#ClipperRace - Howth Yacht Club will welcome Conor O'Byrne for a special talk on his experiences in the Clipper Round the World Race on Wednesday 28 September.

In particular, the watchleader on the Irish entry Derry~Londonderry~Doire will discuss his key role in the successful recovery of a crew member who fell overboard in the Pacific Ocean during the 10th stage of the 2013-14 race on 30 March 2014.

The talk begins at 7.30pm sharp. For more details see the HYC website HERE.

#ClipperRace - First across the line in London wasn't quite enough for Derry~Londonderry~Doire to clinch the Clipper Round the World Race title from their rivals on LMAX Exchange.

The Oliver Cardin-skippered boat was confirmed on Friday night (29 July) as the winner of the 10th Clipper Race after losing only two points of their six-point lead to the Northern Irish challengers in the short final leg to the UK capital.

Yet despite missing out on victory honours by such a minor margin, the crew of Dan Smith's boat can hold their heads high for a race well sailed.

"We set out to win this race to London, as we have done the whole way round the world, so it is great to go out on a high," he said. "We knew our fate wasn't in our own hands so all we could do was give it our best shot and the team has proved how strong we are."

Smith added: "It's hard to believe that we have finished the race, but our aim was to be competitive, get everyone round safely and to have fun doing it. I couldn't be more proud of the crew."

Derry~Londonderry~Doire were awarded their first place pennant for their final leg win at the prizegiving ceremony in London's St Katherine Docks on Saturday (30 July).

The race village remains open for the rest of the week, giving visitors an opportunity to tour some of the Clipper 70 yachts that completed this incredible circumnavigation for Corinthians.

The River Foyle was a blaze of colour yesterday as hundreds lined the quayside to bid farewell to the Clipper Race teams as they slipped lines and set sail for the penultimate stage of their global adventure.

It was an emotional send off after a week of celebrations as the city played host to the crew of the 12 yachts during their stopover in the city. Over 145,000 people are estimated to have enjoyed the packed programme of nautical themed activities during the Foyle Maritime Festival which took over the city from July 9-17.

The event concluded with a spectacular outdoor event on Saturday evening, the Voyage of Sunniva – Night of the Two Moons, an atmospheric performance featuring aerial performers, an illuminated flotilla of boats on the Foyle, fireworks and animation, retelling the story of the medieval maritime heroine Sunniva.

On Sunday the city turned out en masse to give the fleet a final send off after a memorable week for both the crew and the thousands who shared in the welcome celebrations, as they took part in a stunning Parade of Sail before their final departure.

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Hilary McClintock, led the city in waving off the fleet as it made its way back up the Foyle to the official race start at Greencastle.

Speaking after the event Mayor McClintock said the festival had been a major success for the region. “It was a sad moment as we waved farewell to the Clipper Race fleet today after an eventful week of celebration. We have welcomed visitors from all over the world over the past week and it has been fantastic to see Derry~Londonderry profiled in such a positive way on a global platform. Once again we’ve demonstrated our ability to stage an international event generating substantial revenue for the local economy, and enhancing the region’s profile as an exciting and unique visitor destination.

“I’ve been told that the crew have really enjoyed their warm welcome and have been overwhelmed by the hospitality shown by local businesses and the people here. We have the opportunity now to build on the successes of the past few years in hosting events such as the Foyle Maritime Festival, and to explore our options in terms of utilising our many wonderful resources such as the River Foyle as part of a long-term tourism strategy for the future.

“I want to thank Council, Clipper Ventures, Foyle Port, the Loughs Agency, our sponsors and support agencies, as well as our citizens and visitors for making this such a special celebration for the city. Good luck to Daniel and all the Derry~Londonderry~Doire team in the final stages of the race – you have the support and best wishes of the entire district behind you.”

This is the third time the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has included Derry~Londonderry as a stopover city, and the celebrations around the visit have now become an established highlight of the city’s events programme, with plans currently being developed to host the Foyle Maritime Festival annually.

Festivals and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey said: “We are absolutely delighted that once again we have delivered a first class international events programme showcasing our beautiful city and reaching new audiences.

“The Clipper Race has certainly captured the imagination of local people and we’ve had amazing support from our local businesses and partners in staging the Festival, which has attracted fantastic visitor numbers this year.

