News
CLIPPER RACE 09-10: VICTORY FOR CORK IN SOUTH ATLANTIC
Victory for Cork in South Atlantic leg of Clipper 09-10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12 November 2009
Cape Town, South Africa
The jubilant crew of Cork, Ireland, has arrived in Cape Town after taking victory in Race 3, the South Atlantic leg, of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. They crossed the finish line in Table Bay at 1638 local time (1438 GMT), accompanied by a pod of dolphins surfing down the face of the waves. Earlier in the day the cloud had lifted to reveal the iconic shape of Table Mountain which dominates the Cape Town skyline but it was in brooding conditions that the team crossed the line with Capetonian crew member, Marlon Jones, 20, at the helm.
Marlon, who started sailing five years ago at Cape Town’s Izivunguvungu Sailing Academy, joined the crew of Cork in Rio de Janeiro for the 3,300-mile race across the Atlantic back to his home city and his family was at Royal Cape Yacht Club to welcome him.
Beaming proudly Marlon said, “Helming over the finish line was great! I wanted to give the wheel to the skipper but he said no, I must keep it – it made me feel so proud. The whole thing was great fun – they made me feel really welcome and part of the crew.”
The Irish team, led by skipper Richie Fearon, has led the race for the last six days, working themselves into an unassailable position to claim their first win of the 35,000-mile challenge of a lifetime.
Stepping off Cork onto the pontoon at Royal Cape Yacht Club an ecstatic Richie said, “That was absolutely brilliant – it’s great to arrive here first. It was hard out there; big seas and big winds and we pushed the boat good and hard. As a crew we came well together and I’d say we deserve it. We kept the boat going ahead of the others and I’m really chuffed.”
News of Cork’s victory has already reached the Irish Ambassador to South Africa. His Excellency, Colin Wrafter, said, "This is fantastic, the crew have done marvellously well. There deserve a few good days in lovely Cape Town. I am so proud of them. Up Cork!"
The crew were entertained by a traditional Cape Town minstrel group, the Ghoema Entertainers. The colourful troupe are regulars in Cape Town’s unique annual minstrel competition and have also played at the opening ceremonies of the cricket and rugby union World Cups.
Competition among the fleet is fierce and a battle royal is being waged between Team Finland and Uniquely Singapore for second and third place. Both teams are expected to arrive at Royal Cape Yacht Club this evening.
The rest of the ten strong fleet, including Jamaica Lightning Bolt, Hull & Humber, Qingdao, Spirit of Australia, Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Cape Breton Island and California are due to finish in the next few days and are all expected in Cape Town by Sunday afternoon.
The whole fleet will move to the V&A Waterfront on Friday 20 November where the yachts will be available for public viewing. The race will restart on Sunday 22 November, the yachts departing the V&A at 11am for start of the race from Cape Town to Geraldton-Greenhough, Western Australia, at 2pm.
ENDS
The Cork Clipper project is funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council with the main objective of promoting Cork as a tourism and business destination around the world. Working alongside Tourism Ireland, Cork will be promoted to consumers, trade and the media in key markets that the race visits. The culmination of the project will be the arrival of the 10 yachts in the Clipper race to Kinsale in July 2010 for 8 days of festivities which will showcase Ireland to a global market.
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GOOD WEEK AT THE OFFICE FOR CORK IN THE CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE
Cork leading Race 3 from Rio to Capetown in the Clipper Round the World Race
Only 532nm to the finish (eta Friday 13th November)
Cork records the highest speed at 24.7 knots
Cork scores a point and penalised a point in a 24 hour period
With just over 500nm to the finish in Cape Town, Cork has secured a strong lead over the last four days with 72 nm separating them from second place Hull & Humber.
It is anticipated that they will arrive in Cape Town on Friday 13th and with some luck on this inauspicious date Cork should secure their first gun in the round the world race.
The Clipper 09-10 fleet left Rio on 27th October and have experienced the toughest conditions they’ve faced so far in this edition of the race. The yachts have endured huge pressure, the weather generating hundreds of tons of load on the mast and rigging and battering sails and crew alike.
Cork scored a point late last week as they rounded the scoring gate in third place however their celebrations were short-lived when the Race Committee announced a one point penalty.
