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The Pacific is throwing her full weight at the Clipper 09-10 fleet and the last 24 hours have been tough. Now the winds have moved behind the fleet they are making fast progress towards their goal of San Francisco and they should continue to do so for the next few days.
The huge forces exerted on the 68-foot ocean racing yachts are powerful and the massive seas and high winds mean the helms and on-watch crews cannot lose focus for a second – but ask any of the crew and they’ll tell you the thrill of riding the great ocean rollers is second to none.
Race Director, Jonathan Bailey, said, “It is clear from the forecasts and subsequent reports that the fleet has endured some of the toughest conditions so far. Lines that have breaking strain of many tonnes have been exposed to huge forces and in those conditions it is inevitable that things will break as the yachts battle against some of the most extreme seas in the world. Kit preservation and good seamanship when dealing with breakages is all part of the challenge and it is clear that the teams are coping magnificently.”
Revelling in the conditions is the southern hemisphere entry, Spirit of Australia.
“Surf’s up on the green and gold missile!” says Brisbane-based skipper, Brendan Hall. “The last 12 hours have been some of the most exhilarating sailing of the race so far. The large waves and 40 knot winds are now behind us, pushing us along at terrific speeds. Helming in these conditions is a knife edge proposition. Steer too far one way and the headsail backs on itself, which can pop the hanks off; steer too far the other way and a crash-gybe awaits. Concentration and assertive wheel action is the key to keeping the boat on track. Still, the grin on the face of the helmsman after a 20-knot surf is worth the pain and struggle of getting here through the headwinds.”
Cape Breton Island’s eagle has soared up through the fleet to slip into second place this morning and, says skipper, Jan Ridd, “We are sailing very comfortably in a Force 9 gusting to Force 10 with some truly magnificent seas, the Pacific showing its awesome power.”
However the Canadian team has negotiated some tricky conditions over a wet and windy 24 hours. “We were sailing comfortably yesterday afternoon with an economic sail plan when, in the early evening, the wind picked up,” explains Jan. “We set about reducing sail area with the on watch and once again my instincts were spot on. No sooner had we lashed the headsails securely, a gust hit us which topped 56 knots. We went about securing everything on deck and ensuring we were set for the night. I must admit it was very unpleasant on deck with the true wind steady at over 40 knots and a very confused sea as the wind backed.
“This morning, after a few hours sleep in my wet weather gear on the floor beside the nav station, Luke (Dampier, 19, a student), one of the watch leaders, woke me to tell me the wind had backed even more and wanted to know if we could pole out the storm jib. After a quick assessment we decided to change up to the bigger Yankee 3 headsail and shake out a reef which meant a busy last hour to their watch. We held those sails till just before lunch when again I started to feel edgy so we hastily dropped the Number 3 and hoisted the storm jib again.”
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital has had a cracking run over the last 24 hours, lifting them from eighth to fifth place but they’ve had a sharp reminder of the need to conserve their kit during this marathon race across the largest ocean on the planet.
Skipper, Matt Pike, says, “This is more like a 68-foot windsurfer than a yacht! There’s no place for a lapse in concentration. We plane at a steady 15 knots until a big wave comes and hit 20 for a minute at a time. A particularly vicious set came too close together and somehow we made the top of the second crest, flying over it like a steeple chaser, but this coincided with a 50 knot gust and we’re still clearing up four hours later. The pole snapped like a match stick and a section of track came off the mast. With nothing holding it, the sharp edges started damaging the main and the cost of pushing hard suddenly became apparent.
“We now have the third reef in the main and the staysail and we’re still topping 16 knots off the waves. The wind is a steady 35 knots with the occasional gust of 40 and once the repairs are complete we’ll be back to full speed.”
Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Pete Stirling, explains the issue isn’t the strong winds – it’s their inconsistency. “It’s been a couple of days of vicious weather conditions which has slowed down progress quite considerably,” he says. “Though it is quite possible to sail fast in heavy weather conditions the problem is the weather is very changeable which makes it very difficult to choose the right sail plan. Last night we ran with a third-reefed mainsail and storm jib only but this morning were forced to drop the mainsail when the reefing pennant snapped and the block it passes round at the base of the mast was also damaged. Repairs are currently underway to replace the broken line and block. We are now running with the staysail only making a steady eight knots boat speed in the right direction. We have seen 50 knots of wind recorded on the wind instruments and expect it to get stronger tonight so things could get really interesting! Still we have a very conservative sail plan so should be able to handle anything the weather can throw at us. The crew have been kept incredibly busy over the last couple of days with multiple sail changes in very rough conditions.”
And while the Scottish and Jamaican entries have made gains, California and Qingdao have seen their placings slip – in Qingdao’s case, from third to eighth.
