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Times Clipper 2000 fleet head to Cape Town
Author: MHL Press
The Times Clipper 2000 fleet are scheduled to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa's oldest city, on Tuesday 19th June 2001 following a 2,311 mile long race from Mauritius which has been characterised by highly variable weather conditions and ocean currents. This race has also seen Bristol Clipper's
renewed dominance of the fleet following Jersey Clipper's fourth consecutive race win into Mauritius.
Bristol Clipper has now left the friendly Agulhas current, which has rocketed her along the coast for the last 48 hours, having taken the decision to leave the current as it swooped to the SW along the 200 metre line round the Agulhas Bank. Until late last night they were still making good progress with a strong easterly wind, but this has also deserted them and they are now battling against gale force head winds as they beat up to Cape Agulhas. The adverse weather should not hold out for too long though and the wind will shortly back to the SW allowing Bristol Clipper to make
Cape Point. It would be realistic to expect her to finish tomorrow morning, Tuesday 19th June. After the cold front passes the next weather system will be a high pressure area over the southern cape giving fair weather but possibly light winds.
The fifth and penultimate leg of The Times Clipper 2000 is one of the most
popular for all those who wish to sail around one of the World's great
capes, the Cape of Good Hope. Starting out from the 10 million year old
volcanic island of Mauritius, the route for Race 12 of the 16 races which
make up The Times Clipper 2000 has seen the eight-strong fleet of identical
60-foot yachts race to the South of Madagascar, then to Agulhas Current
(East London area), before racing to Agulhas Point and onto Cape Town,
otherwise known as the Tavern of the Seas.
The voyage around the Cape of Good hope off the southern coast of Africa is
still considered one of the world's classic sailing passages although the
conditions can be greatly unpredictable, changing within a couple of hours
from flat calm to gale force winds. Such vagaries have resulted in several
changes amongst the fleet positions on this leg of The Times Clipper 2000,
whilst Bristol Clipper seem to have regained their past good form, managing
to re-establish their lead position ahead of her seven rivals - namely
Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth and Portsmouth.
On arrival at Cape Town the 120 crewmembers will be privileged to be hosted
by the Royal Cape Yacht Club, one of the world's most famous yacht clubs.
The yachts will be berthed at the yacht club marina in Duncan Dock, and
after essential maintenance work crewmembers will enjoy a well-deserved
9-day stopover, exploring the wonders of the 1,000-metre high Table Mountain
and sampling the products of the famous wine growing area around
Stellenbosch. The boats re-victual with food and stores before crossing
the Southern Atlantic to the port of Salvador in Brazil, founded by the
Portuguese before the Dutch started building Cape Town.
A mere 16 points currently separate the first 6 yachts in the fleet on the
overall leaderboard, proving just how similar the yachts now are in their
performance on the water. The crews have all learnt a huge amount since the
race start in Portsmouth last October and this is reflected in the
ever-changing fortunes of each of the yachts. After a stopover at Salvador
where some of the crewmembers will change over, The Times Clipper 2000
returns to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, via New York and Jersey, with an
expected arrival date of 21st September 2001.
Crew applications are now well underway for the Clipper 2002 Round The World
Yacht Race and are welcomed from budding sailors, men or women from every
walk of life and age, to compete on individual legs or to face the challenge
of the whole circumnavigation. Successful applicants, with or without
sailing experience, will undergo extensive training programmes to prepare
for the challenges of racing a 60-foot ocean going yacht.
More Information:
- YachtsandYachting.com Clipper 2000 Round the World Yacht Race Page
- www.clipper-ventures.com
See also: DAWN 41 for sale