The punishment followed their use of the engine during Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro. The team switched on and engaged their engine during the race in order to avoid a fishing fleet at a time when they were untangling a major spinnaker wrap. Skipper, Richie Fearon, made the decision on safety grounds and the time under motor was declared on their Race Declaration on arrival in Rio de Janeiro. However the team were penalised for failing to inform the Race Office when the incident occurred.
On a more positive note, crew member Keith Hale had held the highest speed on the boat since the race start – 19.9 knots and that record had stood for some weeks. Until this week when Alan Moss recorded 24.7 knots, at night surfing the boat down a huge wave. According to Alan ‘the whole boat was covered in foam and water and skipper Richie Fearon who was next to me on deck said “Blimey – that was quick Mossy!” as he ran to check the speed data’.
Over 40% of the crew onboard Cork Clipper have no previous sailing experience and none of the crew has experienced legs of this duration before so how are the team bonding? According to Kerry native, Jacqui Browne ‘Talking, laughing, joking, teasing and being able to take a teasing are all part of our winning communications strategy. All of this banter goes on of course whilst racing our Cork Clipper aiming for best speeds on a good course. Some of our masters in the gift of the gab include Sean Coote, Dave Paton, Mike Lewis, Kevin Austin and Alan Moss who found their gift after kissing the Blarney Stone during the crew visit to Cork last August.’
When Cork arrives in Cape Town, they will work with Tourism Ireland to promote the Cork stopover of the Clipper Round the World Race in July 2010 and promotion of the island of Ireland as a tourism destination through a number of trade and media initiatives.
Not a bad week after all and even better to look forward to if they hold their lead in to Cape Town.
ENDS
For further information please contact Fiona Bolger, Cork Clipper Project Director, 00353 86 8211030 hcbmarketing@gmail.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Cork Clipper project is funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council with the main objective of promoting Cork as a tourism and business destination around the world. Working alongside Tourism Ireland, Cork will be promoted to consumers, trade and the media in key markets that the race visits. The culmination of the project will be the arrival of the 10 yachts in the Clipper Race to Cork in July 2010 for 8 days of festivities which will showcase Ireland to a global market.
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Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race
The Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race started on 13 September from the Humber on the UK’s east coast and return there in July 2010 after 35,000 miles of ocean racing. No previous sailing experience is required to take part as full training is provided. More than 40 nationalities an 230 professions are represented by crew competing in Clipper 09-10. Crew can sign up for the whole circumnavigation or one or more legs. The overall race is divided into individual races and points are accumulated according to each individual race position. The yacht with the highest total at the finish wins the race trophy.
www.clipperroundtheworldrace.com
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9th November 2009
Hull & Humber in Dramatic Rescue of Man Overboard
Hull & Humber has been involved in a dramatic rescue of one of their crew members following a man overboard incident in the South Atlantic, 1,400 miles from the team's destination of Cape Town, South Africa in leg three of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race.
Arthur Bowers, 51, was climbing towards the main companionway at the end of his watch when the boat was hit by a big wave, knocking him sideways, down the deck and through the guard wires into the water. He was wearing his lifejacket which automatically inflated when he entered the water and had just unclipped his safety line to allow him to descend the steps into the saloon.
The crew, who carry out endless man overboard drills during their pre-race Clipper Training, immediately put theory into practice and, in an excellent display of seamanship, recovered Arthur and had him safely back on board within 17 minutes.
Hull & Humber was in second place in Race 3 of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Cape Town, South Africa, when the incident happened. They returned to the position at which they started their engine and have now resumed racing - and Arthur can't wait to get back up on deck and take the helm. The team has dropped down to third place, 17 miles behind the leaders, Cork, Ireland.
The first boats are expected at Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town on approximately 14 November.
www.clipperroundtheworld.com
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The carnival is over for Cork as Race 3 of Clipper 09-10 gets underway in Rio de Janeiro
· Ireland’s entry in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race leave Rio in Race 3
· Cork currently lying joint third overall in the Race
· Marlon Jones, from Izivunguvungu Sailing Academy in Cape Town joins the Cork crew
28 October 2009
From one mountain to another... Cork, Ireland and the nine other yachts competing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race have started the next leg of the epic 35,000-mile global challenge, leaving behind the iconic Rio backdrop of Sugar Loaf Mountain for the race towards Cape Town, where Table Mountain dominates the skyline.
