Crew stage 1
ETA 23rd Sept 2005, ATA 25/26th Sept, ETD 28th Sept.
The clippers started arriving a few weeks before the start of the race. On September 7th I arranged to meet a friend for a drink and saw some of the clippers in the Albert Dock
I saw the start of the race.
A crew member of the Jersey clipper broke their ankle and was taken by lifeboat to Fishgard (United kingdom) to be treated in hospital.
Race Positions:
1st - Liverpool
2nd - Western Australia
3rd - Durban
4th - Singapore
5th - Cardiff
6th - New York
7th - Qingdao
8th - Victoria
9th - Jersey
10th - Glasgow
Crew stage 1
ETA 18th Oct 2005 ATA 18th Oct 2005
It was a close finish, with western australia had leading. The Liverpool clipper finishing in 2nd place after overtaking the Cardiff clipper which finished in 3rd place - three minutes behind!
Race Positions:
1st - Western Australia
2nd - Liverpool
3rd - Cardiff
4th - New York
5th - Durban
6th - Singapore
7th - Jersey
8th - Victoria
9th - Qingdao
10th - Glasgow
Crew stage 2
ETA 17th Nov 2005 ATA 16th October 2005
This race was a bit different, the first clipper to arrive in South Africa was the Jersey Clipper, which needed rigging repairs at Cape Town. On this race the clippers met a variety of weather conditions, including some rough weather. There was a real battle between the Liverpool and Singapore clippers right to the finish line.
1st - Western Australia
2nd - New York
3rd - Cardiff
4th - Qingdao
5th (joint) - Singapore
5th (joint) - Liverpool
7th - Victoria
8th - Glasgow
9th - Durban
10th - Jersey
Crew stage 3
ETD (Durban) 27th Nov
ETA (Fremantle) 17th Dec 2005 ATA 16th Dec
This race was difficult for several of the teams. Durban's sails had ripped and were held together with Gaffer tape. Jersey and Liverpool both had to deal with big waves. Glasgow's skipper stepped down after the race.
1st - Durban 16th Dec 1454
2nd - Victoria 16th Dec 1535
3rd - Western Australia 16th Dec 2053
4th - Qingdao 17th Dec 0414
5th - Jersey 17th Dec 1100
6th - Liverpool 17th Dec 1202
7th - New York 18th Dec 0430
8th - Cardiff 18th Dec 2224
9th - Singapore 19th Dec 0517
10th - Glasgow 19th Dec 1945
Crew stage 4
ETD (Fremantle) 1st Jan 2006
ETA (Singapore) 15th Jan 2006 ATA 15th Jan 1100 (0300 GMT)
The clippers had to navigate a series of marker buoys before they reached the start line.
The race got off to a difficult start for Cardiff and Glasgow.
Instead of racing all the way to Singapore, the race finished at the southern end of the Selat Sundra (the yachts were behind schedule due to a lack of wind).
1st - Durban 11th Jan 0908
2nd - Western Australia 11 Jan 1002
3rd - New York 11th Jan 1659
4th - Victoria 11th Jan 2052
5th - Liverpool 11th Jan 2110
6th - Singapore 11th Jan 2157
7th - Qingdao 12th Jan 0932
8th - Jersey 12th Jan 1323
9th - Glasgow 12th Jan 1616
10th - Cardiff 13th Jan 0500
Crew stage 4
ETD (Singapore) 27th Jan 2006 ATD 27th Jan 2006 15:30 (local time)
ETA (Qingdao) 13th Feb 2006
Glasgow had a bit of bother with their fruit and veg before the race started.
At the race start Liverpool, Cardiff and Qingdao fought for the same part of the ocean leading to a collision.
The race was abandoned and the fleet diverted to the Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. Glasgow reported a loose keel bolt. The rest of the fleet carried out inspections, Victoria and Durban reported slight movement. Cracks were found in eight of the ten yachts.
The crews have emptied the yachts of sails, fuel, food, personal belongings etc in preparation for the repairs. Each of the 33 tonne yachts will need to be hoisted out of the dock. The keels will need to be removed as part of the repairs.
While the yachts where in the Philipinnes there was a tragic land slide on another island and a village was buried in mud which unfortunately killed many people. The situation was further complicated with an attempted coup by a general in the army.
There were further difficulties for Western Australia.
On Tuesday 21st March, the last of the clippers Western Australia was lowered into the water after having the keel work completed.
After the keels of the clippers had been repaired in Subic Bay race 6 restarted.
Crew Stage 4
ETD (Subic Bay) 25th March 2006. ATD 25th March 2006 0700GMT
ETA (Qingdao) 2nd April 2006.
The Jersey team had some news.
The race was very close right to the finish, all the clippers finished on the same date and in daylight.
1st Liverpool 08 05.57 (local time)
2nd Victoria 06.18
3rd Durban 06.24am
4th Uniquely Singapore 06.41
5th Cardiff 09.26
6th New York 10.40
7th Qingdao 13.19
8th Glasgow 14.57
9th Western Australia
10th Jersey 15.01
Crew stage 6
ETD (Qingdao) 8th April 2006. ATD 8th April.
ETA (Victoria) 6th May 2006. ATA 5th May.
The clippers will not be visiting Yokohama because of the delay at Subic Bay
Find out what important piece of equipment failed on the New York Clipper.
Despite the revised schedule, Jersey Clipper visited Yokohama, so did a crew member from Qingdao.
Find out what is happening on the Cardiff Clipper.
As the clippers sailed north past the international date line Western Australia sent a weather report.
There was some more drama for the Jersey Clipper as they approached Canada.