Chris Stanmore-Major says, “We found ourselves last night suddenly caught in the middle of a 50-knot squall with apparent winds bouncing higher than that initially. Luckily we were already pretty snugged down but the initial blast was so strong it snapped the staysail halyard sending the sail to the deck and half overboard and blew out the clew of the storm jib, changing our mild mannered little friend into a crazed animal shackled to the forestay. I was asleep at the time, taking an hour as we had found our line, had good speed, a wind that was freeing up and open water ahead. In a Wallace and Gromit manoeuvre I leapt clear of my bunk and seemingly straight into my drysuit and was on deck before I had both eyes open. Luckily the issue was not complex to deal with but with the boat heading directly before the wind we still had too much wind to re-hoist the staysail and we had to run the rest of the night on trysail alone meaning we were slow and could not hold a course. The outcome? Third to second last in the blink of an eye. This morning we started to piece things back together and we started to rebuild the storm jib.”
California has lost two places but is still very much in touch with Cape Breton Island and Hull & Humber, their distances to the finish separated by just three miles – astonishing after 1,300 miles of hard racing. Last night was perhaps one of the hardest so far.
Skipper Pete Rollason reports, “The crew are absolutely exhausted after enduring 50+ knot winds last night and making great speeds when all of a sudden the second reef line snapped under the load, swiftly followed by five sliders detaching themselves from the mast. The joys of ocean racing; sometimes you cry out in exhilaration and sometimes you just want to cry!
“The main has now been down and off for 12 hours with ongoing repairs being completed as and when conditions allow, bearing in mind we still have over 30 knots of wind. Hopefully we will be fully up and running before dark and pushing hard to regain our second place and then resume the kangaroo hunt.”
Hosts Team New Zealand convincingly beat Swedish syndicate Artemis on their home waters in Auckland Tuesday, the opening day of the Louis Vuitton Trophy yachting regatta.
Other winners among the eight strong field in the America’s Cup-class regatta were Italy’s Azzura, French-German syndicate All4one and France’s Aleph Sailing Team.
Dean Barker-skippered Team New Zealand, the losing challenger in the 2007 America’s Cup, beat Artemis by one minute 40 seconds, making full use of their local knowledge in light winds.
Azzura beat Britain’s Team Origin by 53 seconds, while All4one defeated Mascalzone Latino Audi Team by 44 seconds.
In the final race, France’s Aleph Sailing Team beat Synergy Russian Sailing Team by three minutes 26 seconds after the Russians ran over their own spinnaker.
The second Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta follows the inaugural event in Nice in November when Azzura beat Team New Zealand in the finals.
Running until the finals on March 21, the regatta’s round robin and elimination rounds features the teams racing in the two yachts Team New Zealand used during the 2007 America’s Cup campaign in Valencia.
More Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas are due to be held in Sardinia in May, Dubai in November and Hong Kong in January next year.
Their aim is to provide top quality America’s Cup-style match-racing during the long gap between America’s Cups.
The last multi-challenger America’s Cup was held in 2007 and the next may be held in 2013, although details are still to be finalised.
After years of legal wrangling, American challenger Oracle beat Swiss holders Alinghi in a best of three America’s Cup series between two futuristic multi-hull yachts in Valencia last month.
Sailing legend Sir Russell Coutts has hinted at retirement from America’s Cup racing.
The four-time winner of yachting’s top trophy yesterday said he was taking time in the next two months to decide his future.
Coutts, in New Zealand to talk to the teams in the Louis Vuitton Trophy that starts today on the Waitemata Harbour, was reluctant to commit to the 34th America’s Cup.
“I’m still deciding what to do in the future. I don’t want to rush things on that,” Coutts said. “I’ve got a young family now and that’s definitely a consideration.”
When pressed as to whether that might mean leaving Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle Racing team before defending the trophy won in Valencia, Coutts said: “Honestly, I’m really not sure.
“Right now I’m just doing the best job I can for Oracle and trying to speak to some of the other teams to create some good processes [for the next America's Cup], but I haven’t made a decision on my future yet.”
The 33rd America’s Cup was among the most bitter in history, and Oracle and Alinghi spent more time in court than on the water.
Coutts was the victim of personal attacks, and took offence at cartoons posted on the Alinghi website.
But his friendship with Alinghi skipper-tactician Brad Butterworth has survived.
“We had a beer after the racing. We’ve got a long friendship and I’ve got a pretty solid friendship with some of the other people on Alinghi, too,” Coutts said. “Since the regatta I’ve spent a bit of time with some of them. At the end of the day we’re all trying our best to win yacht races.
“It was unfortunate we kept battling it out in court, but as far as we were concerned there was no alternative. Frankly, I think everybody is ready to turn the page and move on.”
Coutts was last night catching up with son Grayson, who was a star of the reality cooking show, New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker.
By Dylan Cleaver | Email Dylan
Over the course of the weekend Groupama 3 has slipped over 320nm behind the round the world record pace as she battles a high pressure zone off Argentina.