The 3,300-mile Race 3 will take the teams across the South Atlantic, dipping south towards the Roaring Forties and the treacherous seas of the South Atlantic, before approaching the notorious Cape of Good Hope at the end of the course.
Joining Cork, Ireland, for the race to his home town is young South African sailor, Marlon Jones, from Izivunguvungu Sailing Academy in Cape Town. The Academy was established by one of the major investors in South Africa’s America’s Cup syndicate, Team Shosholoza, in order to give underprivileged youngsters the opportunity to get out on the water and make a difference to their lives through sailing. Marlon, 20, has only been sailing for five years but has proved himself a major talent and represented South Africa in the 2009 Laser SB3 World Championships where he and his team finished second.
A highly competitive Marlon says, “I can’t wait to get out there. It’s going to be fun – it’s going to be fast – we’re going to break the Clipper 68 speed record that I think stands at 28 point something knots, so we’re going break that! I think we’re going to do well on this boat. I think being cold and wet will probably be the hardest part. I’m really proud to be representing South Africa on Cork, Ireland, especially being so young.”
He’ll have plenty of support from his Cork team mates who are all anxious to reclaim a spot on the podium. Dublin resident Marco Giana, a round the world crew member, says “We can’t wait to get back on the boat and get back into it. We’re desperate to get on the podium in Cape Town.”
Skipper of the Irish entry, Richie Fearon, says, “We’re looking forward to getting out there for the sleigh ride to Cape Town. Hopefully the weather will be on our side and we can catch some good wind, get some good speeds and blast our way to South Africa.
“We’re feeling good; we made a few mistakes on the way down here, mostly with the weather, but we’ve learned from that, taken the positives and not dwelled on the negatives. We’ve had a good rest in Rio, changed a few personnel with some new guys coming on board and now we can’t wait to get to Cape Town.”
The race to South Africa should be much faster than the last one to Rio and the teams will be able to take advantage of the mountainous South Atlantic rollers to speed them on their way – provided they avoid the centre of the South Atlantic High Pressure system. After the light winds of Race 2, the skippers and tacticians will be very wary of getting too near to any wind holes that could slow them down.
With just two of the 14 individual races that comprise Clipper 09-10 completed, the race standings show that the competition is still wide open. Just a point separates the leader, Spirit of Australia, and second placed Team Finland. Jamaica Lightning Bolt, Cork, Ireland and Cape Breton Island all have 14 points each while Qingdao and Uniquely Singapore, with seven points a-piece, are just four points behind sixth placed Hull & Humber and only just ahead of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and California. The Formula 1-type scoring system, which awards points according to the results achieved on each race, means all ten crews have an equal chance of a place on the podium in Cape Town.
The fleet is expected to arrive in Cape Town from 14-16 November 2009.
ENDS
Standings after Race 2
1. Spirit of Australia 21 points
2. Team Finland 20 points
3. Jamaica Lightning Bolt 14 points
4. Cork 14 points
5. Cape Breton Island 14 points
6. Hull & Humber 11 points
7. Qingdao 7 points
8. Uniquely Singapore 7 points
9. Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 5 points
10. California 3 points
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Battling Cork Ireland takes 5th place in Race 2 of Clipper 09-10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 October, 2009
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cork, Ireland completed Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro in fifth place when they crossed the finish line at 07:17:03 local time (09:17:03 GMT). It was a battling finish as they closed to within two miles of the Canadian entry, Cape Breton Island, and delivered an incredible end to 28 days at sea. With their third place in Race 1, it leaves the Irish team with 14 championship points so far, putting them equal third in the overall standings. Line honours for Race 2 went to Team Finland with Spirit of Australia and Jamaica Lightning Bolt taking second and third respectively.
Cork, Ireland, skipper Richie Fearon says, “Everyone is really pleased with themselves for the achievement that they have just accomplished. We sailed a very good race and our only mishap was our spinnaker wrap which set us back 21 hours at the start. We were unlucky with the wind for the second half of the race although for the last 48 hours, it did us a real favour. We were able to close in on the group of three yachts that were 60-70 nautical miles ahead of us. In the end, we managed to cut their lead dramatically and watched Cape Breton Island cross the line just two miles in front of us!”