“I’m looking forward now to exploring ways to build on the momentum created by the Maritime Festival in our future events, and ways to celebrate and showcase our beautiful district and our many exceptional visitor experiences.”

Clipper Race chairman and founder, Sir Robin Knox Johnston said “You can see what the race means to the people of Derry-Londonderry because thousands have lined the banks of the River Foyle to see the fleet off today and there was a huge cheer for every team as they left the marina. It’s just enormous and this stopover has got better every time we have come here. This has definitely been the best yet given the reception the crew have had here all week, it’s been fantastic to see the crowds and support! Frankly, you can’t help but enjoy it.”

The Clipper Race teams are now speeding their way to Den Helder in the Netherlands in the penultimate race in the year-long challenge, before they complete their journey arriving at the race finish in London on Saturday 30 July. The Derry~Londonderry~Doire team is currently second in the overall Clipper 2015-16 Race and in with a fighting chance of being placed among the top three teams having blazed a trail across the globe with an outstanding performance under the command of Skipper Daniel Smith.

Alison Boeree, who has competed in six of the eight legs of the race on board Derry~Londonderry~Doire said: “We have all had the best ever time here. Nothing else compares. When we walk around the city wearing our team kit, everyone would say hi and talk to us. We were made to feel very welcome, it was such a fantastic feeling.”

Mission Performance crew member Aaron Lomas says: “This has absolutely been the best stopover of my race experience. From the moment we arrived to the time we left, we have felt the profound kindness of the people of Derry-Londonderry and it really has made our experience extra special.”

Pawel Kepa, 28, from Poland who has visited every country on the Clipper 2015-16 Race route as a crew member on PSP Logistics says: “I absolutely loved the stopover here, the people were so welcoming. We had over a week so there was time to party, rest and get the boat ready. So far, I’ve noticed that the smaller cities like Derry-Londonderry really put on the best stopovers. Places like New York are cool on their own but people don’t know much about what we are doing whereas here we can sense how special it is to the city and the people. I’d never been to Northern Ireland before but I will definitely come back to explore some more, it’s beautiful and I still have so much to see.”

#Rescue - Moville on the shores of Lough Foyle is set to host a major marine rescue demonstration this coming weekend, as Inishowen News reports.

Naval Service vessel LÉ Orla will join Air Corps aircraft, the Irish Coast Guard, Lough Swilly RNLI, Foyle Rescue and more for the Irish Marine Search and Rescue Demo (IMSARC) on Saturday 16 July.

Events commence at 1.30pm on the day with water-based demonstrations by the coastguard helicopter, drone aircraft and others, while on land, mountain rescue teams will go through the basics of dangerous cliff-face operations.

The weekend continues with the Clipper Family Fun Day in nearby Greencastle on Sunday 17 July from 3pm-5pm, part of a week of celebrations for the Foyle Maritime Festival awaiting the arrival of Derry~Londonderry~Doire and the rest of the Clipper Race fleet.

Inishowen News has a full rundown of the IMSARC itinerary HERE.

The crew of Derry–Londonderry–Doire are hoping for a rare home port win as they depart New York for Derry-Londonderry in the Atlantic Homecoming Leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

Led by Scottish Skipper Daniel Smith, the Northern Irish entry is currently second in the overall race standings and so far has recorded three victories in this 14-race global series. Today the twelve-strong fleet of Clipper 70 racing yachts has departed New York for Race 12, the LegenDerry Finale which will see the teams arrive into Lough Foyle between 7 – 11 July.

On board are three local crew members from Derry-Londonderry along with many more from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Before departing Liberty Landing Marina and taking part in a spectacular Parade of Sail in front of the Statue of Liberty and Manhatton skyline, Derry~Londonderry~Doire Skipper Daniel Smith said: “We’re getting into the home stretch now and heading for our home port of Derry-Londonderry. We’ve been really proud to fly the flag for the city all around the world and are really excited for the welcome we are going to get when we sail up the River Foyle and celebrate our final crossing at the Foyle Maritime Festival.

