Clipper underway again

Round the world boats now bound for Mauritius

Race 11 of the Clipper 2002 series to Mauritius started at 04:00 GMT (11:00 local time) today, from a position 12 miles west of the Sunda Straits.

The eight yachts, namely Jersey, Bristol, Hong Kong, Liverpool, Glasgow, London, New York and Cape Town, had a clean start in 9 knots of breeze from the east north east and are now looking forward to another 2,888 of racing across the Indian Ocean.

Having spent the last 2 months in the shallow seas of Asia, with its fishing fleets and changeable weather, not to mention the difficulties caused by SARS, the Clipper crews are happy to be facing a proper ocean once more.

The yachts are expected to arrive in the independent island republic of Mauritius on Thursday, 28 May.