Clipper Race: Race for Final Points

(November 24, 2015; Day 24) – Breeze has picked up for the teams still racing in Race 3 of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and just 30 nautical miles now separate the front three yachts as they look to finish as strongly as possible and claw back important points in this race.

An excellent Stealth Mode performance has moved IchorCoal up into sixth position (the next best available as five teams have now finished the race), with the team now 18 nautical miles ahead of seventh placed Mission Performance.

In this final duel to the finish line, Mission Performance Skipper Greg Miller reports: “Since IchorCoal appeared on the scene, the wind seems to have filled in and we are making a fast passage, more north than I would have liked, but this could be to our advantage as it looks like there will be more wind there in hours to come. We are also expecting the current wind to back allowing us to put in (hopefully) another faultless gybe and head again direct for Albany.”

Also out of Stealth Mode with no plans to admit defeat yet, Da Nang – Viet Nam is hot on both its rivals’ heels, just 9 nautical miles behind Mission Performance. Skipper Wendo Tuck says: “Now you see us again, we have come out of hiding. Stealth Mode has finished. I’m pretty happy where we have ended up, now just need to keep chasing.”

Adding, Wendo notes: “If you are following the Race Viewer, you would have noticed this race is not over yet. Sixth, seventh, and eighth place are still up for grabs, so be assured we are working the boat hard as we have not settled for eighth place yet. We are giving it all we have.”

Visit Seattle is in ninth place, PSP Logistics is tenth and Unicef eleventh.

ClipperTelemed+ is currently motor-sailing to Albany after accepting retirement and twelfth place. Skipper Matt Mitchell admits it was tough to accept but it was the right thing to do as he reports: “After careful deliberation yesterday it became apparent that we were well and truly stuck. Rather than force the issue I decided to retire from this race in order to get the boat into Albany in good time for the next race.”

He adds: “We took a gamble at the end and lost, simple as that and I very much hope upon our return to land that our supporters comments on social media reflect on the positives rather than the negatives. We are all tired, a bit battered and bruised, but ultimately smiling from having overcome many hardships while crossing this tough ocean.”

*Garmin finished Race 3 in fourth place at 0014UTC (0814 local) this morning. GREAT Britain finished fifth at 0136 UTC (0936 local).

All positions correct at 1000 UTC.

Event Website – Standings – Team Reports – Facebook

Report by event media.

Background: The 40,000 mile Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race began in London, UK on August 30 for the fleet of twelve identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s. The series is divided into 16 individual races, with the team with the best cumulative score winning the Clipper Race Trophy. Each team is led by a professional skipper with an all-amateur crew.

The third leg began October 31 and takes the fleet 4845 nm from Cape Town, South Africa to Albany, Western Australia. The fleet is estimated to finish between November 22 and 26.

The ports along the race route are Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cape Town, South Africa; Albany, Sydney, Hobart and Airlie Beach, Australia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Qingdao, China; Seattle, USA; Panama; New York, USA; Derry-Londonderry, Ireland; and Den Helder, Netherlands before returning to London by late July.