“It’s now one year since we were last in Derry-Londonderry for our team building weekend and we got such a warm welcome then that we even had crew who weren’t already on this final leg sign up so they could arrive into the city on board Derry~Londonderry~Doire. It’s going to be a very special stopover for all of us and will be driving us forward as we race across the Atlantic Ocean.

“The race is incredibly tight now with all the podium positions still up for grabs. We are going to be putting everything into the LegenDerry Finale and hoping, at the very least, that we can maintain our second place in the Overall Race Standings.”

Making up some of the 22 man crew on board are Derry-Londonderry natives Kieran Lynch, Danny Bryce and Sinead Diver.

Kieran, 36, is a fitter and welder on boats and had done some sailing in Lough Foyle before embarking on his Clipper Race adventure which started in Seattle in April. For Danny and Sinead, learning to sail is a completely new experience and the four weeks of compulsory training in Gosport gave them their first taste of life on the ocean waves. Both have joined the team in New York and will be sailing past their homes as they arrive into Derry-Londonderry in early July.

Before departing New York, Sinead, 33, said: “I didn’t know anything about sailing before starting my training at the race. I’d seen the yachts arrive into Derry a couple of years ago and something about it made me want to get involved but I thought I wouldn’t have enough experience of the finances to do it. But I saved and signed up for the training, and now here I am about to race across the Atlantic Ocean.

“I’ll have a lump in my throat when we finish and are sailing up the River Foyle. It’s not like this is a normal holiday and then I’m just arriving home again, the fleet will be coming in and I’ll be on board with our Derry~Londonderry~Doire team. Four or five years ago I would never have through I’d be able to do this. I looked at the crew that sailed into Derry the last time with complete admiration for the challenge they had taken on. So I feel very proud that I’ll be among them on this race,” she added.

Danny Bryce, 40, is the fifth and final Derry City and Strabane District Council bursary candidate to sail a leg of the Clipper 2015-16 Race. Danny won his berth after being nominated for the local hero ‘Voice of the Community’ scheme for the work he does with vulnerable young people in the city.

“Personally working with people so closely on a day to day basis I think the Clipper Race experience will offer a great opportunity to learn more about overcoming adversity as part of a team, and the psychology and logistics of living and working in such a restricted environment for such a prolonged period.

“Everyone has been so supportive, but I know that the most difficult thing for me will be leaving my family behind. So the fact that I will be coming back into Derry for a homecoming welcome is a real bonus. It will be emotional knowing that my family will be waiting for me on the quayside.”

This 3,100 nautical mile marathon across the Atlantic Ocean is due to begin at 1900 local time on Monday 20 June (2300 UTC) with a Le Mans start off the Ambrose Lighthouse led by Skipper Matt Mitchell on ClipperTelemed+. Having raced over 37,000 nautical miles the round the world Skippers and crew are embarking on the final ocean crossing of their circumnavigation and they know that an almighty welcome awaits at the Foyle Maritime Festival which runs from 9 – 17 July.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Hilary McClintock was in New York to meet the Clipper Race crew ahead of its arrival into the city for the third consecutive race.

“The welcome the Clipper Race teams have received in our city in the past can only be described as phenomenal – thousands of people came out to watch the fleet as it sailed up the River Foyle and this was followed by a week of festivities. This year the Foyle Maritime Festival is set to be bigger and better than ever as it starts within the city walls before moving out along the quayside and stretching across the river to Ebrington Square.

“We are very proud of the Derry~Londonderry~Doire team and how Skipper Daniel Smith and all his crew are performing the race. It is reflective of their good team spirit, excellent leadership and positive attitude. At the crew brief before the start of the LegenDerry Finale, I told the crew that Derry-Londonderry will host a homecoming to remember. We want them to take care of each other, be safe and most of all enjoy the experience of being part of this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

150,000 people visited the Clipper Race stopover two years ago and the Foyle Maritime Festival was crowned Best Event/Festival Experience title at the prestigious 2015 Northern Ireland Tourism NITA Awards. 

The closing stages of The LMAX Exchange – RACE of THE AMERICAS is turning into an incredibly tough finale. In contrast to the strong winds of Tropical Storm Colin, light, variable conditions are requiring constant sail changes and with the racing so tight, teams are feeling intense pressure knowing leaderboard positions are far from secure.