Team Finland’s skipper Eero Lehtinen, says, “Race 2 was a very balanced and professional performance. The whole team has worked without a word of complaint, in the extreme heat, under pressure from competition, in the long hours with no wind and no boat speed, during the endless sail changes and trimming. “
In a race which has been marked by light winds, Team Finland took an early lead out of La Rochelle but soon lost it by sailing into a wind hole as the fleet rounded Cape Finisterre. As weather forecasts indicated light winds across the 90 nautical mile long gate south of the Canary Islands, Team Finland made the decision to bail out and focus on a ten point win into Rio. Spirit of Australia held their nerve and the decision to go for the scoring gate paid off, beating Hull & Humber across the line and securing the team three valuable points. The decisions made by Spirit of Australia and Team Finland over the scoring gate proved to be the defining moment in both teams’ races, as Team Finland moved into the lead and held it to the finish line. Early on in the race, Cork, Ireland struggled when their spinnaker wrapped itself around the forestay and the team was delayed badly as they struggled to free it. After 21 hours, they admitted defeat and had to cut it down before embarking on lengthy repairs. As such, to finish mid fleet is a very respectable result.
Periods of light winds have dogged the fleet for the first trans-Atlantic crossing of Clipper 09-10. With virtually no wind at the start in La Rochelle, around the Canary Islands and for half the boats through the Doldrums, the normally reliable trade winds have also been lighter than expected. As the fleet neared its final destination of Rio de Janeiro, once again light conditions brought the leading boats to a near halt.
Over the final days of racing a three way battle took place behind Team Finland for the final two podium positions and at one point it looked as though a Finnish victory may not be guaranteed. Spirit of Australia led the charge closely followed by Cape Breton Island and Jamaica Lightning Bolt whose positions swapped on a regular basis as the teams focused on the Cabo Frio finish line. Until the final 100 miles it looked as though the Canadian entry was going to pip Jamaica Lightning Bolt to the post. However, a decision to take a more inshore route proved fatal. Cape Breton Island lost the wind and slowed allowing Pete Stirling and his team to take third place.
At midday GMT the Clipper 09-10 Race Committee announced a shortened course for Race 2 from La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro. The amended Sailing Instructions has given the teams 24 hours notice of the shortened course and the final positions will be taken at midday GMT on Tuesday 20 October. Those teams that have crossed the finish line will be awarded the relevant finishing position, while the others will be awarded the position based on their distance to finish at that time.
This is a standard procedure used in both ocean racing and around the cans events and is called into play by race organisers who must ensure they meet the goals of the teams, the spectators and the overall event.
The decision is not one that was taken lightly. In all around the world yacht races, the first priority is the safety of the crews and their boats and this is most certainly the case with the Clipper Race. Race 3 is due to start on Tuesday 27 October and it is important from the point of view of good seamanship that the teams get the opportunity to prepare themselves and their boats correctly for the next stage of the race, which will take them towards the Southern Ocean on the way to Cape Town, South Africa.
Once finished, the teams will make their way by fastest means, through a combination of using their engines and sailing, to the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, which will host the fleet for the duration of the stopover.
First priority on arriving in port will be to clean the yacht and begin the routine maintenance required to keep the boats in peak performance condition, as well as catching up on much needed sleep and food other than the tinned and dried variety on offer at sea. The victuallers must also ensure their yacht is fully stocked for the next 3,385-mile race to Cape Town.
ENDS
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CORK CLIPPER CROSSES THE EQUATOR – FIRST OF FOUR CROSSINGS DURING THE CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD YACHT RACE 2009-10
Cork, Ireland crossed the Equator at 0316 UT today and offered their gifts to Neptune but will hold off on the ceremony until later today when the watch system brings the entire crew together for an hour. Normally this is the time the skipper holds his daily team briefing; today King Neptune’s court will also be called into session.
Reaching this major milestone has given the crew’s spirits a huge boost. “With the chat on board you would think we are just about there,” reports skipper, Richie Fearon. “But I suppose with 1,500 miles to go in steady breeze and, taking into account some of the light weather we have had, we are good as there. Our position is still strong being east of the pack of three just ahead of us and, with some wind movements in our favour, hopefully it will strengthen our position further.”
