New York New York

Surges forth in Clipper round the world race

The right hook northern boys are in seventh heaven. Ross Daniel and the New York crew now have a healthy 35-mile lead, as they have managed to keep the wind by a brilliant outflanking movement on the Clipper 2002 fleet. However they are not alone in their glory as Roger Steven-Jennings aboard Cape Town Clipper is also on a northern flyer.

Rory Gillard and his Londoners were a little late to join the party, but have also been doing well. Yet some of the others have a much sadder tale to tell.

And how the mighty have fallen! The four boats in the south have all suffered by cutting the corner and falling prey to the High. Interestingly, although previous leaders Glasgow and Hong Kong have now dropped to 5th and 6th, some 120 miles behind the leader, it was Jersey slightly further north that suffered worse.

For skipper Simon Rowell, Jersey Clipper's 24-hour run of 38 miles was an especially bitter pill, but even more so when compared with New York's 168 miles. They have finally got underway again but are in 8th place and 176 miles from the leader.

Liverpool Clipper is the fourth member of this gang and fairing little better, they are now down to 7th place wondering what they can possibly do to make amends.

Skipper Binks' explained that he was not initially prepared to shoot off on a flyer to the north as his interest was best served covering close rival Jersey. Binks now accepts the value of heading for the wind at all costs and his brave strategy has been well rewarded. The Bristolians have been steaming for the last 12 hours and are back in fourth place.

Most of the fleet have now crossed their starting longitude at Liverpool (UK) of 003'W. Simon Rowell in Jersey however decided that this goal looked too far away on his present progress so decided that such a desperate situation required desperate means. They have sacrificed their only bottle on board to the Great Wind God. Many thanks to the good guys in Sea Point Spar - Jersey have once again got some wind and are on their way with an average speed of over 5 knots.

The route to Salvador is very similar to the famous Cape to Rio Race, run by the Royal Cape Yacht Club every three years. The three young South African crew members presently racing aboard Cape Town Clipper have all done this race before and will no doubt be taking the credit for their team's present success - in addition of course to Skipper Roger Steven-Jennings, who is a serving Captain in the South African Navy.

48 hours ago, Cape Town crew member Peter Horwood reported: "I gather that my mother is on the phone to my wife at regular intervals asking why Cape Town are in last place. I reported that we have a plan which we reckon is a good one and we ask that you remain patient and everything will be OK. We have invested as much as we dare in travelling North and now we have, in the last few hours gybed and turned to a more Westerly course. In the next couple of days we shall begin to see what sort of advantage we have gained over our southerly competitors."

Nice one Cape Town Clipper!

Clipper 2002 - Race 13 Positions
03:00, 8 July 2003

Pos Yacht Distance to Finish (nautical miles)
1 New York 1,987
2 Cape Town 2,030
3 London 2,049
4 Bristol 2,064
5 Hong Kong 2,105
6 Glasgow 2,113
7 Liverpool 2,141
8 Jersey 2,163