Clipper Race Tackles the North Atlantic

The stomachs of the crews on the ten 68-ft boats competing in Clipper Round the World ’11-’12 are just starting to settle after a brutal weekend in Race 13 from Nova Scotia to Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Thoughts are now turning from endurance to tactics. Visit Finland’s skipper, Olly Osborne said, “As the weather changes over the next couple of days it will not only provide respite from the choppy upwind sailing, but should see the fleet turning northward toward the rhumb line route. This will hopefully be a chance for us to take advantage of our northerly position."

Gold Coast Australia once again holds the lead, with 1,851 miles to go at the last check-in. This steamroller has won the majority of the races, including most recently New York to Nova Scotia. Visit Finland is just five miles back, urging them on.

The boats departed Halifax on Friday and sailed into conditions that Welcome to Yorkshire skipper, Rupert Dean described as “bouncy, wet and uncomfortable. Racing close-hauled at over 20 degrees of heel, on port tack in over 25 knots of true wind, has brought a dose of reality to all onboard after the warm flat conditions of the past three races. Every movement and action takes not only planning, but three times the effort that it did before."

You can follow the action at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.