always an opportunity for boats to make significant gains as some stall out whilst others still manage to find some wind. Let's hope that the big blue canoe finds itself in a good breeze.'

Hull & Humber is maintaining her lead at the front of the pack and managing to pull out a lead over the chasing boats.

'I betcha Dennis Connor, Ben Ainslie and Moose Sanderson couldn't make this boat go any faster!' says skipper, Justin Taylor. 'We have our foot right down on the floor and we are eating the miles up. The last couple of days have seen gin clear skies and a rising barometer. The best sailing I've done on this race so far! We are tight reaching... but I won't tell you what sail plan is (you guessed it though; it ain't the medium weight as that's still in the sail loft).

'It's all still to play for although in the last six hours we have doubled our lead over Cape Breton Island. There's still some tricky currents to negotiate and all I have is some pretty sketchy information on this, unlike Jan and his local knowledge. Also the weather files show light, flukey, variable take your pick breeze in the next couple of days so I'm buying my lottery ticket right now and hoping for the double roll over jackpot.'

Justin signs off with a special message for his nephew: 'A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to William, back in Poole, who is 11 years old today.'

As well as the winds, the underwater topography of this part of the world means the teams must be on their toes to respond to the changeable tides and currents created by banks and areas of shallow water.

Team Finland's skipper, Rob McInally is full of praise for the skills the crews have developed. 'The crew work across the fleet has been fantastic as the tacticians try to out-wit the tides, currents and the banks,' he says. 'The crews are fulfilling the sail changes and the spinnaker peels. Hull & Humber have managed to scuttle off into the distance and we have been in close contact with Cape Breton Island for most of the day. At times the tactical decisions on the boats have been the same and the crew have delivered the requests at about the same time, at other times they have been fairly different. Currently there is not much of an advantage although we have found ourselves now four miles apart as we line up for the crossing of Baccaro Bank and Lehave Bank.

'The sudden change of compass course and thud of the rudder stock taking the shock load as the tide sweeps beneath us has an automatic response of hurried wheel movement and a look to your opponent to see the effect on them and the distance now between you. The crew are in great spirits and working extremely well to ensure we stay ahead.'

With the teams this close, the last thing they want is for breakages to occur that will slow them down. 'The routine checks have been advanced to ensure that we have done all we can to prevent any mishaps,' continues Rob.

'Yacht racing in close quarters can be an emotional affair,' reports Spirit of Australia skipper, Brendan Hall. 'The highs of when you overtake somebody though hard work and the lows of being overtaken fluctuate watch by watch. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing another boat in the same wind as you going a knot faster.

'How are they doing that!?' we ask aloud. They have the same boat with the same sails up in the same amount of wind! It can go one of two ways, either the crew's heads begin to hang and people accept that they are just being out-sailed, or they grit their teeth and look for something - anything - to make the boat go faster. The latter is the story on Spirit of Australia today, as we claw our way back up the fleet.'

It's a theme that's playing out on board Uniquely Singapore as well, according to Skipper, Jim Dobie.

'With Hull & Humber steaming over the horizon and California just behind we are slap bang in the middle of a very tight and fluid moving pack. I'm sure we're all the same at the moment and as I told the guys today they just need to think about three things: course, trim and speed, so concentration is high and excitement building as we approach the land of the eagle. With the weather looking a little bit fluky ahead of us as a high still dominates the area, there is the potential pickle of light winds and the age old question of whether to head to the land for local effects or stay offshore for consistent breeze. Hold on to your hats this promises to be an interesting finish!'

Focus is the watch-word on board California as well. 'Concentration levels need to be maintained at the top most level as the racing is very tight,' explains skipper, Pete Rollason. 'We are currently in sight of five other boats and trading positions regularly, although miles are not easy to come by in this drag race along the coast of Nova Scotia.

'We are deliberately placing ourselves slightly to the north of the leading pack in order to hopefully get some better wind over the next 24 hours. Looking at the weather forecast, there could yet be a sting in the tail of this race as there are some very light winds showing around the finish line at about the time we should be getting there so there is always a chance that positions could get shaken up somewhat. The important thing is to be in the pack fighting for positions and being ready to pounce on anyone who makes the slightest mistake.'

A spell of light winds made progress hard work for Cork but, writes skipper Hannah Jenner, 'We are back in the breeze and almost making double figures boat speed. What a difference a few hours make! We won't be able to catch the fleet but as long as we are moving we are smiling!

'Short of a miracle we know we will not be able to do any damage to the leaders, all we can hope for is to stay in touch with Qingdao and Jamaica Lighting Bolt and hope that our handicap is sufficient to keep us off the bottom spot. There is another low due to pass through on the tenth; it's going to be cruel if we find ourselves smashing into gale force headwinds whilst other teams are in the pub!'

The Irish team is still in touch with Jamaica Lightning Bolt, Qingdao, and even Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, as they race towards the finish line.

Qingdao's skipper says his team are not ready to roll over just yet. 'The kite has been up for 24 hours now and the crew and I have been working as hard as we can to pull back some distance on the fleet but the cruel truth is, as we move north there is more and more breeze and those ahead simply keep benefiting first from the increasing pressure without us ever getting a look in,' says Chris Stanmore-Major.

'Morale however, is high on the Dragon Wagon and having made a positive review of how we got into this situation, we have begun to enjoy the great sailing we have experienced back here at the blunt end of the fleet. This relaxed approach should not be confused though with relaxing into last place - Jamaica Lightning Bolt is out there, relatively close and if it is only them we can chase down, only one place we can claw back then chase them we will. There is a 'never say die' attitude on this boat that has pulled us through hard times before and as we all know a yacht race is never over until it's over.'

Positions at 1500 GMT Wednesday 9 June

Boat DTF* DTL*
1 Hull & Humber 214nm
2 Team Finland 224nm 10nm
3 Cape Breton Island 224nm 10nm
4 Spirit of Australia 225nm 12nm
5 Uniquely Singapore 228nm 15nm
6 California 228nm 15nm
7 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 240nm 27nm
8 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 281nm 68nm (at 1400 GMT)
9 Qingdao 315nm 102nm (at 1200 GMT)
10 Cork 321nm 107nm

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

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