The
Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race
Hawaii (Honolulu) to Japan (Yokohama)
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The
Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race |
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Return to AsianYachting News & Views Bristol Clipper, skippered by Bob Beggs, stole Jersey's victory in the final 4 miles of one of the most exciting races so far in The Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race, a 16 race event. Paul De La Haye, skipper of Jersey Clipper, commented on how they had been leading for the last four days as they favoured the more westerly approach. "This morning's dawn was really unforgettable and we now know why it is called The Land of the Rising Sun. We knew Bristol Clipper was a threat to windward but we could not see any lights, so we thought we had it. As the sun came up, we saw the sail abeam to windward and that's when we were worried. It all depended on the wind and today was not our wind. As we were headed our course dropped off and gave Bristol the advantage. Five miles from the line we were forced to throw in a tack and that's when they got past. " Bob Beggs congratulated the Jersey Clipper crew for a tremendous race and commiserated with them. "We always knew we had a chance, but it was a anybody's race. In the end we also had to tack to make the line but by that time we had snuck past them. That's now a Pacific win for three different boats, us, Jersey and Plymouth. That makes great racing." The finish of Race 6, a 3400 nautical mile race from Hawaii to Japan, is a line 2 miles south from Nojima Saki Light, which is situated at the eastern entrance to Tokyo Bay. After finishing, the boats have a further 50 miles to transit into Tokyo Bay to the Bayside Marina at Yokohama. Bristol and Jersey Clipper came into the Bayside Marina at midday, only half an hour apart, and in brilliant sunlight. Not far behind Liverpool Clipper was expecting to finish some 6 hours after the leaders, but 15 miles from the finish the strong NE head wind deserted them and has left them drifting almost in sight of the line. It now looks as though they will not finish until about 1200 GMT. They will then have a six hour transit to Yokohama and so will not be alongside until the early hours of Tuesday, local time. Portsmouth Clipper appears to be doing a good job holding any challenge from Glasgow who at one time looked as thought they would 'do a Bristol' on her. However the wind is becoming fluky for the run in, so there could still be some surprises in store. London Clipper has had a relatively good run but like the others will be worried that the developing high pressure will bring light winds and slow their progress. Matt Baker in Plymouth Clipper and Paul Burke in Leeds have both suffered from having head winds and have been having a frustrating time beating to the north. The arrival times for both boats is difficult to calculate in these conditions, but the last few miles are certain to be difficult and frustrating. This is the Clipper fleet's third visit to Bayside Marina, the prime marine recreational centre of the Kanazawa Waterfront Area and race organisers Clipper Ventures Plc, the AIM listed yacht racing and branded sailing event company, have arranged a high-profile 5-day stopover for crewmembers and the business associates of the race. The British Tourist Authority will be co-ordinating tourism promotions during the stopover, with representatives from Glasgow, Liverpool and London making special presentations at the Ambassadors Residence on Thursday 1st March at 1830. In addition, the UK Hydrographic Office, who supply Navigational Charts, Publications and ARCS Electronic charts to The Times Clipper 2000 fleet, will be working closely with the Japanese authorities to host a Sea Day on Friday 2nd March, from Bayside Marina. Two Japanese crewmembers will be especially delighted to set foot on home territory; Akira Satou, a 29 year old Researcher from Yokohama City, Japan, is competing on the full circumnavigation aboard London Clipper, whilst Keiichiro Yoneda, a retired 61 year old from Tokyo, is racing on the outward half of The Times Clipper 2000 aboard Portsmouth Clipper and will complete his voyage when the fleet arrives in Hong Kong next month. The fleet of eight identical 60-ft yachts, each sponsored by UK cities including Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Portsmouth and the island of Jersey, will set sail from Yokohama on Monday 5th March, racing on to China and a voyage up the Yangtze River. The Times Clipper 2000 is the only yacht race to travel up the Yangtze, where the eight-strong fleet of identical 60-foot Clippers motor in convoy up this very busy waterway to Shanghai. Following a stop over here, the race then re-starts for the final stretch of this leg, sailing through the Taiwan Strait for a stopover sponsored by Fox Pitt Kelton Ltd in Hong Kong, which is the half way point of the eleven-month circumnavigation. The fleet will then race onto the Philippines, Singapore, Mauritius, Cape Town, Brazil and New York before the final Atlantic crossing to Jersey. A short sprint back to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth will ensure a close and exciting race finish, with an expected arrival date of 21st September 200 -ends- 26th February 2001 For further information or copyright-free sailing images, please contact: Sue Warden-Owen The Times Clipper 2000 Press Office M-H-L Press and Publicity Tel: 01489 575227 Fax: 01489 577766 Mobile: 07770 596111 E-mail: suewo@dial.pipex.com Web: www.clipper-ventures.com The Times Clipper 2000 Results of Race
6: Hawaii to Yokohama (All times GMT) Overall points after Race 6 |
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PERFECT