1st Victoria May 5th 16:59 (GMT)
2nd Durban May 6th 04:13 (GMT)
3rd Liverpool 08 May 6th 05:23 (GMT)
4th Cardiff May 6th 07:55 (GMT)
5th Western Australia May 6th 15:52 (GMT)
6th Qingdao May 7th 20:12 (GMT)
7th New York May 7th 20:20 (GMT)
8th Glasgow May 7th 20:24 (GMT)
9th Singapore May 7th 23:42 (GMT)
10th Jersey May 11th 14:35 (GMT) - quite a bit behind the ETA.
Crew stage 6
ETD (Victoria) 17th May 2006 23:05 (GMT) (previously scheduled for 14th May 2006 but due to the slower than expected progress of some boats this was rescheduled)
ETA (Panama) 4th June 2006
Originally the clippers were planning to visit Curacao, but due to the delay at Subic Bay the schedule has been revised.
A sea plane arrived carrying the engine parts needed by one of the clippers. The yachts left the inner harbour and motored towards the start line. Cardiff and Jersey were soon back in the harbour.
The Glasgow team had a spot of bother with some of their sails.
The New York team found themselves travelling slower than expected. What could it be?
The race was shortened (29th May 2006) because tropical storm Aletta was in the way of the yachts (near Acapulco). I thought June was the start of the hurricane season?
The Qingdao team had some sad news.
1st Singapore May 30th 13:53 (GMT)
2nd Durban May 30th 16:00 (GMT)
3rd LiverpoolMay 31st 02:22 (GMT)
4th New York May 31st 02:47 (GMT)
5th Cardiff May 31st 04:46 (GMT)
6th Victoria May 31st 05:42 (GMT)
7th Western Australia May 31st 06:32 (GMT)
8th Glasgow May 31st 11:57 (GMT)
9th Qingdao May 31st 14:10 (GMT)
10th Jersey June 1st 04:21 (GMT)
Crew stage 6
ETD (Panama) 10th June 2006
ETA (Port Antonio) 14th June 2006 ATA 18th June
At the Caribbean end of the Panama Canal the yachts berthed at Shelter Cove Marina, across the bay from Colon.
The awards at the end of the race were presented by Patrice Wymore Flynn, widow to Errol Flynn.
1st Durban 02:03 (GMT)
2nd Western Australia TBC
3rd New York 02:28 (GMT)
4th Singapore 03:10 (GMT)
5th Qingdao 03:12 (GMT)
6th Cardiff 03:14 (GMT)
7th Jersey TBC
8th Victoria 03:40 (GMT)
9th Liverpool 03:47 (GMT)
10th Glasgow 06:11 (GMT)
Crew stage 7
ETD (Port Antonio) 23rd June 2006
ETA (New York) 27th June 2006 ATA 30th June
Due to tropical storm Aletta the clippers were delayed and the departure date was put back to 23rd June from the 20th June. The Glasgow team required assistance before the start of the race. The race was re-started due to lack of wind. The clippers are berthing at North Cove Marina.
1st Singapore June 30th 09:49 (UTC)
2nd Western Australia June 30th 13:15 (UTC)
3rd New York June 30th 14:09 (UTC)
4th Glasgow June 30th 17:08 (UTC)
5th Qingdao June 30th 17:14 (UTC)
6th Durban June 30th 17:40 (UTC)
7th Victoria June 30th 18:11 (UTC)
8th Liverpool June 30th
9th Cardiff June 30th
10th Jersey July 1st 03:53 (UTC)
Crew stage 7
ETD (New York) 5th July 2006
ETA (Jersey) 22nd July 2006 ATA 20th July
The clippers left Manhattan in heavy rain and headed slowly (there was hardly any wind) towards the start line at Ambrose Lighthouse.
1st New York July 20th 09:54
2nd Western Australia July 20th 10:30
3rd Victoria July 20th 10:48
4th Qingdao July 20th 15:13
5th Jersey July 21st 12:11
6th Liverpool July 21st 12:57
7th Singapore July 21st 13:17
8th Durban July 21st 14:23
*9th Glasgow July 21st 17:49
*10th Cardiff July 21st 16:25
Note the Glasgow and Cardiff both retired from the race.
Crew stage 7
ETD (Jersey) 25th July 2006 18:15
ETA (Liverpool) 29th July 2006
There are two parts to this race. The Jersey to Holyhead and the final short sprint to Liverpool
The clippers left Jersey and a downpour started at the race start. The first part of the race is to Holyhead.
Race to Holyhead:
1st Liverpool July 28th 4:55
2nd Western Australia July 28th 06:00
3rd Durban July 28th 06:25
4th Singapore July 28th 06:44
5th New York July 28th 07:38
6th Qingdao July 28th 08:09
7th Glasgow July 28th 11:31
8th Cardiff July 28th 11:44
9th Jersey July 28th 12:07
10th Victoria July 28th 12:55
Race to Liverpool:
1st Western Australia July 29th 07:04
2nd New York July 29th 07:14
3rd Liverpool July 29th 07:33:11
4th Victoria July 29th 07:33:14
5th Qingdao July 29th 07:36
6th Singapore July 29th 07:41
7th DurbanJul 29th 07:50
8th JerseyJul 29th 08:02
9th GlasgowJuly 29th 08:03
10th Cardiff July 29th 08:19
I saw the clippers return to Liverpool. There was an unfortunate incident involving the New York clipper.
Leaderboard:
1st with 99.5 points Western Australia
2nd with 87.0 points Durban
3rd with 86.5 points New York
4th with 84.5 points Liverpool
5th with 71.0 points Singapore
6th with 68.5 points Victoria
7th with 62.0 points Qingdao
8th with 52.0 points Cardiff
9th with 27.0 points Jersey
10th with 24.5 points Glasgow