8:06 PM Mon 19 Oct 2009 GMT
Clipper 09-10. Race 2, Day 28. The lack of wind is hampering the fleet and holding back Team Finland from finishing Race 2.
Skipper Eero Lehtinen is experiencing a frustrating time, but he is impressed with the way his crew is handling the situation. Team Finland is attempting to make it two wins from two races, and Eero says their 'speed has gone down to walking pace as the wind is full of holes and shifts.'
'I say our wind as it is not the wind the others appear to be having and that makes it even more painful as the once so safe looking gap has been eaten up. However, the crew has been so switched on, so positive and so enormously patient that I am the one learning a lesson here lately. I could have had several tantrums and total sense of humour failures, but how could I when these guys just keep marching on?'
Team Finland needn't be too concerned as their nearest competitor, Spirit of Australia, has also been the victim of a wind hole.
'Whales and wind-holes seem to best sum up our day yesterday,' says Australian skipper, Brendan Hall. 'We spent an hour doing 0.0 knots as the wind died on us completely. The good news is that we were in amongst a pod of whales, which were breaching no more than 50 metres from the boat. An amazing spectacle that none of us will ever forget. The kindly whales appeared to bring the wind with them and we were soon scooting along at 8 knots, heading to Rio.'
Optimistic of winning their first pennant of Clipper 09-10 is the team on board Canadian entry, Cape Breton Island.
'We had a really good run yesterday and held the kite all day with good boat speed,' says skipper Jan Ridd. 'We all feel that we could not have got more out of the boat as we're pushing really hard, so much so that we have broken a spinnaker halyard. I have also just been told by the crew that the existing halyard's outer sheath is loose so I'm about to go up the rig and run a new one, more bruised ribs I fear!'
The leading pack is all contending with light fluky winds in the last 100 nautical miles of Race 2. Just a handful of miles separate Spirit of Australia, Cape Breton Island, Jamaica Lightning Bolt and Cork, with each team vying for a podium place.
Midway down the fleet the duel between Qingdao and Hull & Humber remains as close as ever, despite the different tactics employed by the two teams.
'Time is getting pretty tight now to take the miles back', says Hull & Humber's skipper Piers Dudin. 'Qingdao has been 50 nautical miles or more ahead of us ever since they had a six hour head start clearing the Doldrums. We've been running and reaching with the big medium weight kite all night in an attempt to close the gap.'
Qingdao's skipper, Chris Stanmore-Major, is acutely aware that it will be a fight to the end between his team and the English entry. 'After 4,800 nautical miles it comes down to the final 400 miles,' he says. 'We have shared equally in the ups and downs of the weather en route - first with them ahead going into the Canaries, then with us always 50 to 60 nautical miles in front. Ahead lies a tricky final section with north east winds and a south west course conspiring to create a downwind sleigh ride with either of us having the possibility to come out on top.'
Equally the two way battle between Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and Uniquely Singapore has yet to be resolved. However, the Scottish entry appears to have paid the price of heading offshore in search of stronger winds, which have failed to materialise.
Uniquely Singapore on the other hand has opted to follow the rhum line, thereby sailing a shorter distance and giving them a lead on the Scottish team of more than 60 nautical miles at the midday schedule today.
'It may be for 8th and 9th place but the competition is intense,' says Edinburgh Inspiring Capital's skipper Matt Pike. 'With less than 1000 nautical miles to the finish we were neck and neck with Uniquely Singapore and just two miles apart. The positions were visibly changing as the wind forced us to change course and we both know it will take
more than careful trimming to hold on to the lead.'
The Clipper Race Team expect Team Finland to cross the finish line around 1800 hours local time (2000 GMT) this evening with an ETA at the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The next four boats are expected to arrive at the yacht club later in the day on Tuesday.
Positions at 1500GMT, Monday 19 October
Boat DTF* DTL*
Team Finland 19nm 0nm
Spirit of Australia 63nm 44nm
Cape Breton Island 71nm 53nm
Jamaica Lightning Bolt 86nm 67nm
Cork 92nm 73nm
Qingdao 372nm 354nm
Hull & Humber 416nm 398nm
Uniquely Singapore 747nm 728nm
Edinburgh Inspiring Capital 823nm 804nm
California 910nm 892nm
(*DTF = Distance To Finish, *DTL = Distance To Leader)
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