Clipper Race: Chutes and ladders

Published on February 4th, 2020

(February 4, 2020; Day 16) – With the entire Clipper 2019-20 Round the World Yacht Race fleet back in the Northern Hemisphere, the hunt for the steady northeasterly trade winds in Race 6 from Australia to China is on. Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam leads the fleet for seventh consecutive day, carving out 81nm lead over Visit Sanya, China, which currently holds on to second, and the chasing pack.

“As you can see from your Race Viewer we have been doing well to set a pace but this afternoon we have had to sacrifice it for the longevity of our sails, we learnt this on Leg 3. So, it’s a Yankee 1 for us now and waiting for this squally weather to pass,” reports Josh Stickland, Skipper of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam.

The squally weather, renowned in the tropics, continues to contribute towards numerous position changes. Seumas Kellock, Skipper of Visit Sanya, China said: “This morning, Punta del Este came at us over the AIS horizon, gaining a couple of miles on us. Luckily we had a squall that I think we went around and it seemed Punta del Este got stuck in it; that’s just how ocean racing goes. Especially in the tropics.”

Currently in third, Punta del Este is enjoying the speed and cooler temperatures from the first signs of the trade winds. Despite remaining cautious of the strong winds that the moisture rich menacing clouds can bring, Skipper Jeronimo Santos Gonzalez is all too aware of the competition near by

“On the race we are surrounded by Visit Sanya, China, Qingdao, Imagine your Korea and WTC Logistics with Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam 100nm ahead of us,” observes Gonzalez. “We now have over 2000 nautical miles to leave them behind.

“The race has been amended because of the present events in China and we will be having our first stop in Subic Bay, Philippines. So, instead of sailing around the north of the Philippines and then sailing south west to Sanya, we will be sailing south giving extra opportunities for tactical sailing.”

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Clipper Race, in consultation with the organizing committees in both Sanya and Zhuhai, has amended its race schedule and delayed its arrival into China. As a result, the route has been altered and the fleet is now heading to Subic Bay, Philippines, which was previously planned as the second of the three ports in Leg 5.

As racing continues, despite the rich getting richer at the front, the teams still stuck in the wind holes and light airs close to the equator are not letting the frustrations get the better of them.

Dare To Lead Skipper Guy Waites reports: “The hunt for the trade winds continues, sadly the leader and the chasing pack are extending away in what appears by their average speeds, to be early trade wind conditions. Meanwhile we continue to be taunted by the wind along a squally grey front that holds the promise of trade wind arrival but hasn’t yet delivered.

“In spite of our slip from the front of the fleet the team remains upbeat, responding to the demands of all the short term changes as we seek to extract every last tenth of a knot of boat speed from our trusty Dare To Lead. Don’t hold your breath…we’ve just hoisted the Code 1!”

Race details – Team list – Race route – Tracker – Facebook

Delayed: Originally scheduled to begin on January 18, Leg 5/Race 6 – a 4280 nautical mile race from the Whitsundays, Australia to Sanya, China – was postponed twice, initially due to watermaker issues on three boats and then because of light winds. The 11 teams finally got underway January 22.

Course change: The fifth leg was to be divided into three races (6, 7, 8), with the first race to finish in Sanya, China. However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, a course change was enacted and the fleet will skip Sanya and now finish where the second race was to conclude in Subic Bay, Philippines.

Motoring: In case of light winds and slow progress within the defined Doldrums Corridor, teams on Race 6 had the option to use their motor for prescribed amount of time and distance. Details.

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.