Welcome to Yorkshire secures second place in yacht race
Published: 1 September 2011
The only English entry in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, Welcome to Yorkshire, has secured second place in Race 2 of the 40,000-mile, year-long contest. At the end of the race from Madeira to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the team crossed the finish line in the shadow of Sugar Loaf Mountain today at 2210 local time (0110 UTC) after more than 20 days racing across the Atlantic Ocean.
In a highly tactical contest between the teams racing the ten 68-foot yachts, the crew of Welcome to Yorkshire kept up the pressure on eventual victors, Gold Coast Australia. The pivotal moment in their first transatlantic race was the Australian team's decision to take a route directly through the middle of the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast of Africa, utilising the funnel-like effect of the islands on the wind to catapult them through the centre of the archipelago and out the other side into a position of strength while Welcome to Yorkshire skirted the island chain to the west.
Second to the Scoring Gate behind Singapore, and therefore picking up two bonus points on this race, Welcome to Yorkshire has been locked in a three-way contest with the Asian and Australian boats for the last 3,000 miles.
"It was fantastic - the race had all the twists and turns you expect of a serious offshore race," said skipper, Rupert Dean, as he and his team arrived in Rio de Janeiro.
Paying tribute to his exhausted crew, who will pick up their first pennant of Clipper 11-12 at the Race 2 prize-giving ceremony next week, Rupert said, "We're absolutely ecstatic on Welcome to Yorkshire. My crew have played an absolute blinder on this race. They've worked really hard, pushed the boat hard and we've come away with a just result. I said to them that they'd been in first second or third position the whole way from the start in Madeira so we are all really chuffed with that and to come across that finish line in second place. I'm proud of them - brilliant!"
Clipper 11-12 is 'raced by people like you', people from all walks of life who put their everyday lives on hold to sign up to the challenge of a lifetime. More than 40 per cent of them have never sailed before they begin their rigorous pre-race training, between them they have more than 250 professions and more than 40 nationalities are represented by those taking part in the world's longest yacht race.
Against the backdrop of the iconic landmark of Corcovado, topped by the imposing, floodlit statue of Christ the Redeemer, 24-year-old paralegal from Leeds, Leonie Sutherland, said, "Arriving in Rio was absolutely fantastic, I can't believe we've done it. Actually I can believe we've done it; we've got an excellent crew, we've bonded magnificently. I couldn't have asked for a better crew, we've had no fall outs, lots of smiles, lots of hard work. It's been a whole rollercoaster of emotions both individually and as a team; we've experienced various weather systems coming across the Atlantic. It's the challenge of a lifetime - it's what we're here for."
Their second place finish means Welcome to Yorkshire is likely to move into the top three overall when all ten teams arrive in Rio de Janeiro and the results are confirmed by the Race Committee. Gold Coast Australia has consolidated their overall lead in the race, having scored two wins in the first two stages and two bonus points: one at the Scoring Gate and one for the Ocean Sprint. There are fifteen races in total in Clipper 11-12 with a Formula 1-style scoring system. The yellow, red and blue pennants for first second and third places in each of the races are highly prized by the people taking part and the teams proudly fly the pennants in each of the ports of call.
Singapore is expected to arrive later today, with the remainder of the ten internationally-sponsored teams due in Marina da Gloria by 5 September. The crews will spend time deep cleaning and preparing the yachts for the next race, across the South Atlantic to South Africa, as well as enjoying some well-earned downtime exploring the delights of the Brazilian city, including Sugar Loaf Mountain, Copacobana and Ipanema beaches and the cauldron of the Maracaña Stadium where the people of Rio indulge their passion for Brazil's national game, football.
Race 3, from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town, starts on Saturday 10 September at 1400 local time (1700UTC).
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Images
A low resolution image of the Welcome to Yorkshire team celebrating their arrival in Rio de Janeiro are attached. High resolution files are available free for editorial use at: www.w-w-i.com/clipper_1112_race/
Broadcast footage
Broadcast footage is available to download free for editorial use at: www.clipperbroadcast.com
For further information log onto www.clipperroundtheworld.com
For media information or interviews please contact:
Heather Ewing, Communications Manager
Currently in Rio de Janeiro (GMT-3/BST-4). Local cell phone: +55 21 7365 8526
Mobile: +44 (0) 7792 408 695
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 526000
Email: hewing@clipper-ventures.com