Cork has had a busy time over the last five days dealing with the ever changing conditions. "The last couple of nights have been really mixed," said Richie. "Firstly we had no wind, then rain squalls, and finally a lot of wind. “
However spirits onboard are high with chat on deck about what they miss and what they are looking forward to in Rio. High on the list is the lack of contact with family and friends followed by a homemade dinner, a night’s sleep and clean laundry.
Showers of course are a luxury that the crew is looking forward to in Rio after spending so long with the stifling temperatures above and below deck. Some of the crew took advantage of a rain squall to have a freshwater shower whilst some of the other crew had to rely on a salty splash on deck.
It is estimated that the crews will arrive in Rio de Janeiro around 19/20 October for a week long stopover before departing for Capetown on 27 October.
The Clipper Round the World yacht Race will stop in Cork for 8 days of festivities from 01 July 2010.
Race 2 - La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro
LATITUDE LONGITUDE DTF DTL DIST MG IN 12HR LAST REPORT YACHT STATUS
1 Team Finland 4.37.13S 31.53.41W 1317nm 0nm 112nm 12/10/2009 12:00:19 Racing
2 Cape Breton Island 1.45.3S 32.30.3W 1467nm 150nm 112nm 12/10/2009 12:00:58 Racing
3 Spirit of Australia 1.46.58S 32.13.42W 1468nm 151nm 109nm 12/10/2009 12:00:19 Racing
4 Jamaica Lightning Bolt 1.35.38S 32.24.20W 1477nm 160nm 106nm 12/10/2009 12:00:37 Racing
5 Cork 1.23.25S 30.51.44W 1517nm 200nm 113nm 12/10/2009 12:00:55 Racing
6 Qingdao 4.19.41N 30.31.17W 1847nm 530nm 75nm 12/10/2009 12:00:19 Racing
7 Hull & Humber 4.59.50N 28.59.56W 1913nm 596nm 53nm 12/10/2009 12:00:19 Racing
8 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 6.1.2N 29.43.51W 1957nm 640nm 33nm 12/10/2009 12:00:19 Racing
9 Uniquely Singapore 5.53.0N 28.59.30W 1963nm 646nm 41nm 12/10/2009 12:00:57 Racing
10 California 11.40.6N 28.16.15W 2305nm 988nm 62nm 12/10/2009 11:00:32 Racing
Editor’s Notes
The Cork Clipper project is funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council with the main objective of promoting Cork as a tourism and business destination around the world. Working alongside Tourism Ireland, Cork will be promoted to consumers, trade and the media in key markets that the race visits. The culmination of the project will be the arrival of the 10 yachts in the Clipper race to Kinsale in July 2010 for 8 days of festivities which will showcase Ireland to a global market.
For further information, please contact:
Fiona Bolger, 00353 86 8211030 hcbmarketing@eircom.net
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Clipper 09-10
Race 2: La Rochelle - Rio de Janeiro
Day 14
* California and Uniquely Singapore grateful to be moving again
* Team Finland's skipper proud of his crew's performance
* Doldrums loom ahead as teams plan their route across
With the fleet now clear of the Canary Islands, all of the teams are enjoying nice north easterly winds, allowing them to make good progress towards Rio.
Having been stuck in a wind hole for what seems like days, California's skipper Pete Rollason is pleased to get moving once more. "At last the wind has started to fill in and we are making reasonable progress towards the scoring gate to collect the last bonus point and start the totally focused charge towards Rio," says Pete. "Hopefully sailing in a different weather pattern to our competitors will allow us to make some good gains over the coming days. We're totally motivated and ready to chase hard."
His thoughts are echoed by Uniquely Singapore's skipper, Jim Dobie, whose team has also had a run of bad luck through the Canaries. "It's nice to hear the guys once again calling out speeds of 9 and 10 knots,"
he says. "It has felt like a long time since we could get Uniquely Singapore moving at any reasonable speed.
"Once again we are heading out west, keeping a very good eye on the leaders as they approach the Doldrums and trying to pore over the detail of all the weather info we have to pick our route. If we do this right...the race is far from over," Jim says.
