Times Clipper, Storm delay changes course.

by Sue Warden-Owen on 10 Mar 2001 A CHANGE OF COURSE FOR THE TIMES CLIPPER 2000 ROUND THE WORLD YACHT
RACE



Yacht repairs have now been completed following the severe weather that the fleet encountered in the Times Clipper 2000 Round the
World Yacht Race on Tuesday 6th March after leaving Tokyo Bay. Due to this set-back, and consequent loss of time the visit to Shanghai
has been cancelled from the programme and instead the fleet will sail to Okinawa en route to Hong Kong.

The fleet will port at Naha which is the capital and main port of Okinawa Shima. This is the main island in the group of thousands of small
islands that spread down like a tail towards Taiwan. Conveniently it is almost half way to Hong Kong and therefore Race 7 will be some 860
miles and Race 8 around 820 miles.

The route to Okinawa is a direct line but the yachts may bias themselves to the east slightly to avoid getting the full force of the kuro Shio
(The Japan Current) which will be against them. The weather will again be critical but the forecasts look favourable and should give them
good reaching conditions when they set off at midday Japanese time tomorrow. (0300 GMT). They will pass the southern headland of
Okinawa before turning up towards Naha and making their way to a marina some 8 miles from the city. It is expected that the yachts will
arrive in Okinawa by AM Monday 19th March and if they make good time they could arrive on Sunday 18th March.

Race 8 will start from just off the port of Naha in the south of Okinawa at 1200 local time on Wednesday 21st March. This will mean that the
yachts will arrive on schedule in Hong Kong on Wednesday 28 March – or possibly Tuesday 27th if they have a fast passage from Okinawa.

Race 7 and Race 8 are sponsored by Fox-Pitt, Kelton (FPK) is the only integrated investment bank specialising in the financial services industry
worldwide.

Position Yacht Total Points

1 Bristol Clipper 42

2 London Clipper 33

3 Plymouth Clipper 32

4 Portsmouth Clipper 30

5 Jersey Clipper 28

6 Liverpool Clipper 21

7 Leeds Clipper 15

8 Glasgow Clipper 15

Japan is nine hours ahead of UK (GMT) time.

For further information on the race please call Clipper Ventures on 023 80 237088 or visit their website which is updated daily on www.clipper-ventures.com