Clipper 2025-26 Race Stage 2 Finish : Team Yacht Punta del Este receive heroes home port welcome
by Clipper Race 21 Oct 04:30 NZDT
Clipper 2025-26 Race: Team Yacht Club Punta del Este receives heroes welcome in its home port © Clipper Race
Team Yacht Club Punta del Este has sailed into its home port to the heroes welcome it every bit deserves after completing the first ocean crossing of the Clipper 2025-26 Race.
Led by Skipper David Sautret and First Mate Lorraine O'Hanlon, it was a moment of celebration as the team lined the sun-drenched deck of the yacht to soak up the crowds that had gathered to cheer them into their home port of Punta del Este, Uruguay.
And after a relentless 28 days at sea, the faces of the non-professional sailors making up the Race Crew on board were seen to be beaming with pride with what they had just achieved, with a serving of delight to be sailing towards land, showers, and cold, celebratory drinks.
Speaking on arrival, Skipper David Sautret said: "I am very pleased to be at my home port! We have received so many messages from our supporters and from the Yacht Club Punta del Este. It took all the crew a lot of grit and courage to get to where we are today, and I continue to be very impressed by them crew; they keep faith and courage. It is a long race, and especially when things are not going the way we hope. We have learnt on this race to lose together, so now we are in good stead to win together.
"Since the beginning of the partnership, we have been able to feel the enthusiasm of the race, and I am so impressed with our welcome. We are so happy to be here and can't wait to explore."
Crew member Alex Mclean, who will leave the team in Punta del Este, said: "I came into the Clipper Race looking for a challenge, to learn something new and work with brilliant people, and I got all of that and more on this. It's been tough. I think a lot of us thought that after the Bay of Biscay we had got the hard part of Leg 1 over, but how wrong were we. We've learnt so much, we've worked hard as a team and to see the fighting spirit still in people even after all this time, that's what it's all about. It's about competitiveness, fight, teamwork and camaraderie."
This second stage of the Clipper Race, named the YCPE Cup in honour of the welcoming Host Port and its home yacht, saw the fleet race some 5,300nm across the Atlantic Ocean and experience just about every sailing condition on offer.
Max Rivers, Deputy Race Director, said: "This stage of the race has offered a huge range of conditions, from downwind sailing through the Canary Islands, and into the northeast trade winds. To crossing through the Doldrums and its light wind periods, with brilliant tactical racing throughout.
"As the fleet dipped into the southern hemisphere and its southeast trade winds, we saw some cracking speeds down the coast of Brazil before entering a tricky transition period. When a big front came through, how teams handled it really dictated their final positions on the last downwind stretch to Punta del Este."
Talking about what the team had faced over the past four weeks, First Mate Lorraine added: "This race seemed to be battle after battle after battle for this crew. We approached the port late last night a little deflated, but arriving here today has reignited the sparkle in their eye.
"I've been telling the guys that this is not over! They have fought every step of the way, and without complaint. They have dug from the bottom of their souls - cold, wet, tired, hungry - they have given everything."
The arrival of Yacht Club Punta del Este marks the third time a home boat has placed within the fleet, and the fourth time the destination has been plotted on the Clipper Race's international race route. Talking as the fleet arrived, the Commodore of Yacht Club Punta del Este, Juan Etcheverrito, said: "How amazed we are to host the Clipper Race once again; this will be our fourth time, and the excitement doesn't get worn out.
"We are looking forward to showing the Clipper Race class of the 2025-26 edition that all they may have heard about the Yacht Club Punta del Este's unique way of hosting doesn't fully measure up to the real experience."
Speaking earlier in the week, First Mate Lorraine O'Hanlon spoke of how her team was taking to life at sea so naturally, despite only setting sail on this adventure on the 31 August. She said: "On deck, it's wonderful seeing the watches working in harmony, with evolutions becoming smoother and quicker. Especially reefing, with one watch holding the record of fastest reef at 3 1/2 minutes.
"Below decks the crew adapting to cramp conditions and navigating the below deck duties on a heel. With Jack winning the banana bread bake off, and Guido and Marco showing off their Italian cooking skills. We are spoilt for choice."
Punta del Este signifies the end of Leg 1 of the Clipper Race. For the circumnavigators on board that's one of eight legs in the bag, for others it marks the end of ocean racing, for now. However, for everyone it's a moment to reflect on what they have just achieved, rest and recuperate.
The next leg of racing, Leg 2: The South Atlantic Challenge begins on 20 October when the fleet will head to Cape Town, South Africa.