Race 6, Day 2: Too close to call as Clipper Race teams jostle for podium positions

With just over 5 miles separating the top four Clipper Race teams as they pass the halfway mark, tensions are reaching summer boiling point. The race leader and fleet positions change frequently and podium positions are anything but predictable as Race 6 continues its thrilling progress.   

In a dramatic past hours racing, GREAT Britain (44^th overall in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race) moved up four fleet positions to take over the Race 6 lead momentarily from Henri Lloyd (42^nd overall) who has just now regained its front spot.

Derry~Londonderry~Doire (45^th overall) has made terrific gains this morning and whilst writing this report has now moved into third (50^th overall) with Old Pulteney (51^st overall) who had led the fleet for the previous 36 hours, now fourth.

In a frustrating night for Team Garmin and Jamaica Get All Right, both slipped down the leaderboard but are far from giving up in their chase for a podium finish.

Team Garmin Skipper Mark Burkes said: “After being in the leading trio of the Clipper 70 Fleet for the first 36 hours or so, I awoke this morning to a rather demoralising sight. We are now eighth. (now sixth as we go to press). Sailing, and wind in particular, never does anything by halves. It's always 'feast or famine'! At least we are sailing now and making decent progress. Our next task is to catch up those boats that passed us in the night.”

Providing his take on the race so far, Deputy Race Director Mark Light said: “The fleet has left the sunshine shores of South East Australia and passed Green Cape, entering the notorious Bass Strait. This stretch of water can be ferocious, like a raging animal baring its teeth. At the moment it is more akin to a small kitten asleep in the sunshine, but the latest weather forecasts are showing things are going to change. 

“Coming up to the halfway mark in this iconic race is where things will start to get very tactical as the yachts race to get across Bass Strait as quickly as possible to avoid the worst of the conditions, and begin to negotiate the tricky East Tasmanian Coast, while at the same time trying not to wake the weather animal asleep in the corner.

“The fleet is very compact still and the next 36 hours are going to make for some very nail biting watching. Race viewers will be glued to their screens I am sure.” 

Providing his take on the race so far, Deputy Race Director Mark Light said: “The fleet has left the sunshine shores of South East Australia and passed Cape Green, entering the notorious Bass Strait. This stretch of water can be ferocious, like a raging animal baring its teeth. At the moment it is more akin to a small kitten asleep in the sunshine, but the latest weather forecasts are showing things are going to change. 

“Coming up to the approximately the halfway mark in this iconic race is where things will start to get very tactical as the yachts race to get across Bass Strait as quickly as possible to avoid the worst of the conditions and begin to negotiate the tricky East Tasmanian Coast while at the same time trying not to wake the weather animal asleep in the corner.

“The fleet is incredibly compact still so the next 36 hours are going to make for some very nail biting watching. Race Tracker viewers following at home will be glued to their screens I am sure.”

Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who is racing aboard Clipper 68, CV10 is keeping up with the Clipper 70s which he helped to design, currently sitting in 55^th place overall in approximately the middle of the Clipper Race fleet.

All positions reported as at the time of writing and are changing frequently. Check the Clipper Race tracker for the latest positions. It is updating every 10 minutes during this race.

To read all the skipper reports, CLICK HERE

To follow the Clipper Race 6 tracker, CLICK HERE

To follow the Clipper Race yachts in the overall Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race standings, CLICK HERE.