Clipper Leg 6: The good times are comin' to an end

Clipper media/amended

Posted: 9  Feb. 2010

California and Hull & Humber - now at the back and front of the fleet respectively - onEdition pic

Another day in the Clipper race leg to Qingdao and the relatively benign conditions persist, but it won’t be long before the wind ramps up and the teams experience the harsh conditions that this race is renowned for.

Spirit of Australia's skipper, Brendan Hall, realises that one advantage of the static conditions is that they allow his crew to rest and prepare themselves for the onslaught which potentially lies ahead.

"Once the sails are trimmed, about the only person who has anything to do on deck is the helmsman, who must have utter focus and concentration for the duration of their turn on the wheel," Hall says.

"Ocean racing isn't all about heroic foredeck work and extreme helming at high speed." Although there will be plenty of that to come over the next week.

The steady easterly winds are allowing all the teams to make good progress north towards the Scoring Gate off the southern tip of Taiwan.

"If the weather forecast holds true we should be able to make the gate by keeping on the same tack all the way there and hopefully get at least one gate point, if not more," says Pete Stirling, skipper of Jamaica Lightning Bolt.

"As well as the excellent sailing conditions we also have one knot of favourable current pushing us along. The temperature is at last cooling down to a more tolerable level so, all things considered, life is good on board.

“Everyone is all too aware that conditions will probably change quite dramatically as we get north of Taiwan though - at sea you nearly always have to pay for the good times!"

On board Team Finland, their persistence in hunting down of the Australian team is finally paying off: "The day is beautiful - the sailing glorious - and for the first time Spirit of Australia is behind us," says skipper, Rob McInally. "That has just put the pressure on us to extend the lead.

"The run to the gate and our positioning for the north easterly wind at the Luzon Strait is starting to be plotted and planned. The many variations that are possible with the wind from the southern tip of Taiwan up to Qingdao are still very much open to interpretation.

"For now, with three of the fleet behind us, we must consolidate our position while making manoeuvres on the mid fleet pack in front."

Team Finland has her sights firmly set on Jamaica Lightning Bolt next, whilst further east Uniquely Singapore's attention is fully focused on overtaking Cape Breton Island and Hull & Humber.

In relation to the rest of the fleet, Qingdao, like Uniquely Singapore, is alone, but has had company in another form over the past 24 hours. In his report to the race office today, skipper Chris Stanmore-Major says it has been a busy night on board and gives an insight into why by recounting some of his recent chat over the radio:

Qingdao: “'Massive tanker, massive tanker, this is Qingdao, Qingdao, over.”

Tanker: “Yes, good evening sir, we are a 20-metre sailing vessel fine on your port bow, range five miles. Can you confirm you have us on radar, over?

“You do not? I am turning on my deck lights. Now can you see me?

:You can? Excellent. Good watch to you sir. Standing by on one, six.”

"This happened again and again all night," but interestingly, every single ship made a change in course for us and each watch officer bid us a good journey – this is 150,000 tons of steel giving way for our little Dragon which, compared to the monsters on the move out here, seems a small refuge indeed,” exclaims Stanmore-Major.

"There is an air of expectancy aboard Qingdao and it is hard to equate the gentle north easterly blow we are experiencing now with the tempest to come."

Meanwhile, Hull & Humber's attention remains solely on the Scoring Gate as the team attempts to hold on to their regained lead and get the maximum three points by being the first team to cross.

"We're right on course for the gate which we'll hopefully reach in three or four days," says the team's skipper, Piers Dudin.

"Last night was spent reefing in and out and changing between the Yankee One and Yankee Two. It's good to have Cape Breton Island high on the horizon keeping us on our toes."

Positions at 1200 UTC, Monday 8 February

Boat DTF* DTL*
1 Hull & Humber 1594nm
2 Cape Breton Island 1599nm 6nm
3 Uniquely Singapore 1638nm 45nm
4 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 1641nm 47nm
5 Qingdao 1664nm 71nm
6 Team Finland 1685nm 92nm
7 Spirit of Australia 1689nm 96nm
8 California 1707nm 114nm
9 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 1716nm 122nm

Positions updated every three hours at: www.clipperroundtheworld.com

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