With the first teams expected to arrive in New York this afternoon (evening UTC), the yo-yo battle for line honours continues. ClipperTelemed+ now leads Garmin by a slim 5NM margin. With both teams vying for their first race win and with just 70NM to go, Garmin Skipper Ashley Skett, is certainly one of those feeling the pressure having seen a 10NM lead slip away overnight.

He reports: “I've lost count of the number of sail changes that we have completed today, it seems that we can't even sail for an hour without a reefing exercise or headsail change. With the race for first place so close, it's important that I make the right calls at the right time but in such variable conditions that can be tricky.

“In preparation for some heavy winds that were forecast, we switched to our smallest Yankee late this evening. Unfortunately, ten minutes after we had made the change, the wind dropped right off and we were dead in the water so immediately had to switch back to our biggest headsail, the Yankee 1.

“For now we can just hope that this mistake doesn't end up costing us when we cross the finish line tomorrow morning.”

Visit Seattle remains third, aiming for its first ever podium finish, but the team is well aware that GREAT Britain is in pursuit just 18NMs behind, looking to ruin the party.

In his report this morning, Skipper Huw Fernie notes: “This is yet another race that just keeps giving. We're driving as hard and fast as we can for the finish line but find that the winds are changing faster than we can keep up with our sail changes. Added to that we've had currents pushing us in all directions at different points in the day and it's no wonder that our track is more like a slalom than ever before.

“The mostly reliable forecast even has a few more little shifts in store for us before we are done. We have 150 nautical miles to go, have logged over 7000 since the start of this leg in Seattle, and are nervously holding our 20 nautical mile lead over GREAT Britain.”

The fluky conditions mean teams have all left to race for. LMAX Exchange is in fifth place, just 10NMs behind GREAT Britain but will have a 1 hour 10 minute time penalty applied to their finish time after it infringed race rules when it sailed within the 12 mile exclusion of Haiti.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire in sixth, is 5NM behind LMAX Exchange, and Da Nang - Viet Nam is seventh, within 10NM of Derry~Londonderry~Doire.Further back Qingdao is in eighth place but has Unicef just 7NM behind in ninth.

One Skipper hoping to use the fluky conditions to their benefit is Mission Performance’s Skipper Greg Miller. Currently in eleventh place with tenth place PSP Logistics just 3NMs ahead, he says: “After the Ocean sprint win, the Warriors are eager to capitalise and catch a few of the fleet before we cross the finish line so we are still pushing hard and fast.

PSP Logistics came up a number of times on the AIS (Automatic Identification System) today and we seem to be closing in on them with help of the Gulf Stream. With luck we will have a visual with them soon.”

The podium is complete after the Clipper Race fleet's tough North Pacific Ocean crossing from Qingdao, China to Seattle, USA.

Northern Irish entry Derry~Londonderry~Doire won its third consecutive race, finishing the Seattle Pacific Challenge and a hat trick at 0915 local time/1615 UTC, 13 April.

The Unicef team recorded its best ever result and first podium of the race series, finishing in second place after a duel with LMAX Exchange at 2052 local time, Wednesday 13 April/0352 UTC Thursday 14 April.

The team, representing the world's leading children's organisation, managed to hold off LMAX Exchange after just a few nautical miles separated the two yachts in the final stages of the 5,400 nautical mile race.

Northern Irish entry Derry~Londonderry~Doire won its third consecutive race

LMAX Exchange crossed the finish line at 2155 local time Wednesday 13 April/0455 UTC Thursday 14 April in third place.

The professional Skippers leading each of the 12 teams have reported the worst conditions they have ever experienced on this race from China's Olympic sailing city, with the yachts pounded by huge seas and winds gusting over 80 miles per hour, causing injury and damaging the yachts.

GREAT Britain finished Race 9 in fourth position. Skipper Peter Thornton sent notification to the Race Office to say the team had finished at 1127 UTC on Thursday 14 April.

The remaining eight teams are due to be welcomed into Seattle over the next six days, including home port entry Visit Seattle.

#ClipperRace - The harassment case against Clipper Round The World Race organiser Sir Robin Knox-Johnson has been dismissed by an employment tribunal.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the offshore sailing legend was sued along with fellow organisers by lawyer-turned-sailor Ruth Harvey over victimisation and harassment she allegedly experienced while crewing the yacht Jamaica Get All Right in the most recent edition of the Clipper Race.

