Seven minutes apart

As tailenders in Clipper Round the World Race arrive in Jersey

Seven minutes, after two and a half weeks racing, separated the Glasgow and Hong Kong teams as they crossed the finish line of Race 15 into Jersey on the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race, to clinch 6th and 7th place respectively.

Commodore Peter Walsh of the St Helier Yacht Club and his team were rewarded with the drama of two boats approaching together as they returned to their station at Noirmont Point with stopwatches and their cannon. The two yachts then flew across the finishing line under straining spinnakers in the beautiful, morning sunshine at 07:18 and 07:25 GMT.

After crossing the line, Hong Kong skipper Justin Taylor called his opposite number in Glasgow and greeted him with the traditional exchange that characterises the sporting attitude of these marathon athletes "Good morning Rupert, well done mate. Revenge will be mine next time though!"

The early hours had already seen skipper Ross Daniel bring New York Clipper over the finishing line in fifth place at 02:56 GMT (03:56 local time). Commodore Walsh did not let the hour stop him though and his finishing Committee duly welcomed the New Yorkers to Jersey.

Jersey and the St Helier Yacht Club have put everything into this brief fleet visit and each arriving crew has been overcome by their welcome to the Channel Islands; indeed some 2,000 islanders showed up to witness both Liverpool Clipper's first win of the series and the arrival of their home team aboard Jersey Clipper.

The crew of Cape Town Clipper continue to make good progress and are due to finish at 17:00 (local time) today.

Clipper 2002 - Race 15 Positions
07:30, 23 September 2003

Pos Yacht Distance To Finish
1 Liverpool Finished 16:26 22/09 (GMT)
2 Bristol Finished 17:12 22/09
3 Jersey Finished 17:55 22/09
4 London Finished 18:31 22/09
5 New York Finished 02:56 22/09
6 Glasgow Finished 07:18 23/09
7 Hong Kong Finished 07:25 23/09
8 Cape Town 102 nautical miles