The ten identical 68-foot yachts sailing in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race began the 2,100 mile stage to New York, after reaching the popular Panama Canal.
Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race Credit: Abner Kingman/onEdition
The fleet is taking part in the world’s longest ocean race and left San Francisco Bay in this US coast-to-coast leg on 14 April. It has made its way through the famous Panama Canal over the last week and is now truly back in its home strait on the Atlantic Ocean, having already conquered nearly 35,000 miles at sea.
The start line was set 60 miles from the coast of Panama. At 2330 UTC Race 11 got underway, as nominated lead skipper Richard Hewson from Gold Coast Australia set a ‘Le Mans’ start. Here all ten Clipper Race entries line up alongside each other and crew race to hoist their headsails in the fastest possible time.
While Welcome to Yorkshire managed to hoist and fully power up the Yankee 1 and staysail in 1 minute 37 seconds, Qingdao suffered from a winch jam at the wrong moment. Both Australian entries had a tussle with Gold Coast Australia currently ahead of Geraldton Western Australia.
Tasmanian Richard Hewson said, “As the sun neared the horizon, Gold Coast Australia fired the ten minute gun and the yachts lined up for a Le Mans start, which basically lines all the yachts up on a bearing, sailing a specific course. After the start, yachts must maintain their course for ten minutes before changing their sail plan. Our boat appeared to accelerate faster than the other yachts around her and we focused on sail trim to optimise our speed as we worked hard to get ahead of the fleet and into clear wind before nightfall.”
The Clipper Race fleet will now set off on a one-sided upwind battle north, leaving Jamaica on the port side before heading into lighter winds near the Windward Passage which marks the exit from the Caribbean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean.
Once out of the Caribbean the racing crews will experience wind from every point of the compass as the yachts head away from the steady Caribbean trade winds into the variable winds associated with the depressions coming from the North American land mass.
Clipper Race Director Joff Bailey said, “In this final stage of the American Coast to Coast leg, there is all to race for, with crucial points up for grabs with the overall leader board heating up.
“Many sail changes will be required to keep the boat going as fast as possible in the right direction. Throw in the Gulf Stream, which can reach speeds of more than three knots, and it makes a very interesting race for those watching at home – and a very stressful one for those taking part.
“Thunder storms are likely to provide some spectacular backdrops with the air alive with static and lightning cracking into the sea around the finish line in the Ambrose Channel at the entrance to New York.”
The race started in Southampton, UK on 31 July 2011 and will end there on 22 July 2012 after taking 51 weeks to travel over 40,000 miles visiting 15 ports of call on six continents.