Groupama 3 has begun her sequence of tack changes to get across to the other side of the zone of high pressure, which has stabilised offshore of Argentina. Fortunately the giant trimaran is particularly at ease in these moderate headwinds.
The ascent of this west face of the Argentinean anticyclone promised to be both long and laborious: an initial change of tack was made at around 17:00 UTC on Sunday to switch onto a NW’ly course in line with the first wind shift to the N. However, shortly before midnight, the wind oscillated again and Groupama 3 once more repositioned herself to the NE to get onto a better angle with which to escape the high pressure. This Monday morning, Franck Cammas (FRA) and his men are making towards the Argentinean coast again to extract themselves from the zone of high pressure. The dying breeze and the barometer displaying over 1,030 hPa are signs that the centre of the zone of high pressure is close by.
Step By Step
“The anticyclone, which is to be left to starboard, is still very close, with the centre just 350 miles to the E of Groupama 3,” analysed Sylvain Mondon of Météo France. “The last tack change, which will enable the crew to set a course to the N on starboard tack is scheduled for this Monday between late morning and early afternoon. The work onboard has been intense as the series of tack changes has been in line with expectations and is quite different to the previous 72 hours, where manoeuvres were rather rare. A little rest will be possible for the crew tonight and early tomorrow, Tuesday. Following on from that there will be a long and tricky passage off Rio midway through the week.”
The giant trimaran will have to close on the centre in order to have the least tack changes and the least distance to travel to escape this high pressure trap as early as possible. As the wind shifts round to the N, then the NE and the E, this will be an indication that Cammas and his nine crew have reached the northern edge of this high pressure. After a few hours of sailing close-hauled, the trimaran will once again be able to pick up the pace with beam winds, which will remain moderate, on navigable seas.
Light and responsive, Groupama 3 is rather partial to these headwinds and is able to quickly reach 20 knots on a single float. It’s a radical change for the crew, but the helmsmen love this technique which comprises the central hull just kissing the sea… The current balance in relation to the reference time is still in the red with a deficit of over 270 miles, however this half a day’s separation remains reasonable. Indeed as the giant trimaran gets back into the E’ly breezes, she’ll easily be able to average 27 knots along the direct course.
Staying Positive
Although over the past 48 hours, Cammas and his band have conceded over 300 miles to Orange II’s existing round the world record pace, the mindset remains, more than ever before, a conquering one.
During the daily radio link-up with Groupama’s Jules Verne HQ on Sunday, Jacques Caraës reported, “We haven’t tacked for a very long time and, from this evening, we’ll be making two or three changes of tack to gently make headway to the North. It’s at that point that we’ll lose the greatest distance in relation to Orange II, but we’re left with no other alternative if we are to locate a system which is more favourable to our progress. The fact that things are very tight as regards the record time is highly motivating and we know we’ve got a real battle on our hands! The general atmosphere is as great as ever and that’s what makes this crew so good. The “Bar des Sports” is just one of the opportunities onboard, where everyone has a chance to get together. We’re all really driven to do better and finish this record with flying colours so we can be proud on our arrival off Ushant! Yesterday evening we had a great time at the Bar des Sports and were treated to two duck breasts that Loïc had stashed away with two tiny little bottles of red wine. It was a delicious, unforgettable moment!”
Caraës also added that spirits onboard remain high, “The water is now 15° this morning, so it’s beginning to get up to a nice temperature! We’re making headway close on the wind with a 14 knot breeze on very comfortable seas. Life is completely different today and it’s done us a world of good. It’s affected everyone as we’ve all fallen into a very deep sleep. We were all in need of it as we were very fatigued after the sailing conditions in the Pacific. We’ve all recovered well in readiness for tackling the Atlantic, with a boat that’s in equally fine fettle, which augurs well for the next stage!”
