Whitsunday sojourn

The teams have experienced the rolling swells, infamous huge waves and freezing temperatures of the Southern Ocean to the upwind beat, rising temperatures and variable weather systems heading north from Tasmania. The leaderboard has consistently shifted as different tactics have played out and the East Australian Current played its part in making this one of the most strategic races of the circumnavigation to date.

In praise of his crew, Skipper Josh added: “Wherever we are placed, the crew can stand tall. They have all given a good account of themselves.”

Despite claiming line honours, the Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam team will have a nail-biting wait over the next two days to find out its placing.

Race 5 is being run on elapsed time, following three teams; Punta del Este, Visit Sanya, China and Unicef departing Fremantle exactly 48 hours after the first eight.

If 48 hours pass, and these teams are still racing then Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam’s first race victory in the 2019-20 edition will be secured. All race points will be critical as the team currently sits in second place on the overall leaderboard.

John Broomfield from Noosa, Queensland, on arrival enthused. “It’s pretty good to sail around my home country. Coming into Fremantle was awesome after the Southern Ocean, but coming up into Queensland was coming home! We came past Noosa and it was pretty special.”

Having never sailed before joining the Clipper Race, John also commented “Going back to August last year I knew nothing, now I am much more confident on the boat. We’ve had two thirds and a second and it feels great to be the first boat in, to us it’s a win. We’re stoked!”

The fleet will be berthed in Coral Sea Marina Resort, Airlie Beach for the duration of the stopover and awaiting the crew is a relaxing stopover in Whitsundays on the beautiful tropical coast of Queensland, Australia.

Made up of 74 Island Wonders and located right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays will be a feast for the senses after a long ocean crossing.

This, the third time the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race route has stopped in the Whitsundays, will see the return of the Whitsundays Clipper Race Carnival with public events taking place throughout the stopover from the return of the White on Whitehaven, in addition to wine and dine Events, crocodile safaris to Rodeo by the Reef.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 percent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 2 September 2019.

clipperroundtheworld.com

coralsearesortandmarina.com