The consistent downwind conditions are enabling the non-professional crews taking part in Clipper 09-10 to perfect their helming and sail trimming skills. At the front of the fleet and reflecting on his crew's performance, Team Finland's skipper, Eero Lehtinen says, "The number of gybes we have performed so far must be getting close to a hundred and spinnaker drops - even unplanned ones - have also been numerous.
Yesterday our port spinnaker sheet/guy came off whilst in the middle of a two-pole gybe. The crew handled it fantastically well as they managed to catch the free flying clew behind the main, connect it to an available tail of a sheet, pull it through the letter box (gap between main sail and boom) whilst lowering the halyard. The sail was undamaged, got quickly packed into a launching sock and was flying again in less than 15 minutes."
As Team Finland and the rest of the fleet head further south the wind pressure will begin to drop as they enter the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ICTZ), an area of light to zero wind commonly known as the Doldrums. The current forecast indicates the Doldrums are situated approximately 300 - 400 nautical miles south of the lead boats, allowing the teams at the back of the fleet time to regain some of the miles they have lost.
Eero says, "The Doldrums are looking rather messy and wide in the latest weather files, so it will be interesting to see how this unfolds for each one of us. Stealth modes will be in busy use and the whole sail wardrobe will be getting some fresh air as we battle through the sailor's nightmare zone."
Joff Bailey, Race Director, says "The Doldrums can really mix up the leader board as teams that are only a couple of miles apart can experience significantly different wind strengths. The general idea is to cross the area of light winds as far west as possible, as the zone is thinner the further west you go. Although there could be a price to pay for this as once on the other side, the teams may find themselves fighting headwinds to keep clear of the Brazilian coast."
Positions at 1200 GMT, Monday 5 October
Boat DTF* DTL*
Team Finland 2577nm 0nm
Cork 2680nm 102nm
Spirit of Australia 2703bn 126nm
Cape Breton Island 2744nm 167nm
Jamaica Lightning Bolt 2773nm 196nm
Hull & Humber 2798nm 221nm
Qingdao 2823nm 246nm
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 2854nm 277nm
Uniquely Singapore 2922nm 344nm
California 3244nm 667nm
(*DTF = Distance To Finish, *DTL = Distance To Leader)
Full details of positions, updated every three hours can be found at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.
Ends
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Clipper 09-10 Race 2: La Rochelle to Rio de Janeiro
A salutary lesson for the skipper and crew of Qingdao yesterday - mistakes at sea can be costly.
In this case, an error in entering the location of the eastern limit of the scoring gate and subsequent failure to double check the data cost them the two points they thought they had won in reaching the gate ahead of Hull & Humber. In an event as closely contested as the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race this could be the difference between overall victory and going home empty handed when the 35,000-mile challenge ends in the Humber on 17 July 2010.
It was Qingdao's skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major's 32nd birthday yesterday but he had little to celebrate as, too late, he realised his mistake.
"The worst of it was that we have made a number of sacrifices in fleet position to hit the mark and we could easily have made it had we spotted the error earlier. The mood during the briefing at lunch was sombre but, once the initial shock subsided, the crew, as is their way, immediately started to see the positive side: 'Well at least we got ourselves back to the west;' 'We're in a good position as we knew we would be;' 'We don't have the points but we can still push for a podium position.'
Hull & Humber takes the two points, which have been added to their overall score, lifting them from sixth to fifth on the leader board.
The final point could ultimately bring some consolation to California whose crew is still struggling to break free of the vice-like grip of the wind hole that has held the team in its jaws for so long.
Team Finland has made the move to the west, aiming for the westerly side of the Cape Verde Islands. The Race Viewer shows Cork, Spirit of Australia, and Jamaica Lightning Bolt all following suit.
