Clipper News - Race 9 Start: Santa Cruz to Panama
LIVELY NIGHT OF FAST DOWNWIND SAILING TESTS CREWS
TEAMS OPT FOR POLED OUT HEADSAIL TO PRESEVE SPINNAKERS
NOVA SCOTIA BREAKS AWAY FROM THE CROWD
Race 9 of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race got off to a good start with the Race 8 victors, Uniquely Singapore, first across the line of the 3,116 nautical mile race to Panama. Skipper of Liverpool 08, Ben Galloway, who was third across the start line, said, “One of the best starts yet I think with most of the fleet hitting the line together. Anyway, we’re straight back in at the deep end with 40-knot gusts and heavy broach action. The new crew were a little terrified at first but much more comfortable now the kites down and in one piece.”
As forecasted the northwest trade winds that run parallel to the California coast is providing the ten teams with some exciting sailing conditions and propelling them south at a great rate. Many of the teams opted for the safe option of a poled out headsail overnight as the winds touched 40 knots; with a long way still to go they will be trying to preserve their valuable spinnakers. Choosing the safer option, skipper of Durban 2010 and Beyond, Ricky Chalmers, said, “I feel like the ultimate wimp tonight with almost all the other boats launching their heavy weight kites. The winds are 25 to 30 knots true with a quite lumpy sea and we are on night one of a 19-day race - almost all downwind. My heart wanted to follow the crowd, but the head just couldn’t reconcile the conditions, the timing and the state of the crew so I opted for a poled out Yankee Two.”
Those that did opt for spinnakers last night were soon dropping them again and in the case of Uniquely Singapore the drop happened a lot faster than they anticipated. Skipper Mark Preedy said, “We were just about to drop the spinnaker when the halyard broke and made the drop a little lively. Unfortunately it forced us to harden up and loose the inshore ground that we had worked hard to gain!”
Joff Bailey, Race Director, says, “With the strong favourable winds set to continue for the next few days the temperature will soon be hotting up as the teams make their way south. Many of the new crew who joined in Santa Cruz will still be feeling a bit green but that should pass in the next day or so and they will be able to enjoy some of the most exhilarating sailing available anywhere in the world.”
The early tactics being shown by the teams is to follow the crowd and not go too far offshore with nine out of ten boats within close proximity of each other as they head south. The exception is Nova Scotia who has taken an offshore route in order to benefit from the more consistent winds further west. Only time will tell whether this tactic pays off for them.
With the Clipper fleet on their way south the Race Team spent yesterday packing up the container and making ready to return to the UK before flying out to Panama for the next stopover. Joff Bailey says, “Santa Cruz Harbour was very quite yesterday afternoon following the departure of the Clipper fleet. The stopover has been enjoyed enormously by the skippers, crews and Race Team and the hospitality shown by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, Santa Cruz Port Authority and everybody we’ve met was second to none. We would like to thank everybody in Santa Cruz who helped and supported our stopover and made everybody feel welcome.”
Berths are currently available for the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. For more information call +44 (0) 2392 526000 or email
oceanracer@clipperroundtheworld.com.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
High-resolution Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race images are available for free media use at: www.w-w-i.com/clipper_0708_race/
For media information contact:
Zoe Williamson, Communications Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Mobile: +44 (0)7793 417 751
Email: zwilliamson@clipper-ventures.com
Heather Ewing, Communications Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Mobile: +44 (0)7792 408 695.
Email: hewing@clipper-ventures.com
For more information visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Visitors, users and viewers of the content to which this notice is attached may copy it for re-use and syndicate the content by whatever means for use to other internet content sites on condition the source of all material so used is acknowledged with the attachment of the following notice.
www.superyachtnews.blogspot.com 2008
www.ajaxnetphoto.com 2008
This content may be used in any print media made available for commercial resale.
The products and companies named in this website content are trademarks, registered trademarks or servicemarks of their respective owners or licensed users.
