Clipper 2002/2003 Race - Jersey takes the lead
10:00, 03 August 2003
by Tim Hedges

At around midnight off the Brazilian coast, Richard Butler and the crew of Bristol Clipper will have been dealt a crushing blow as they listened to the 0300GMT radio sched. Their closest rivals Jersey had risen two places to lead the fleet. And if that wasn't bad enough Bristol had slipped one to sit in fifth position. The atmosphere would have been one of severe depression, but this would have lasted only moments before the serious business of racing pushed such thoughts from the crew's minds and they re-focussed on the target boat speed and the goal of climbing back up the fleet.

But there are many goals on an ocean yacht race. Jersey will be doubly pleased as not only have they taken the front slot, but they did so with a truly impressive days run of 262 miles. Helped no doubt in part by the favourable current, an average speed of 10.9 knots is none the less going some. But Simon Rowell and his crew know full well how quickly fortunes can change and they too will soon be back to concentrating on the job in hand.

New York may well have a different goal in site. Thrusting north they look set to be the first boat to cross the equator back into the northern hemisphere, only 48 miles away at the last sched. "Crossing the line" is always a major milestone at sea and in this, the last leg of the 2002 race, there will again be a number of new leggers yet to pay homage at the court of king Neptune. For the hardened Round the Worlders this will be their fourth crossing and one wonders what surprises they have in store for the rookies. New York's course is also interesting in that it is more directly towards the finish line, thus reducing the miles they have to sail. Yesterday afternoon this had really paid off as they successfully pushed to the front of the fleet, but today their slower speeds may well indicate that they have lost the help of the current. If they continue on this heading they may also have the less pleasant achievement of being the first boat to hit the ITCZ.

Glasgow continue to do well, though now in second place. Despite this they remain close to Jersey and have them in sight most of the time, always a good incentive to pull out all the stops. Skipper Rupert Parkhouse reports winds of East South East, force 5 to 6, though it was easing and backing more to the east as he was writing and another gybe was looking imminent. London, just under 20 miles to the southwest will be in the same conditions and they too had a steaming run to push them up two to fourth place. Meanwhile Hong Kong and Liverpool are following Bristol's more easterly route whilst Cape Town who initially seemed to be following New York's northerly track, a successful strategy on the run in to Salvador, have now gybed to the west and are slotting in behind the middle pack.

But for many the goal is just being there. Winning is a bonus and they will try their hardest to do so, but simply racing across an ocean, the camaraderie, the team work, the sights and senses of being in mid ocean, the friendships made in ports around the world, and yes even the hardships to overcome, these are goals enough.

Source: Clipper 2002/2003 Round The World Race Official Site