Clipper Race Fleet Continues To Battle Upwind Across Southern Ocean

8th November 2017

It’s rough out there for the Clipper Race fleet eight days deep into the third leg from Cape Town to Fremantle Credit: Clipper Ventures

#ClipperRace - Life continues at a lean for many teams during the eighth day of Race 3: The Dell Latitude Rugged Race as the Clipper Race fleet slogs it out in tough upwind conditions.

With around 3,400 nautical miles to go until Fremantle, Sanya Serenity Coast maintains its lead over the rest of the fleet, although the distance it had over the other teams has considerably reduced over the last 24 hours.

Skipper Wendy Tuck explains: “Yesterday, the wind was much higher than forecasted … so I decided to shorten sail even more.

“Needless to say, it didn’t increase and a lot of the time we were slightly under powered. Hopefully, we can hold on to our little buffer zone.”

PSP Logistics edged into second place ahead of Dare To Lead, although both teams have been frustrated by a lack of progress and have tacked southwards.

PSP Logistics skipper Matt Mitchell reports: “Although progress isn't great, it's progress none the less. We have a good solid 10 knots boat speed giving us about 7 knots VMG (Velocity Made Good).”

Qingdao, which has played its Joker Card on this race, has climbed to third place, most recently passing Dare To Lead by a hair, and is currently ahead of Liverpool 2018 to the north and GREAT Britain and Visit Seattle to the south.

All of the teams are finding life at an angle a challenge as Qingdao skipper Chris Kobusch reports: “I think I’m not the only one on board who is kind of over it now and looking forward to a change in wind direction to flatten the boat out.

“Besides the heeling we made reasonable good progress over the past 24 hours and are heading more or less in the right direction now.”

Having slipped to seventh earlier today and now standing at eighth, Visit Seattle skipper Nikki Henderson explains: “We have gone rogue — gone south — and now we are praying it pays off.

“The crew are relieved either way though as the wind has eased and therefore so has the lean. We had a tough day and a tough night. A few sail changes in bitterly cold conditions left the gang exhausted.

“Add that to a few bumps and bruises and the relentlessness of living life at 45 degrees and it's really a challenge.”

Skippers on board Unicef (now in fifth) and Nasdaq (trailing up north at 10th) have been lamenting the cold conditions that the teams are experiencing on board.

Nasdaq skipper Rob Graham reports: “Apparently, this is summer in this part of the world! With the sail plan and trim largely fixed, there isn't much to do on deck besides helming, so we have a rotation of crew spending a period below to stay warm.”

Garmin is currently in ninth position, having taken the most northerly route of the teams to the east of HotelPlanner.com, which is currently in 11th having previously diverted to Port Elizabeth for a medevac at the weekend.

The latter boat is experiencing slightly different weather conditions from the rest of the fleet, as Northern Irish skipper Conall Morrison explains.

“Today, we find ourselves beating into a South South-Easterly gale, making no progress towards the finish line on this course. However, such is sailing and we knew the last two days’ progress couldn’t last forever.

“This tack should see us into a patch of more favourable winds tomorrow and so we can tack and point the boat back towards Fremantle.”

Clipper Race meteorologist Simon Rowell predicts strong gusts for HotelPlanner.com overnight tonight (Wednesday 8 Novembver), while there is a high-pressure system approaching the rest of the fleet, making for some interesting tactical decisions.

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.