Times Clipper 2000 - Race 14 start
by Loretta Spridgeon 30 Jul 2001 11:28 BST
PERFECT START COMPLETES MAGIC VISIT
Race 14 of The Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race, a 4,200 nautical mile course to New York, got underway at 12:00 (local) on Sunday 29th July. Having enjoyed a successful seven-day visit to Salvador, Brazil, sponsored by Centro Náutico da Bahia (CENAB), the eight Clipper yachts left the pontoon in good time, the wind picked up and the sun shone. The starting line was the end of the breakwater and the Race Committee boat, with Salvador's famous Elevator making an ideal transit.
As the fireworks exploded to mark the start, London Clipper, fresh from their victory into Salvador, charged across the line first and was on full throttle. Bristol Clipper was second best, with Liverpool and Portsmouth close behind. Jersey Clipper, current overall leaders of The Times Clipper 2000, went down the line on starboard tack to send others about, but the tactic did not work and she lost ground.
Leeds and Glasgow were quick to cover each other and it is clear that the competition between these two is set to intensify over the next three weeks. As the boats turned round the mark off the Bahia Yacht Club, the lead was swapping between Bristol and Plymouth and it looked a healthy West Country
scrap. Soon they all made one final tack and then bore away to sail along the beech on their way north. It could be two weeks or more before they will be on the port tack.
A good start like this is especially welcome after a crew change. The joiners are naturally apprehensive about fitting in and what conditions will be like. This is the last crew changeover of the eleven-month circumnavigation and it was a relative small one with only 20 joiners. In
practice the new crewmembers will be drawn into the teams quickly. The new crewmembers know everyone and will have sailed together previously, so the surroundings are familiar. They will however be surprised at all the little quirks and gadgets that will have appeared since they last saw the boats. Basic procedures are the same, but after 9 months hard racing the details change and the crews have developed from freshly trained novices into experienced ocean racing yachtsmen. Joining a leg now is more difficult than earlier on in the race, but it will not be a problem - and of course these new crew will get to enjoy all the glory when the boats return victorious into Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth Harbour, in 8 weeks time.
The fleet are expected to arrive into Liberty Landing Marina, situated due W of Manhattan Island in New Jersey City, on 22nd August 2001. Following a nine-day stopover in New York, the Clipper crews will set sail on the final transatlantic dash to the Channel Islands, referred to amongst the crews as the New Jersey to 'Old Jersey' race.
To ensure a close and exciting finish the fleet will enjoy a high-profile event schedule during the 3-day race stopover in Jersey, before the final sprint to the homecoming celebrations at Portsmouth's world-class shopping and leisure waterfront 'Gunwharf Quays' on Friday 21st September 2001.
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