Harvey, a specialist in employment law, argued that she should have been classified as an employee because she had been a full crew member despite dropping out of the race after two legs, according to the Daily Telegraph.

But a tribunal judge this week rejected her case on a number of legal points, including whether Harvey could indeed be classed as an employee, and whether Sir Robin, as founder of the race company, should have been named a defendant.

The news will come as some relief to the 75-year-old Sir Robin, who continues to climb the rankings in the solo transatlantic Route du Rhum.

The Telegraph has more on the story HERE.

#clipperrace – Sailing into Derry will be a very special moment for two Clipper Race crew on board the Swiss-sponsored entry, Switzerland as they return home for the first time in decades.

Richard Greer, 45, originally from Derry-Londonderry, now lives in France, and is looking forward to sailing up the River Foyle and experiencing the city's famous hospitality. The completion of the transatlantic voyage from New York into Northern Ireland will mark the first time he has returned home in over three decades.

"I haven't been in Derry-Londonderry since I was a kid back in the 80s!"confessed Richard.
"A lot has changed since then and being a small part of something positive for Derry-Londonderry is very rewarding. I'll feel very proud of my origins, proud to share them with my crew mates. To sail into a 'new' Derry-Londonderry will be very emotional!" he added.
Richard - who grew up in Knockloughrim, County Derry - left the city to study engineering in Salford before then backpacking around the world. He then took up a position within Occupational Safety with Kimberley Clark, producers of Huggies and Kleenex.

After 21 years with the same company and in search of a new adventure - and with zero sailing experience - Richard decided it was time to push himself out of his comfort zone and sign up to compete in Leg 4 and 8 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race on board team Switzerland.

"I had literally no sailing experience whatsoever. It all stemmed from a dream I had about a poster I saw on the London Underground and the rest is history.

"I'm often asked what the biggest highlight so far has been, and I'd have to say competing in the famous Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (part of Leg 4) and winning our first race from Hobart to Brisbane. However, I'm not sure if anything could beat sailing into Derry-Londonderry as part of this huge adventure."
Keeping Richard company during the 2,850 mile Atlantic crossing is fellow crew member Samantha Tosh, 42, also originally from Limavady, County Derry. She currently lives in Brighton where she works as an engineer. She joined Switzerland in New York for Leg 8.
"I chose Leg 8 as it is the homecoming leg into Derry-Londonderry. Not many of my friends of family have had much exposure to sailing and it is something quite different and exciting for them to get involved in too.
"I think the biggest challenge for me will be the fact that it is the last leg and the round the world crew are already quite established and to see how the new crew fit in to that, it's all about teamwork.
"I'm really excited about returning to my home city and sailing up the River Foyle and am eager to see everyone there celebrating the race with me."
The Clipper Race fleet is expected to arrive in Derry-Londonderry from 21 June. The LegenDerry Maritime Festival - which features The Beach Boys and the Red Arrows - runs until the fleet's departure on 29 June.

 

#CLIPPER - Derry-Londonderry continues to make steady progress towards Singapore on their southerly route as they maintain their lead over the last 24 hours. In a cruel twist of fate Gold Coast Australia's surge of success on their northerly route has today seen frustration as they split from the rest of the fleet and slip to fifth position.

The current race, Race 7, from Gold Coast to Singapore provided the Clipper Race Committee with many different routes which could have been specified for the fleet, each with a number of significant hazards.

Race Director, Joff Bailey, explains, "After significant research and discussion with regional Navy forces including the Royal Navy and the Pirate Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur the route selected.

"North of Papua New Guinea and through the Celebes and Sulu Seas; is considered by myself, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and the Race Management Team as the least risky of all the options. That said it is not without its risks as we have seen with the cyclones two weeks ago but they are low and risk mitigating actions are being taken.

"The week ahead is going to be an interesting period of time as once the fleet enters the Celebes Sea in a few days time the crews will have to cope with very light winds, navigational hazards that are poorly charted and also the potential threat of piracy. As such the Race Committee will be taking certain risk mitigating actions to ensure that the fleet have the best chance to navigate these hazards safely.