Groupama 3’s log (departure on 31 January at 13:55:53 UTC)
Day 1 (1 February 1400 UTC): 500 miles (deficit = 94 miles)
Day 2 (2 February 1400 UTC): 560 miles (lead = 3.5 miles)
Day 3 (3 February 1400 UTC): 535 miles (lead = 170 miles)
Day 4 (4 February 1400 UTC): 565 miles (lead = 245 miles)
Day 5 (5 February 1400 UTC): 656 miles (lead = 562 miles)
Day 6 (6 February 1400 UTC): 456 miles (lead = 620 miles)
Day 7 (7 February 1400 UTC): 430 miles (lead = 539 miles)
Day 8 (8 February 1400 UTC): 305 miles (lead = 456 miles)
Day 9 (9 February 1400 UTC): 436 miles (lead = 393 miles)
Day 10 (10 February 1400 UTC): 355 miles (lead = 272 miles)
Day 11 (11 February 1400 UTC): 267 miles (deficit = 30 miles)
Day 12 (12 February 1400 UTC): 247 miles (deficit = 385 miles)
Day 13 (13 February 1400 UTC): 719 miles (deficit = 347 miles)
Day 14 (14 February 1400 UTC): 680 miles (deficit = 288 miles)
Day 15 (15 February 1400 UTC): 651 miles (deficit = 203 miles)
Day 16 (16 February 1400 UTC): 322 miles (deficit = 376 miles)
Day 17 (17 February 1400 UTC): 425 miles (deficit = 338 miles)
Day 18 (18 February 1400 UTC): 362 miles (deficit = 433 miles)
Day 19 (19 February 1400 UTC): 726 miles (deficit = 234 miles)
Day 20 (20 February 1400 UTC): 672 miles (deficit = 211 miles)
Day 21 (21 February 1400 UTC): 584 miles (deficit = 124 miles)
Day 22 (22 February 1400 UTC): 607 miles (deficit = 137 miles)
Day 23 (23 February 1400 UTC): 702 miles (lead = 60 miles)
Day 24 (24 February 1400 UTC): 638 miles (lead = 208 miles)
Day 25 (25 February 1400 UTC): 712 miles (lead = 371 miles)
Day 26 (26 February 1400 UTC): 687 miles (lead = 430 miles)
Day 27 (27 February 1400 UTC): 797 miles (lead = 560 miles)
Day 27 (27 February 1400 UTC): 560 miles (lead = 517 miles)
Day 29 (1 March 1400 UTC): 434 miles (lead = 268 miles)
Day 30 (2 March 1400 UTC): 575 miles (lead = 184 miles)
Day 31 (3 March 1400 UTC): 617 miles (lead = 291 miles)
Day 32 (4 March 1400 UTC): 492 miles (lead = 248 miles)
Day 33 (5 March 1400 UTC): 445 miles (lead = 150 miles)
Day 34 (6 March 1400 UTC): 461 miles (lead = 58 miles)
Day 35 (7 March 1400 UTC): 382 miles (deficit = 100 miles)
The Record To Beat
Record: Round the World, non stop, crewed, any type
Yacht: Orange II
Skipper: Bruno Peyron (FRA)
Dates: January-March 2005
Elapsed time: 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds
Distance: 21,760 nautical miles
Average Speed: 17.89 knots
Get the latest updates from Groupama 3 at www.cammas-groupama.com
With the first 1,000 miles of the race to California almost completed, the forecasted low pressure system has finally arrived and the skippers who were cursing the lack of wind yesterday now find themselves with more than they bargained for. Strong headwinds have been hard going on the teams and they will all be looking forward to the wind shifting round and a return to the fast downwind sailing the Clipper 68s relish.
What a difference 24 hours makes,” says Jim Dobie, skipper of Uniquely Singapore. “Yesterday we were in little wind and then bang! In rushed 30 to 40 knots and it has been with us ever since. The frustrating thing has been the angle we have been forced to sail at and have lost quite a bit of ground to the south. But as the low moves through, the wind will veer round and we can head due north again before the wind settles in behind us and we can get back to the fast downwind weather we love.
“The crew are a little worse for wear with tiredness etched on their faces and all their clothes wet and damp. But as I always say, nothing stays the same in the ocean and once we’re back in the high, clothes will dry, skies will brighten and the smiles will return.”
Hull & Humber’s skipper, Piers Dudin, says, “The seas are getting a little confused and the occasional slam jolts memories of our trip past Taiwan. We’ve nearly reached the top of the hill in terms of our upwind beat and are looking forward to giving Hull & Humber an easier ride downwind.”
“Even moving round below decks requires constant effort in the confused seas and as the wind shifts it’s likely to become even more so.”
Life on deck is just as difficult as that down below and none more so than for the crew on board California.
“We needed to take the mainsail down and completely remove it from the mast track in order to repair the top five sliders that had become detached, ” explains skipper Pete Rollason. “This is no easy feat in the shelter of a marina, let alone on a rough ocean in the conditions we’re currently experiencing. The crew worked tirelessly to complete the repairs and with everyone exhausted and soaking wet we hoisted the mainsail.”
The strong headwinds are certainly taking their toll but the wind strength continues to vary making sail choice particularly tricky as Jan Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island explains.
“Most of the crew are coming to terms with having to sail close hauled for the next few days as we fight our way out into the Pacific. The wind is building and dropping and the highest gust our instruments have shown was 48 knots, which dropped just minutes later to 19 knots.
“With the wind varying so much, the boat was set up last night for the worst, with the storm jib accompanied by our normal staysail and the third reef in the main. If the wind built the staysail could be dropped allowing us to go into complete safe mode. Today the problem we have is the boat is a little underpowered and just as we think we should put more sail up the wind builds, the boat heels right over again and the decision is made for us.”
Qingdao’s skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, believes the worst is yet to come and if he is right the already tired crews will need to dig deep to find that extra bit of strength and determination.
“A great night’s sailing on board Qingdao with us returning to the conditions we favoured so much during our time in the South China Sea,” says Chris. “Last night however was only a precursor to the real show which will probably start within the next 30 hours.