TEAMS OPT FOR POLED OUT HEADSAIL TO PRESEVE SPINNAKERS
NOVA SCOTIA BREAKS AWAY FROM THE CROWD
Race 9 of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race got off to a good start with the Race 8 victors, Uniquely Singapore, first across the line of the 3,116 nautical mile race to Panama. Skipper of Liverpool 08, Ben Galloway, who was third across the start line, said, “One of the best starts yet I think with most of the fleet hitting the line together. Anyway, we’re straight back in at the deep end with 40-knot gusts and heavy broach action. The new crew were a little terrified at first but much more comfortable now the kites down and in one piece.”
As forecasted the northwest trade winds that run parallel to the California coast is providing the ten teams with some exciting sailing conditions and propelling them south at a great rate. Many of the teams opted for the safe option of a poled out headsail overnight as the winds touched 40 knots; with a long way still to go they will be trying to preserve their valuable spinnakers. Choosing the safer option, skipper of Durban 2010 and Beyond, Ricky Chalmers, said, “I feel like the ultimate wimp tonight with almost all the other boats launching their heavy weight kites. The winds are 25 to 30 knots true with a quite lumpy sea and we are on night one of a 19-day race - almost all downwind. My heart wanted to follow the crowd, but the head just couldn’t reconcile the conditions, the timing and the state of the crew so I opted for a poled out Yankee Two.”
Those that did opt for spinnakers last night were soon dropping them again and in the case of Uniquely Singapore the drop happened a lot faster than they anticipated. Skipper Mark Preedy said, “We were just about to drop the spinnaker when the halyard broke and made the drop a little lively. Unfortunately it forced us to harden up and loose the inshore ground that we had worked hard to gain!”
Joff Bailey, Race Director, says, “With the strong favourable winds set to continue for the next few days the temperature will soon be hotting up as the teams make their way south. Many of the new crew who joined in Santa Cruz will still be feeling a bit green but that should pass in the next day or so and they will be able to enjoy some of the most exhilarating sailing available anywhere in the world.”
The early tactics being shown by the teams is to follow the crowd and not go too far offshore with nine out of ten boats within close proximity of each other as they head south. The exception is Nova Scotia who has taken an offshore route in order to benefit from the more consistent winds further west. Only time will tell whether this tactic pays off for them.
With the Clipper fleet on their way south the Race Team spent yesterday packing up the container and making ready to return to the UK before flying out to Panama for the next stopover. Joff Bailey says, “Santa Cruz Harbour was very quite yesterday afternoon following the departure of the Clipper fleet. The stopover has been enjoyed enormously by the skippers, crews and Race Team and the hospitality shown by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, Santa Cruz Port Authority and everybody we’ve met was second to none. We would like to thank everybody in Santa Cruz who helped and supported our stopover and made everybody feel welcome.”
Berths are currently available for the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. For more information call +44 (0) 2392 526000 or email
oceanracer@clipperroundtheworld.com.
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
High-resolution Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race images are available for free media use at: www.w-w-i.com/clipper_0708_race/
For media information contact:
Zoe Williamson, Communications Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Mobile: +44 (0)7793 417 751
Email: zwilliamson@clipper-ventures.com
Heather Ewing, Communications Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Mobile: +44 (0)7792 408 695.
Email: hewing@clipper-ventures.com
For more information visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Visitors, users and viewers of the content to which this notice is attached may copy it for re-use and syndicate the content by whatever means for use to other internet content sites on condition the source of all material so used is acknowledged with the attachment of the following notice.
www.superyachtnews.blogspot.com 2008
www.ajaxnetphoto.com 2008
This content may be used in any print media made available for commercial resale.
The products and companies named in this website content are trademarks, registered trademarks or servicemarks of their respective owners or licensed users.
Labels: Boat, Marine, Race, Sponsorship, Sport, Superyacht, Travel, Yacht club, Yacht race, Yachting
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