CONDITIONS FOR START TO JAPAN A clear blue sky and 20 to 25 knots of warm north-northeast trade winds greeted the Clipper fleet for the start of Race 6 of The Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race, a 3400 nautical mile race from Hawaii (Honolulu) to Japan (Yokohama). The fleet of eight identical 60-ft yachts, each sponsored by UK cities including Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Portsmouth and the island of Jersey, set sail at 12:00 Hawaiian Standard Time (22:00 GMT) yesterday, Sunday 4th February. Despite some serious competition from "Pro-ball", Hawaii's answer to the Super Bowl, about half a dozen boats joined the Clipper fleet as they left the dock of the Hawaii Yacht Club, including several vessels with friends and family on board. Due to the wind direction, the start line was positioned off shore with a short half-mile beat to windward back in towards Waikiki beach. A very close start saw Matt Baker and the crew of Plymouth Clipper just ahead at the line. Building on this, a few good tacks saw them reach the windward mark one and a half minutes in front of Jersey Clipper in second place. Soon after London, Liverpool, Bristol then Glasgow Clipper rounded the mark, setting their spinnakers as they bore away to the west, with Leeds and Portsmouth seemingly just a few yards behind. Most yachts chose to set their heavy weight 2.2oz kites, however Leeds and Liverpool bit the bullet and went straight for the bigger 1.5oz. As they headed towards the horizon both boats seemed to be making excellent speed and Liverpool Clipper already looked to be catching London for third place. The next 3,400 miles to Yokohama certainly promise to be every bit as exciting as the 1st. Following the start, the committee boat returned to the harbour to find Plymouth Clipper crewmember Alan Miller, a 56 year old Operations Manager from Northants, still standing on the dock. Having witnessed a road traffic accident, the police had required Mr. Miller to make a statement, not allowing him to leave for any reason. Mr. Miller has since joined his fellow crewmembers aboard Plymouth Clipper after a local Club member offered the services of his high-powered speed boat and they set off at 35 knots heading for the front of the fleet, 2 hrs 15 minutes after the start. This is the third crew leg of The Times Clipper 2000, which will cover a distance of approximately 6,000 miles, over some seven weeks, on its way to Hong Kong via Japan and China. Almost 4,000 miles separate Hawaii from Japan and the voyage starts with a fast, warm down wind sleigh ride which can exceed 200 miles a day. As the fleet nears Japan, the race becomes tactical and the climate cools but a warm welcome awaits the crews at the Bayside Marina in Yokohama, just a short suburban train ride from Tokyo. Time is allowed at this stopover to explore the country and see Mount Fujyama before racing on again to China and a voyage up the Yangtze River. The Times Clipper 2000 is the only yacht race to travel up the Yangtze, where the eight-strong fleet of identical 60-foot Clippers motor in convoy up this very busy waterway to Shanghai. Following a stop over here, the race then re-starts for the final stretch of this leg, sailing through the Taiwan Strait for Hong Kong which is the half way point of the eleven-month circumnavigation and where a number of crew changes will again take place. ends |
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CLIPPER
FLEET TO SET SAIL FROM HAWAII TO HONG KONG, VIA JAPAN & SHANGHAI
Return to AsianYachting News & Views Race 6 of The Times Clipper 2000 Round The World Yacht Race will get underway on Sunday 4th January 2001, on a 3395 nautical mile race from Hawaii (Honolulu) to Japan (Yokohama). The fleet of eight identical Farr 60-ft yachts, each sponsored by UK cities including Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Portsmouth and the island of Jersey, will set sail at 12:00 Hawaiian Standard Time (22:00 GMT). The Times Clipper 2000 crews are currently enjoying a 12-day break in Hawaii, following the longest single stretch of the entire eleven-month circumnavigation; the race across the eastern Pacific Ocean to Hawaii which saw the fleet confront the vagaries of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), also known as the Doldrums. Plymouth Clipper clinched her second Times Clipper 2000 victory on race 5 from Galapagos to Hawaii, drawing level with Bristol Clipper in terms of number of victories, but remaining just behind in the overall standings as a result of Bristol's greater consistency so far. Ladbrokes, official bookmaker of The Times Clipper 2000, now place Bristol Clipper as 6/4 favourites to lead the fleet into Yokohama, ahead Plymouth Clipper at 5/2, with an expected arrival date of 26th February 2001. The third crew leg of The Times Clipper 2000 leaves Hawaii this Sunday, 4th February and covers a distance of approximately 6,000 miles, over some seven weeks, on its way to Hong Kong via Japan and China. Almost 4,000 miles separate Hawaii from Japan and the voyage starts with a fast, warm down wind sleigh ride which can exceed 200 miles a day. As the fleet nears Japan, the race becomes tactical and the climate cools but a warm welcome awaits the crews at the Bayside Marina in Yokohama, just a short suburban train ride from Tokyo. Time is allowed at this stopover to explore the country and see Mount Fujyama before racing on again to China and a voyage up the Yangtze River. The Times Clipper 2000 is the only yacht race to travel up the Yangtze, where the eight-strong fleet of identical 60-foot Clippers motor in convoy up this very busy waterway to Shanghai. Following a stop over here, the race then re-starts for the final stretch of this leg, sailing through the Taiwan Strait for Hong Kong which is the half way point of the eleven-month circumnavigation and where a number of crew changes will take place. After Hong Kong the fleet will then race onto San Fernando, Singapore, Mauritius, Cape Town, Brazil and New York before the final Atlantic crossing to Jersey. A short sprint back to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth (UK) will ensure a close and exciting race finish, with an expected arrival date of 21st September 2001. Clipper Ventures Plc, the AIM listed yacht racing and branded sailing event company, report that crew applications are now well underway for their next race which will start from the UK in October 2002. For further information or to sign-up for the 'Clipper 2002 Round The World Yacht Race' please telephone 023 8023 7088 or visit www.clipper-ventures.com ends Notes to Editors NB: Where 2 yachts tie on points the team with the higher placings take precedence. For further press information or copyright free sailing images, please contact: Loretta Spridgeon / Sue Warden-Owen M-H-L Press and Publicity Tel: +44 (0) 1489 575227 Fax: +44 (0) 1489 577766 Mobile: +44 (0) 7974 754340 / +44 (0) 7770 596111 E-mail: suewo@dial.pipex.com Web: www.clipper-ventures.com www.thetimes.co.uk/clipper/ www.offshore-schools.com Return to AsianYachting News & Views |