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Foul weather frustrates Derry crew

20111125 Copyright onEdition 2011�'Free for editorial use image, please credit: www.smileclick.co.nz/onEdition''Derry-Londonderry crew members arrive in Tauranga, New Zealand, at the end of Race 5 of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.' 'The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started from Southampton on the south coast of the UK on 31 July 2011. The route will take the crews of the ten, identical 68-foot yachts, each sponsored by a city, state, country or corporation, via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Geraldton Western Australia, New Zealand, Gold Coast Australia, Singapore, Qingdao in China, California, Panama, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Den Helder in the Netherlands before returning on 22 July 2012 to the south coast of England.' 'For more information and to arrange interviews contact Heather Ewing: hewing@clipper-ventures.com, telephone +44 (0) 2392 526000 or visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com. 'For further images please go to: www.w-w-i.com/clipp
20111125 Copyright onEdition 2011�'Free for editorial use image, please credit: www.smileclick.co.nz/onEdition''Derry-Londonderry crew members arrive in Tauranga, New Zealand, at the end of Race 5 of the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.' 'The Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race started from Southampton on the south coast of the UK on 31 July 2011. The route will take the crews of the ten, identical 68-foot yachts, each sponsored by a city, state, country or corporation, via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Geraldton Western Australia, New Zealand, Gold Coast Australia, Singapore, Qingdao in China, California, Panama, New York, Nova Scotia, Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Den Helder in the Netherlands before returning on 22 July 2012 to the south coast of England.' 'For more information and to arrange interviews contact Heather Ewing: hewing@clipper-ventures.com, telephone +44 (0) 2392 526000 or visit www.clipperroundtheworld.com. 'For further images please go to: www.w-w-i.com/clipp

Frustration with foul weather continues to mount for the Derry clipper crew as they close in on the Australian Gold Coast.

Sitting in last place with the top three yachts having just around 60 nautical miles to go to the finish line, the Derry~Londonderry crew have been run ragged in recent days. Skipper Mark Light said yesterday: “We have been well and truly hammered once again by a small, vicious low pressure that has come off the land. This system, although not very big, has been very fast moving and particularly aggressive with massive changes in wind speeds.”

Sail changes in rapid succession, reefs in and out and torrential rain have exhausted the team. The captain added: “I feel so sorry for the crew as they have put in so much effort, yet we still slip further down the rankings. I’m sure it is not the case but right now it feels like we are the only boat who is getting hammered while others seem to sail away from us. I hope our fortunes change for the better before very long. We certainly deserve a break.”

However, Mark praised the hard work of his crew.

“I have told my crew not to be disappointed too much as we have sailed well with no significant errors and no major damage.”

Last night Visit Finland and Gold Coast Australia were in joint first place with De Lage Landen seven nautical miles behind.

The Derry clipper was 108 nautical miles behind the leaders.