Clipper Race: Throws of the low

(October 31, 2019; Day 8) – On Day 8 of Race 3 of the 2019-20 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, The Spinlock South Atlantic Showdown, the fleet is in the throws of a South Atlantic low as it races towards Cape Town.

Seumas Kellock, Visit Sanya, China Skipper exclaimed: “Some more quick days like today ahead of us I hope. There are waves breaking over the deck and spray making sure no one comes out dry, now this is more like the South Atlantic!”

The fleet is grouped more or less in line, with each team attempting to position itself to make the most of the increased wind speeds and ride the edge of the low pressure system. Less than 20 nautical miles separates the top four; Seattle leads for a third consecutive day, with Punta del Este and Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam moving up into second and third respectively.

Unicef Skipper Ian Wiggin explains: “All the boats are now in line, abreast in a drag race to the finish – still some 2000 miles away. We are in the middle of the line, with options to head slightly north or south, depending on how the systems evolve, so hopefully we are well placed. We just need to make the right call (it’s so easy when you type it!) and we will fly towards the sights of Cape Town.”

It has been a busy 24hrs on board all the yachts.

The 11 teams set off on October 23 for the second leg of the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race, referred to as Race 3: Spinlock South Atlantic Showdown, which takes the fleet 3555nm from Punta del Este, Uruguay to Cape Town, South Africa.The fleet is due to arrive in Cape Town between November 7 and 11.

Race details – Skipper list – Race route – Tracker – Facebook

About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race:
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.

Held biennially, the Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race gets underway September 1 for the fleet of eleven identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s. This 12th edition has attracted 688 crew representing 43 nationalities for the 41,000+ nm course. The race finishes on August 8.

The course is divided into 8 legs and 15 individual races, with some of the crew in for the entire circumnavigation while others will do individual legs. The team having the best cumulative score over the entire course will win the Clipper Race Trophy.

The Clipper 2019-20 Race Route:
The fleet departs from London, UK to Portimão, Portugal; across the Atlantic to Punta del Este, Uruguay; the South Atlantic to Cape Town, South Africa; across the Southern Ocean’s Roaring Forties to Fremantle, Western Australia; around to the Whitsundays on the east coast of Australia, back into the Northern Hemisphere to China where teams will race to Qingdao, via Sanya and Zhuhai; across the mighty North Pacific to Seattle, USA; to New York via the famous Panama Canal; to Bermuda and then it’s a final Atlantic crossing to Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland; before arriving back to London as fully proven ocean racers.

Source: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race