Positions At 1200UTC, Saturday 3 October
1. Team Finland, DTF 2746
2. Spirit of Australia, DTF 2879, DTL +133
3. Cork, DTF 2880, DTL +134
4. Cape Breton Island, DTF 2949, DTL +204
5. Jamaica Lightning Bolt, DTF 2960, DTL +215
6. Hull & Humber, DTF 3008, DTL +263
7. Qingdao, DTF 3016, DTL +270
8. Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, DTF 3071, DTL +325
9. Uniquely Singapore, DTF 3099, DTL +353
10. California, DTF 3313, DTL +568
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IRISH SAILORS IN THE CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD RACE TO BEAT THE RHYTHM OF IRELAND ON THEIR TRAVELS
Cork Clipper finish third in Leg 1
Irish Ambassador to France visits Cork Clipper in La Rochelle
Today Tuesday 22 September, the Clipper Round the World Race started from La Rochelle for the second leg of the race to Rio de Janeiro where they should arrive around 18 October depending on conditions they encounter as they cross the Atlantic.
The Cork Clipper crew had a short 4 day stop in La Rochelle where they had time to provision for the long leg ahead. At a prize giving ceremony last night the Cork Clipper crew were presented with their third place award for the first leg from Hull.
Skipper Richie Fearon stated ‘We were delighted to achieve a podium finish on the first leg as it gave the amateur crew a taste of success and it also gives the team confidence for the long sail ahead.’
Earlier yesterday, His Excellency, Paul Kavanagh Irish Ambassador to France visited the crew onboard the Ireland (Cork) yacht. The Ambassador presented the crew with a Bodhran – an Irish hand held drum that is traditionally made with goat skin.
"I am presenting this to the crew today so that they may bring a small part of Irish tradition with them around the world. I am proud of their achievements in the first leg of the race and wish them a safe return to Cork in July 2010 where we hope many visitors from overseas will travel to see the Clipper spectacle’ stated His Excellency Paul Kavanagh,
Waves as high as ten storey buildings, sea sickness, hot sun, freezing cold and icebergs, are awaiting the amateur crew onboard the 68ft yacht . Around half of them have no previous sailing experience – but what all of them have in common is that they have put their everyday lives as air traffic controllers, interior designers, taxi drivers, lawyers, and students on hold to take on this incredible challenge.
After Rio de Janeiro the race will sail to Capetown, Freemantle, Singapore, Qingdao, San Francisco, Jamaica, New York and Nova Scotia before arriving in Kinsale, Cork in July 2010. The race will finish back in Hull on 17 July 2010.
Cork is currently planning 8 days of festivities for the Clipper Race including a food, music and cultural experience. The festivities will be based in Kinsale, the gourmet capital of Ireland on the south coast of Ireland in the county of Cork
For further information on Cork, Ireland www.discoverireland.com
For further information on Clipper www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Editor’s Notes
The Cork Clipper project is funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council with the main objective of promoting Cork as a tourism and business destination around the world. Working alongside Tourism Ireland, Cork will be promoted to consumers, trade and the media in key markets that the race visits. The culmination of the project will be the arrival of the 10 yachts in the Clipper race to Kinsale in July 2010 for 8 days of festivities which will showcase Ireland to a global market.
For further information, please contact:
Fiona Bolger, 00353 86 8211030 hcbmarketing@eircom.net
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CORK SETS SAIL FOR A 10 MONTH ODYSSEY
• Cork leads the Clipper fleet out of the Humber river at the start of the Clipper
• 18 ambassadors set sail to promote Cork and Ireland as a tourism destination around the world
• Kinsale prepares to welcome the Clipper Round the World Race in July 2010
Today Sunday 13 September the 10 yachts in the Clipper Round the World Race departed from Hull & Humber with the Cork Clipper in the lead.
The race started at 1400 off Hull with Cork second on the start line but nosing in front within minutes of the start. This leg will bring them down the North Sea through the English Channel and into the Bay of Biscay to La Rochelle where their estimated date of arrival is Friday 18 September.
The race will then leave La Rochelle on Tuesday 22 September to cross the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro and then Capetown, Freemantle, Singapore, Qingdao, San Francisco, Jamaica, New York and Nova Scotia before arriving in Kinsale in July 2010. The race will finish back in Hull on 17 July 2010.
Waves as high as ten storey buildings, sea sickness, hot sun, freezing cold and icebergs, are awaiting the amateur crew onboard the 68ft yacht . Around half of them have no previous sailing experience – but what all of them have in common is that they have put their everyday lives as air traffic controllers, interior designers, taxi drivers, lawyers, and students on hold to take on this incredible challenge.