"Over the next few days we will be explaining in the daily report the details of the actions by the Race Committee which will include temporarily suspending racing, Stealth Mode for certain periods, freezing the Race Viewer and permitting the skippers to use their engines if required. Don't be alarmed if some or all of the teams go into Stealth Mode for three or four days, that is part of the mitigating actions we are taking and the Race Office is still in regular contact with the fleet as well as tracking each boat every hour."

Further details of the action to be taken by the Race Committee will be included in tomorrow's Daily Update.

Currently most northerly boat, Gold Coast Australia skipper Richard Hewson reports, "Since the start of the race my tactics have been to head north to the reliable trade winds to make our way across the Pacific to Asia in the best time possible. Normally trade winds are stronger away from the Equator to about 12 degrees north. This race we seem to be experiencing far from normal conditions as Gold Coast Australia once again sits to the north of the fleet, sails flapping as we roll around in the swell becalmed."

Despite the setback, the team is remaining positive with the tactical decision made, "For now there is not much more to do but to have a laugh, continue fixing the medium weight spinnaker and wait for wind!" Richard added.

As the teams receive details of a "very mixed bag of wind" forecast by meteorologist and winning skipper of Clipper 2002, Simon Rowell, this race has certainly become a race of two halves and the changing weather has seen the teams have a clear division of tactics, with just over half the fleet heading south, and the other half, north.

On board Derry-Londonderry, skipper Mark Light, says "We are still hanging on to our coveted first position and making good, steady progress towards our destination - the Celebes Sea gate! There is definitely a feeling of nervous excitement around our boat at the moment as we strive to keep her moving forward as fast as we can and in the right direction!"

Closely observing the north south divide, Mark reports of his team's unusual game play to maintain their poll position, "With a renewed focus, talk on board is often about how we can go even faster and quite often this comes down to reducing weight! Right now we are discussing various techniques". Ten suggestions are currently in the running and include an effort to eat all the food as quickly as possible and chopping crew's toothbrushes in half!

Despite a slow 24 hours for New York and with the loss of their Windex, the team has worked hard to keep moving in the low winds, their southerly tactic has seemed to of paid off as they move up to second place in the fleet.

"We know that we would lose out to the yachts to the north which we did, and now just hope we can keep them off. Our tactic is to stay south knowing that we will sail a bit slower that the other yachts but will be able to sail with good VMG (Velocity Made Good) to the gate," explains skipper, Gareth Glover.

"We could head north and increase our apparent wind which would give us more boat speed but we will have to come back down for the gate which the yachts to the north may have too and then we hope we will get back any lost miles."

Ocean sailing is not just about tactics, it is also important to look after the boat and keep equipment in good condition. Gareth reports that his team have been working hard to maintain New York, carrying out constant rig checks and running repairs continuing on their kites.

Meanwhile, Singapore's decision to stay south has rewarded the team as they move up to sixth place. Despite the light and fluky winds the home port entry is hoping to hold onto a little more breeze after a night of constant sail changes.

"Firstly it was chafe on a spectra loop from a Gibb shackle that sent our medium weight kite flying to leeward. On the next two occasions it was small holes caused by the kite collapsing occasionally and catching on various rough. This was fairly disappointing as we had been making excellent progress and I am sure that being under white sails for around three hours in total will have cost us a good six miles or so. Hopefully we can hold onto a little more breeze than the yachts to the south and continue to claw back ground on them until we can harden up a little past the bottom of Palau."

But it is not only the wind that is causing the team concern as Ben adds, "We are down to our last 50 tea bags!

"Our only conciliation is that they are at least Twinnings English Breakfast (surely the finest tea available.) Ironic really that a "Clipper" vessel should run out of tea. This will have a serious impact on our 1700 tea and cake daily meetings. Our caffeine and tannin hit will have to be replaced by either coffee or Milo. I personally struggle to get through the day without at least three cups of the delightful infusion and considered stashing a few bags in my cabin; but in the interests of keeping the team spirit alive we are going to try drying and re-using a few instead."

On board De Lage Landen, the team has been enjoying the wind that has greeted the Dutch entry as they sample their sails on the race towards the next gate.