“With 40 knot winds predicted we will be experiencing up to 50 on the nose if we are unfortunate enough to be at that angle to the wind. My hope is that we can take some of that brutish wind strength on the beam to catapult the dragon forward to the super sonic speeds we love.”
For the team on Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, the change in conditions came all too quickly but according to skipper Matt Pike his crew are revelling in the challenge as they push to Scottish boat hard to make gains on the rest of the fleet.
Matt says, “Misty drizzle and a rolling swell was the weather as we chased the small patches of breeze to reach the fleet – all the time knowing soon the wind would fill in. It came in one solid wave and caught us midway between sail changes.
“The chase begins now through the wet. We have salty spray, the slightly fresher rain and the most easily identified, the solid wall of water that comes crashing back swamping the whole boat. Below is no better as everything is wet, no longer just damp but wringing wet. The crew have stopped mentioning wet bunks but just crash out as they are for a much needed rest before going ‘over the top’ through the companionway and back into the fight. Still smiling the hardened crew take our tough little boat forwards and push to gain those precious miles on the competition.”
Meanwhile, back in Qingdao, Team Finland’s crew will be keeping a close eye on the fleet’s progress as they await the arrival of their replacement mast. The 90-foot spar has left Luxemburg and whilst the Clipper Race team is doing everything to ensure a timely delivery in Qingdao the journey is at the mercy of shipping agents, airlines and customs. Team Finland is just ten points behind overall race leaders, Spirit of Australia, having been awarded one point by the Race Committee for Race 6 from Singapore to Qingdao. They will therefore be hoping for a fast run across the Pacific if they are to close the gap and regain the top spot once more.
The Notice of Race for the 46th running of the Transpac Race, beginning
July 4th, 2011, is now online. The 2225-mile Transpac, extending from San
Pedro, California to Honolulu, Hawaii, is the oldest and longest enduring
ocean race in the world. The Transpacific Yacht Club is seeking a diverse
fleet of boats between 30 and 100 feet long, with new changes to allow
Satphones and not require Celestial. — Details: http://tinyurl.com/yd335em
CLOSER TO FULFILLMENT: The team behind the 60-feet Hydroptère trimaran,
which has beaten two world speed records at an average speed of over 50
knots in 2009 in the Mediterranean, seeks now to extend the limits of the
project and has planned to develop two new boats, with the ultimate
objective of sailing around the world in approximately 40 days on
l’Hydroptère maxi.
To reach this objective, the team will build on a reduced scale a test model
called l’Hydroptère.ch. This will serve as a lab boat whose main purpose is
to test geometries and behaviours in varied real conditions for the
development of l’Hydroptère maxi. l’Hydroptère.ch should be launched for
testing in the Mediterranean by early summer 2010. — Details:
http://www.hydroptere.com/_en/actu_detail.php?id_actu=59#centre
“Bob (Bell – Project manager) described today as a £1,000 day, a day where you would pay £1,000 to sail the boat,” writes Brendan Hall, skipper of the Australian entry. “The scene is Spirit of Australia speeding along under spinnaker around the southern tip of Japan, with off-lying islands to the south of us, rising out of the sea like vertical spires of rock, the top of each shrouded in cloud. From here, mainland Japan looks lush, green and verdant. The sun is out and the deck is festooned with damp clothing, drying out. This is a day to enjoy and remember, especially after the drenching rain and thunderstorms we had last night.”
He and his crew were first around the waypoint to begin the next stage of their mammoth race across the mighty Pacific Ocean and on board they are feeling good.
“I am always amazed at how our moods become so closely linked to the weather, and a glorious, sunny day lifts spirits tremendously.”
That sunshine will be particularly welcome to the crew of Cape Breton Island after an electrifying 24 hours on board.
Skipper Jan Ridd explains, “We spent most of yesterday sailing in light winds. It built eventually to a comfortable Force 5 or 6 but the weather was horrendous with torrential rain virtually non-stop, making time on deck very uncomfortable. As we approached the southern tip of Japan we were treated to a fantastic light show as truly spectacular lighting struck all around us accompanied by the loud crash of thunder.
“At the time we were sailing in line with California and Spirit of Australia with a large tanker bearing down on us. The safest course of action was for Cape Breton Island to turn to starboard, which meant slowing down a little and passing close to the tanker. We eventually caught sight of it charging through the pitch black night in heavy rain at about one mile. I’d been monitoring his course on radar and AIS so I came on deck to make sure we passed each other without incident.
“At the moment the tanker was at its closest point we were all blinded by a white flash as a lightning bolt struck either our boat or very close to us. Immediately I came down below to check all the instruments and computers were still working. The lighting had shorted out our AIS system which predicts the path of all other vessels and warns of risk of collision! So I hastily emailed the Clipper tech support team asking for advice on fault finding the system, went back on deck to make sure the watch kept an extra keen lookout for other vessels and returned to the nav station to man the radar.
