Clipper Race Ocean Sprint Update: OneDLL disqualified
by Ruth Harrington 9 Apr 2014 22:15 BST
9 April 2014
Although some of the fleet are still to complete the Ocean Sprint, the fastest boat to date, OneDLL, has been dealt a bitter blow by being disqualified by the Clipper Race Committee for failing to report their start time within the required time frame of three hours. This means that Henri Lloyd, which actually took 17 minutes longer than OneDLL, is currently in line to take two bonus points if no other boat beats their sprint time of 22 hours and 22 minutes.
It's been a tough lesson for OneDLL skipper Olly Cotterell, but he's taken it on the chin. He commented in an additional Skipper Report: "I can only commend the Race Committee not only did their diligence spot my error but they have been completely fair in their application of the Race Rules...Unfortunately I was late in reporting our position and, as such, despite putting in a great performance, was not in compliance with the course instructions.
"I'd like to apologise to my crew. They worked hard for the points and they should take some solace in the fact that we were the fastest in the fleet (so far). If we did it here we can do it again, as we have done it before."
With three boats still to complete the Ocean Sprint there remains the opportunity for Henri Lloyd's time to be beaten, but if not, it will be a hard pill for OneDLL to swallow.
At the moment OneDLL is sitting in fifth place over 90 miles behind the current leader and line honours contender
Henri Lloyd. However, with 2 hours 57 minutes redress for going to the assistance of Derry~Londonderry~Doire, OneDLL could still end up on the podium.
The result for Race 10 will be provisional until all boats have finished racing and PSP Logistics' place is confirmed on an elapsed time basis as the team started 36 hours behind the rest of the fleet.