The Cork Clipper project is funded by Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council with the main objective of promoting Cork as a tourism and business destination around the world. Working alongside Tourism Ireland, Cork will be promoted to consumers, trade and the media in key markets that the race visits. The culmination of the project will be the arrival of the 10 yachts in the Clipper Race to Kinsale in July 2010 for 8 days of festivities which will showcase Ireland to a global market. More than 212 million people worldwide follow the Clipper adventure through television, print media, radio and online.
Mayor of County Cork Cllr Derry Canty and Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork City Cllr Laura McGonigle wished the crew farewell at a ceremony onboard before the race start.
Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Derry Canty said ‘We are immensely proud of our team and do not underestimate the challenge that they are undertaking. We wish them a safe trip around the world and eagerly look forward to welcoming them on the dock in Kinsale in July 2010’
‘The crew of the Cork Clipper will be fantastic ambassadors for Cork and Ireland promoting us at all the stopovers around the world. They will be working with Tourism Ireland to encourage people to visit Cork during the Clipper event in July 2010.’ Stated Cllr Laura McGonigle, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork.
The Clipper Race was the dream of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo non-stop around the world. Forty years ago when he set that record he pledged to make sailing more accessible and the Clipper 09-10 race will be the seventh time his teams of amateur sailors will circumnavigate the planet.
www.discoverireland.com
www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Fiona Bolger
HCB Marketing
18 Ardee Street
Dublin 8
hcbmarketing@eircom.net
00353 86 8211030
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ONE WEEK UNTIL RACE START AS CORK ARRIVES IN HULL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7 September 2009
Cork, one of ten stripped-down 68 foot ocean racing yachts sailed past The Deep, the iconic ‘submarium’ visitor attraction in Hull, North Yorkshire, UK, in readiness for the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race.
“The crew handled our trip up to the Humber really well,” said the skipper of the Irish entry, Richie Fearon, commenting on the gale force winds the teams experienced as they headed north from their base in Gosport, Hampshire. “They dug deep and learned a lot about the boat and they now have a lot of confidence in the boat.
“We have been totally overwhelmed by the reception we have received both in Grimsby and Hull,” he added. “The bar has been set really high and it will be hard to be beaten. We’re looking forward to the rest of the week now and will spend the next few days making sure we go over the boat with a fine toothed comb to ensure she’s ready for Sunday.”
The race, which starts at 1400 BST on September 13, is the only race in the world where the crews come from all walks of life, all ages and with all levels of experience. Prior to their training, some 40 percent of the crews had never so much as stepped aboard a sailing yacht in their lives.
Ahead lies a 10-month-long, 35,000 mile course that will take the race to France before crossing to Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Singapore, China, California, Panama, Jamaica, New York, Cape Breton Island, Cork and the Netherlands. The race will make its triumphant return to the Humber on July 17 2010.
The Clipper Race is the brainchild of legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail non-stop single handed around the world. He wanted to open the sport of long distance sailing to all and allow others to experience the challenges of ocean racing.
More than 400 crew have signed up for this challenge of a lifetime. Some will complete a full circumnavigation while others will race one or a combination of the seven legs available.
Each Clipper yacht is entered by a city, region or country and sponsors use the event to showcase themselves to the world. On the last running of the Clipper Race, more than 212 million people worldwide followed the adventure through television, print media, radio and on-line.
Fiona Bolger, Director of the Cork partnership, commented; ”The Cork Clipper project is a partnership between Fáilte Ireland, Cork County Council and Cork City Council. This project is part of the group’s strategy to develop awareness internationally of Cork as a quality tourist and business destination.
“The hosting of the Clipper festival in July 2010 will showcase the best of the south coast of Ireland to all the Clipper crew, family and friends and also to the tourists who will visit Cork to attend the event. Not only that, this initiative will also generate significant global media coverage for our marketing message,” she added.
Cork’s arrival in Hull marked the start of a week of festivities that include a sea shanty festival, international food festival and a music festival including performances from Peter Andre, JLS and Alicia Dixon. On Sunday 13 September, the world famous Red Arrows aerobatic display team will be saluting the sailors as they take to the River Humber and prepare for the off.
ENDS