“When I came back below both the navigation and communication computer were dead and, after a quick check of all systems, I worked out there was no power supply to them. I called the tech support team on our satellite phone and spoke to Justin Haller who is a genius and knows every detail of the Clipper 68. Within a minute of describing the problem he had correctly diagnosed the cause and given me a couple of solutions. The lighting had shorted out the regulated power supply for the computers and other equipment, so I worked through the night very creatively rewiring the computers and equipment with alternative power sources. I finished just as mother watch was starting to prepare breakfast!”
As well as dealing with the lightning strike Cape Breton Island’s crew have also been putting in some extra work on the boat to ready their Big Blue Canoe for the next phase of this race.
“Today we have dropped our mainsail to repair couple of weak points. These things are sent to try us!” says Jan. “The mainsail will be hoisted again soon and we will start our voyage across the Pacific.”
There was a bit of a battle to the waypoint off the south coast of Japan. Spirit of Australia rounded the mark first, with California in second place and Qingdao third.
“Unfortunately we had a bad night last night with a few mistakes being made in some very light conditions which cost us some miles,” says California’s skipper Pete Rollason. “For a few hours this morning we were sailing within a couple of miles of Cape Breton Island, Qingdao and Jamaica Lightning Bolt, all under poled out Yankee 2s. However, at lunch time and in full sight of the others we hoisted our medium weight spinnaker and accelerated away from them, opening up a gap of a few miles before dropping the kite and returning to the poled out Yankee 2. It was a little marginal by the time we came to drop it but everything went smoothly and the gains made it worthwhile.
“It is now approximately 1,900 miles to the Scoring Gate and we fully expect to see some different tactics coming in to play over the next couple of days with some boats staying more easterly while others take a more northerly route. We are eagerly awaiting the new weather files so that we can start finalising our next few days’ strategy and hopefully can pull back a few miles on Spirit of Australia and then push on for maximum points at the gate.”
The dragon’s snapping at the heels of California as Qingdao’s skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major explains. “Things are looking good for the Dragon Wagon in Race 7. The steeply sided cliffs of the Japanese mainland loomed out of the haze this morning like sentinels, silently guarding the gates to the Pacific. Immediately beneath them the Clipper 09-10 Race played out one its more exciting mornings so far with six boats rounding within sight of one another after 750nm of hard racing across the Yellow Sea.
“On board Qingdao we were straining to be second round the headland but it was not to be and we were pipped to the post by California who crossed an imaginary line we had drawn due south of the Sata Misaki Lighthouse, 0.7 of a mile in front of us. Curses. Next time Mr Rollason, next time.
“And so now into the wide open tracts of the North Pacific… Already the weather files show a large low pressure system developing to the north east of us and that spells a bouncy ride for the Qingdao crew. However, tough is how we like it and whilst we have only tasted success once with our podium finish into Qingdao we know we have the ability to ride the Dragon Wagon through all and any conditions whilst preserving good course and speed. This may be exactly the requirement in the coming week and we are looking forward to the gate with trepidation.”
It seems the Yellow Sea would be punishing to the last for the Clipper 09-10 teams. Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Pete Stirling, says, “Last night was yet another frustrating time with constant wind shifts coming from every direction, rain squalls and lightning storms. Progress in the right direction was painfully slow but finally at dawn a steady breeze filled in. We are now out of the Yellow Sea and clear to the east of the southern tip of Japan – yippee! We now have a mere 5,000 miles of deep blue Pacific Ocean to sail across with, hopefully, minimal shipping and reliable steady winds. There is a perceptible nervous tension evident amongst the four newbies who joined us in Qingdao. However for the seasoned round the worlders and multiple leggers, who now have quite a few thousand miles of ocean racing behind them, there is a quiet air of confidence. I remember on the first ocean leg from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro the nervous tension could be felt throughout the boat but by now the round the worlders and multiple leggers have acquired confidence in themselves, each other, the boat and, hopefully, me. This of course doesn’t detract from the enormous respect everyone on board has for the sea and the power it can generate.
“There was a lovely moment a couple of days ago when we had gale force conditions and heavy rain. One of the newbies, who wasn’t feeling great at the time, asked a round the worlder, ‘Does it get any worse than this?’ The response was, ‘Hell yes, we still have another reef in the main and the storm jib to go yet!’”
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and Uniquely Singapore have also made the transition to Pacific Ocean, after a final kick from the Yellow Sea.
Matt Pike on board the Scottish boat says, “Still and calm, drifting, watching the distant lighting behind the low, dark clouds soon turned to all hands to down sails as forty knot gusts sent the boat over onto her ear. There was no suitable sail plan as the wind came in gusts and left just as quickly, leaving the helm to try to work out what direction the next hit would come from. The rain added to the task; heavy squalls for minutes at a time then clearing only to repeat the soaking again half an hour later. Dawn came and the wind finally settled in from the west. As I write this the sun’s out and we are bowling along past the Sata Misaki light under the largest spinnaker making a steady nine and a half knots.”
