Clipper 2002/2003 Race - Is West best?
09:45, 12 August 2003
by Sarah Beaugeard

Cape Town Clipper is creeping up the leader board. They are back into fourth position this morning after tantalising us with a glimpse at third at the 1500 sched yesterday, fantastic progress from the team who took the chances and headed West early on. In an email to the Race Office, Skipper of Cape Town Clipper Roger Steven-Jennings reported however that they are still negotiating swirling winds and strange weather patterns. “The weather here is hot and not playing ball. The wind at the moment is from the SE F2. Yesterday the wind was from the NNW. I have scanned the weather forecasts and it is not what was forecast ie E to NE which is what I want. I would also like a bit more than the five knots true we are getting at the moment - nag nag moan moan.”

It doesn’t look like it is doing them too much harm though as their Westerly course leads them towards New York and towards the currents that lie along the coast. Yet again, this race looks as though it is going to be a thriller until the bitter end.

Whilst Cape Town sail their own race out West, the rest of the fleet are trying desperately to catch Jersey Clipper who seem to be thoroughly milking the opposition.* Simon Rowell and his crew are in new wind and are using every knot of it to their advantage. Sailing in light ENE to ESE breeze of around 8 knots during the day, the wind picked up for the Jersey boat overnight and reports of “Beam reaching with the medium weight up it is a glorious night smattered under small puffy cumulous and a very nearly full moon” should make anyone of us jealous as it truly must be wonderful sailing for them. They are obviously revelling in the conditions too as the sched shows that they have made big gains of 20-30 miles at least on the rest of the fleet. Great news for them,(their twelve hour run almost doubled that of their competition), but bad news for the others who certainly must be jealous of the conditions that Simon and his team have.

Binks Butler and his crew are taking the PMA attitude (Positive Mental Attitude) towards the fleet positions. In his daily report home, Richard told us how he sees the spread of the fleet. “The midday sched had a mixture of good and bad news. Firstly, we actually did 8 miles better than Honkers. However, most of the others did a bit better than us and so we have slipped from 3rd to 6th place. However, there isn't much in it! Jersey gained another 50 miles. We are going to pick up some wind, they are going to stop and we are going to win this race. However, looking at the weatherfaxes, I've no idea where this wind will come from nor where Jersey are getting theirs from.” Frustrating stuff for his team who know that every point in the closing stages of the race is going to count.

The rest of the fleet seem to be slowly coming together at the Eastern End of the pack with Second placed Hong Kong being the only other boat ‘out on their own’ at the moment.

Liverpool Clipper won the fight with Bristol yesterday and managed to squeeze away from them after days of close competition and take the place on the podium in third – for now. It is a close run thing in the middle of the leader board with only 12 miles separating third places Liverpool and sixth placed Glasgow Clipper. With over 1800 miles to go, these positions will change and change again.

At the back of the fleet, Duty boat, London Clipper has picked up the pace slightly too. Having the second highest run of the fleet over the past 24 hours the Cockney Clipper reported sailing in a pleasant ESE 8 knots of breeze. Being the most Easterly boat in the fleet, Rory added that “it’s beginning to feel a bit lonely out East – if any of the others want to come and join us they should feel free!” Not an invitation I think we will see Cape Town taking up, but New York look as though they might try to catch your wake Rory.

Throughout the fleet, the sailing is proving tough but enjoyable. The stars are out in full glory at night and during the day the sun beats down while a gentle breeze helps to cool life down below. It is these moments that, as the race sails into its final stages that the crew will cling onto for month, even years to come. Richard Butler, despite suffering the blow of slipping into 6th place even saw some good in the current conditions.

“It is a beautiful world with new sights everyday. Its full moon tomorrow; today it’s 98% full and looked stunning as it first peeked out past a few clouds and then appeared in all its splendour in a gap between the clouds. We've only got 46 more sunsets to see before we get home. Regardless of where we are in this race, every moment is there to be savoured”

As the rest of the fleet get ready to “Tie the Knot” over the course of the day the Round the Worlders of the fleet really will become so. Crossing their outward paths is an amazing moment which signifies that the fleet truly has sailed Round the World. Knowing that you are in waters that are bringing you home holds many thoughts and emotions for the crew, but for all marks the achievement of something amazing and the lifetime membership to a pretty exclusive Club. CONGRATULATIONS!

*apologies for bad jokes linked with the Island of Jersey and their famous herds, but it is so tempting!

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