Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet battle for podium positions

by Heather Ewing on 27 May 2012 Clipper 2011-12 Round the World Yacht Race fleet are on the twelfth day of race eleven from Panama to New York.

'With such a short time racing left it will certainly be a nerve racking finish,' explains Visit Finland’s Clipper Round the World Yacht Race skipper, Olly Osborne.

With currently only 15 miles separating the Finnish entry from frontrunner Gold Coast Australia, it is set to be a sprint towards the end of race eleven to get that vital top podium place. Overnight Australian entry skipper Richard Hewson has been speculating hard about how Visit Finland has made up miles to them and assessing whether more inshore route might pay off, while his team has continued with '‘A’ grade sail changes' to keep the yacht moving.

Meanwhile on board Edinburgh Inspiring Capital crew members are fighting hard to ensure they get their first podium place. The Scottish team dropped from third to fourth place this morning, but with only a handful of miles between them and nearest rivals De Lage Landen everything is still possible.

'It's not over until the fat lady sings! Once more this expression seems to be fitting for the last 150 miles of Race 11 of the Clipper Race. As we approach New York we expect the wind to again ease off and perhaps this will cause the fleet to close in on each other. We are currently accompanied by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Geraldton Western Australia and Singapore and are all desperate to maintain our position and gain a few miles,' says De Lage Landen’s skipper, Stuart Jackson.

Meanwhile there is drama before the end at the back of the fleet, as Welcome to Yorkshire was hit by a huge gust that caused their yacht to broach. With quick thinking from crew and skipper Rupert Dean, the situation was resolved quickly.

With the wind having eased off, the first yachts are expected in Liberty Landing in New Jersey tomorrow morning local time (Sunday 27 May early afternoon GMT).

The yachts will muster at Liberty Landing in New Jersey for a few days before the whole fleet sails in a formal parade across to New York on Sunday 3 June, where it will berth at North Cove Marina in Manhattan’s financial district for a busy programme of activity with Clipper Race sponsors.

Latest boat positions (1500 UTC)
Position Team - DTF / DTL
1 Gold Coast Australia - 89NM / 0NM
2 Visit Finland - 104NM / 15NM
3 De Lage Landen - 108NM / 18NM
4 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital - 115NM / 26NM
5 Geraldton Western Australia - 116NM / 27NM
6 Welcome to Yorkshire - 134NM / 45NM
7 New York - 139NM / 50NM
8 Derry-Londonderry - 148NM / 59NM
9 Singapore - Stealth Mode Position at 26/5/12 0600UTC
10 New York - 169NM / 80NM

Full positions are updated every three hours and can be found online along with daily skipper Clipper Round the World Yacht Race website