The winds are forecast to swing around in the next 24 to 48 hours so the part of the Pacific crossing could be anything but peaceful.
NEW BREED OF TEAMS EMERGE FOR NEXT AMERICA’S CUP
Meet the new names of America’s Cup class sailing. With new-look syndicates
lining up in next week’s Louis Vuitton Trophy in Auckland, the two-week
regatta makes for a fascinating contest. Of the eight teams competing in the
second round of the newly established world tour, only two, including
Emirates Team New Zealand, raced in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series last
year.
The Pacific Series became a world series when a global circuit kicked off in
Nice last year – when Italian syndicate Azzurra surprisingly beat Team New
Zealand in the final. Among those missing from last year’s flagship event
are Luna Rossa, Team Shosholoza, China Team, Damiani Italia and Greek
Challenge.
The timing of next week’s regatta meant the “big two” glamour syndicates -
BMW Oracle and Alinghi – also haven’t returned, with much of their focus
over the past 12 months being on the just-completed Deed of Gift match in
Valencia. Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton, who is one of the founding
members of the World Sailing Teams Association – the entity established to
run the events – admits he is disappointed not to have the new Cup holders
and Alinghi competing in Auckland this month.
“We’d love to have Oracle here but they’d be unlikely to perform all that
well because their focus … has been on Valencia. It’s takes a while to
change disciplines, get your team together and re-grow,” said Dalton. “Who
knows what the future for Alinghi is? Probably they don’t even know right
now.” While Dalton has a frosty relationship with the Swiss syndicate, he
said he would “absolutely” welcome their inclusion in the Louis Vuitton
series for future events.
In the absence of the big-name syndicates that have dominated the headlines
over the last few years, the spotlight in Auckland will fall on the new
breed of teams that have kicked in to life now some certainty to the
America’s Cup has been restored. — NZ Herald, read on:
http://tinyurl.com/yddz5oj
The skippers and teams of Clipper 09-10 are ready to hit the open ocean again. The frustration of dodging container shipping and fishing fleets is beginning to grate, and the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean can’t come soon enough.
Spirit of Australia’s skipper Brendan Hall says, “I am very much looking forward to getting around Japan and out into the Pacific, leaving behind the shipping, fishing fleets, obstructions and fickle Yellow Sea winds. We’ve had more variable winds overnight and this morning. More heavy sail changes as we respond to the shifts in wind angle and speed.”
As the crew shake off the last remnants of seasickness the gloves are back on for the Boxing Kangaroo and the Aussies are getting ready to go the full 12 rounds. Kit preservation will be top of the agenda, safety and rig checks a part of the daily routine of life on board.
“This morning, we noticed some chafe on a few of our lines, which we have quickly repaired,” says Brendan.
The Cape Breton Island eagle is getting ready to spread her wings as soon as she is out of the confines of the Yellow Sea but it’s taking longer than skipper, Jan Ridd, would like. “It has been a frustrating 24 hours as we ran into an area of very light winds last night and made little or no progress,” he says. “The Yellow Sea is being as fickle as ever, giving you brief teasers of a decent breeze only to take it away again 20 minutes later. The weather files were originally quite accurate but for the last few hours we have been experiencing wind from exactly the opposite of the forecast. Although it is no longer cold it has been replaced with a fine misty rain which reminds me so much of sailing back in the UK!
“Apart from the fickle weather, everybody seems to be settling in well and getting used to the on board routines. I cannot wait to get into the Pacific Ocean and get away from the mad Chinese fishing fleets and find some stable wind.”
After a slow start to their Clipper 09-10 campaign, California are putting in consistently decent performances and are determined to win this race to their home port. There are still plenty of points available between now and the finish on the Humber on 17 July and, as has already been seen, the fate of a team can change in the blink of an eye. The wind can appear just as quickly but Pete Rollason and the crew of the American yacht were ready for it when it happened this morning.
He says, “After a really frustrating time of little or no wind when Cape Breton Island, Spirit of Australia and ourselves have all been in sight of each other while really going nowhere, in a matter of seconds the wind picked up to 28 knots. The crew reacted with lightning speed and, before I could say too much, had wrestled the Yankee 1 down to the deck, hoisted the Yankee 2 and were busy preparing to flake and bag the Yankee 1 while one crew member went down below to make tea. It was completed like any other every task you may undertake, but this is no everyday task and undertaken by the extraordinary people that I am sailing with.”
A racing headsail change takes a huge amount of energy and teamwork but for the more than 83,000 people playing the Clipper Virtual Race online, a sail change takes no more than the click of a button – and you don’t get a soaking on the foredeck! It’s not too late to sign up to the game and take part in the transpacific race to pit your skills against those of the teams competing in Clipper 09-10.
Back on the water those ever-shifting winds have been frustrating progress.
