Race 8 in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race series has made a delayed start from Hawaii after rig checks on the fleet, following two dismastings during the previous leg, from China to Hawaii.
Nova Scotia was the first of eight internationally-backed yachts to cross the start line at the western end of Waikiki Beach, before racing along the shore towards Diamond Head and out into the Pacific Ocean at the beginning of the 2,080-mile leg to Santa Cruz, California.
Durban 2010 and Beyond and westernaustralia2011.com did not make the start line as work continues on their new masts.
The crews have had a longer than expected stopover in Honolulu after race organiser, Clipper Ventures, took the decision to replace some rigging fittings across the rest of the fleet following the dismastings.
The work was completed just in time for the remaining eight teams to headed out for short test sails to check their rigs before the start.
Race director Joff Bailey said: “It's great to see these yachts racing again. The entire Clipper team both here and back home in the UK has worked flat out to get them back to sea within the delay we announced when they arrived here.
“Our thanks go to the manufacturers who delivered the new parts to us within such a tight timeframe and to the specialist riggers and mast builder who have flown out to work with our own highly skilled maintenance team to ensure we succeeded.”
Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “We expect the race to Santa Cruz to take about 14 days so the ETA is April 19. We are asking all Leg 6 crew to be available in Santa Cruz for a crew changeover on or before 1000 local time on April 21. The actual re-start date will depend upon the arrival date and the race duration but is likely to be April 23. The Santa Cruz stopover will be no longer than five days.
“Of course, the times are weather dependent. The boats need to get north out of the easterly trade winds which means crossing the variables to get into the westerly trades, then it is a spinnaker run to California. The extent of the variables is, well, variable! Our plan remains to try to get back on schedule for departure from Jamaica.”
The team worked through the weekend to ensure the task of getting westernaustralia2011.com and Durban 2010 and Beyond on their way to Santa Cruz is completed as quickly as possible. The two boats are to be awarded average points for this leg , and so will be able to get back in contention for the rest of the round the world race
This is the sixth edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the brainchild of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who wanted to give ordinary people access to the exhilaration of ocean racing.
Ten months after they set off, at the end of their 35,000-mile circumnavigation, the teams will arrive back in Liverpool, England, on July 5 during the city's European Capital of Culture 2008 celebrations.
Berths are now available for the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. For more information visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com . The Clipper Race is open to anyone over the age of 18 and there is no upper age limit.