Skipper Stuart Jackson says, "We are now nearly finished packing our forth spinnaker of the day, what had been a simple change to the medium weight soon turned into a quick drop as a hole appeared in it. Then shortly after hoisting again the clew decided to release itself, prompting another drop. So it has been a sweaty morning packing spinnakers below decks. Hopefully this one will decide to stay up until we want it to come down!"

The variable winds continue to affect Visit Finland and in the last 24 hours the team have slipped down to seventh place.

"During the last six hours we have gybed three times and made eight miles to the north, three to the south and two to the west! So there is plenty to keep us busy anyway! It would appear that the fortunes have turned to favour the more northerly boats for the time being which must be a relief for them," says Olly Osborne, skipper of the Finnish entry.

"Although we appear to have found our way back into more squally weather today, we did have a good run throughout the night which puts us about 600 miles from our way point."

On Geraldton Western Australia, skipper Juan Coetzer reports that his team has been experiencing "light and fluky winds" accompanied by "clear skies and soaring heat", which has caused problems for the Australian entry."Below decks, things are exploding. A carton of soya milk exploded in one of the lockers leaving a beautiful mess.

"There is a rather large obstacle in our way called the Palau Islands. For the last 300 miles we have been trying to go south of the island, but it's like a big magnet drawing us in. Unfortunately, I don't think we will get to see the Islands during day light," he added.

"A case of the 'haves and have not's'" is how skipper Rupert Dean describes the past few days on the race to Singapore. The changing weather has certainly made this a race of two halves, as Welcome to Yorkshire grapple with the variable winds with their competitors in sight.

"Yesterday morning, Welcome to Yorkshire was making reasonable progress west, some 22 miles behind Visit Finland. Later that day we were very surprised to see Visit Finland on our bow, struggling to sail out of a massive windhole by heading north under white sails. Before we knew it we were in the same hole, requiring us to drop our spinnaker and do the same. This continued into the night, until we both found some wind and were able, once again, to hoist our spinnakers and head west," Rupert added.

"Unfortunately for us, following an epic squall and rainstorm this morning, we were becalmed again for a few hours, soon to learn that Visit Finland had regained eleven miles on us. So a period of mixed fortunes for both of us. We are now ghosting along with full main, staysail and Yankee 1, relived to be moving again, yet hoping that the north easterly trades will re-establish themselves soon, enabling us to make better speed towards our target."

Race 7, one of the longest in the series on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, and after 19 days at sea, on board Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, cabin fever is starting to creep up on the team. Despite the challenges faced by Mother Nature, skipper Gordon Reid reports that his team always maintain a positive attitude after a night of no wind.

"Stuck in a windless hole, baking under the tropical sun, sweating like a blood donor at a vampire's tea party, being drenched in a tropical downpour for the fifth time in four hours we always keep the faith and remember what a great adventure we are undertaking."

In an effort to keep the Scottish entry moving, Gordon adds that the team have been working very hard, and praises the team on the crew's skill and determination as they execute a variety of sail changes in a bid to claw back position.

"So far today our sail change evolutions have included a change from the Yankee 1 and Staysail, to 'Big Frank' peel to 'Little Frank', swap to wind-seeker, back to Yankee 1, the main has been in, it's been out, we've had preventers on preventers off. Barber haulers here there and everywhere. We are now moving and in the right direction, a true testament to the skill and determination of the crew!"

Continuing to push forward is Qingdao, whose crew has been working hard changing sails after what skipper Ian Conchie describes as "A lovely 24 hours of spinnaker work!

"We hoisted the medium kite 24 hours ago and flew it until early this morning when we swapped for a lightweight. We have been making great progress all day trying to catch up the lead boats.When we dropped the medium weight we found some small holes which were quicklyrepaired my Dave and Lynn our sail repair team. Unfortunately we then noticed similar holes back in the medium weight so another quick change back to the lightweight only to find more holes so yet another change to the heavy while we fix both kites. As I type the lightweight is being repacked ready to be hoisted.

"In the meantime James has been up the rig and found the cause, a split pin in the rigging which had turned to make a great sharp edge for the kites to snag on.I think we can say that we have had enough spinnaker drop and hoist practice today and we are getting quiet slick at it now but the heat makes the repair and packing very sweaty indeed!" says Ian.