“Twenty-four hours of constant changes,” reports Piers Dudin from on board Hull & Humber. “We’ve had every wind from every direction and all sorts of sail plans making their contribution to some frustrating progress. Looks like the race just got tough! The crew, however, are on top form, driving each sail to its maximum and keeping us in touch with the front runners. The rain isn’t dampening the mood just yet although any glimpse of sun is received with cheers already.
“I’m looking forward to stepping off the continental shelf back into some deep blue once we shake Japan and her islands. Until then there’s still plenty of shipping and fishing to keep us entertained.”
You get a really clear view of where the continental shelf finishes and how far away from that deeper water the fleet is if you click the ‘satellite’ tab on the race viewer.
The varying wind conditions have left the Jamaica Lightning Bolt crew exhausted but happy after 24 hours of sail change after sail change, says skipper Pete Stirling. “The one consolation is that the work has kept their bodies warm and their minds occupied. Unable to lay the course to the southern tip of Japan we decided to head east last night unlike most of the rest of the fleet which headed south. The forecast was for the wind to veer round to the north east which would then give us a better angle on the course. The forecast, however, is completely wrong and we currently have a southerly wind which is 180 degrees out on the forecasted direction. We have no choice now but to continue with what we have so time will tell if we find ourselves in a better position than the rest of the boats.”
Uniquely Singapore is just a few miles from Jamaica Lightning Bolt but a bug that has swept through the crew has forced them to sail more conservatively than they would like.
Skipper Jim Dobie explains, “Our land based friend which made it on to the boat and has managed to claim more crew including myself now. This made for quite the interesting night. So, once again, a night filled with fishing fleets, the Korean navy and today the American Navy made for some wonderful sailing. Clearly with me out of action, a lot of crew down and the magical busy traffic we were forced into a cautious night of sailing and once again were saddened to see the loss of miles against the other yachts. However we are made of strong stuff and once the air of sickness has left Uniquely Singapore we will once again rise up and chase down the others as best as possible. Luckily it happened to us at the beginning of the race with 5,000 or more miles to play with. At the moment Rachel (medic/vet) is supervising a disinfectant session including all the galley crockery and utensils, the heads, all the surfaces and the bilges. I’m pretty sure if she had her way she would try and dip us, too. The wind seems to be filling in nicely and we can’t wait to clear the south coast of Japan and head into the Pacific to leave our dear fisherman friends behind.”
There’s a trick to avoiding the fishing boats that the Hong Kong based skipper of Qingdao has been playing to his advantage. Chris Stanmore-Major says, “At the moment we are beset by fog and drizzle and the scene could well be the Solent or the Thames. The only difference is the huge number of shabby Chinese fishing boats which have been our constant companions since our departure from Qingdao. I have read much from the other skippers about being pushed back and off course by these fleets but experience from Hong Kong tells me to aim for the middle and simply dodge those who, in curiosity, get too close. Out here the fishing style is with pots on the sea bed so the vessels can be passed at close range. The effect of this realisation on watch leaders has been profound and they now pass through fleets of 50 or 60 vessels with the deck lights blazing and a light hand on the helm rather than biting their nails and stressing. Am I going to tell the other skippers about this? Hmm… Maybe tomorrow or perhaps the next day.”
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital’s crew have loved the sailing over the last 24 hours. Skipper Matt Pike reports, “The best sailing ever! Despite the cold and overcast sky Edinburgh Inspiring Capital picked up in the thirty knots, the following sea and flew. 15… 16… the surfing speed records kept falling as a new helm took over at the ‘concentration station’. We maxed at 19.7kts and an hour’s run of 13.6 – a great afternoon’s sail. Dusk came and a change of direction in the wind slowed us down overnight and by dawn we were back to chasing the breeze with the wind seeker. As for the next 24 hours, we will see what it brings, but one thing’s for sure the crew of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital has never felt so strong as a team!”
The Clipper Race was founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo and non-stop around the world more than 40 years ago. Since the first race set off in 1996 more than 2,000 people like you have learned to sail and taken on the world’s oceans in this unique challenge and interest in the race has never been higher – more than half the berths for Clipper 11-12 have already been filled.
Today Sir Robin is in New York to receive a top sailing award. The Cruising Club of America has selected the British sailing legend to receive its prestigious Blue Water Medal, without date, for a lifetime devoted to the advancement of sailing, sail training and youth development and on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his singlehanded, non-stop circumnavigation of the world. In the 85-year history of the CCA’s Blue Water Medal only seven Medals have been awarded without date. The medal will be presented this evening by CCA Commodore, Sheila McCurdy (Middletown, R.I.), during the club’s annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club in New York.
Blue Water Medallists have included such luminaries of the sailing world as Sir Francis Chichester, Pete Goss and Bernard Moitessier, whose boat Joshua led the Clipper 09-10 fleet from La Rochelle in September last year.
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