Betreff: Clipper 2002 Race Report
Absender: "Clipper _blanks" 
Empfänger: 
Datum: 14. Apr 2003 04:44


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Clipper 2002 Race Report
14 April 2003

_blank KIDS IN TOWN

The Hong Kong stopover is one of the biggest changeover ports of the Clipper
2002 Round the World Yacht Race; not only are we losing ‘leggers’ but we are
also losing many crew who have been with us since the race start in
Liverpool (UK) and who have sailed around half of the world with Clipper
Ventures.

Yesterday saw the ‘first day of term’ for many of the _blank joining crew. The
morning saw everyone meet up for a two day training sail to Shelter Cove, a
smaller satellite Club belonging to the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.

As the _blank recruits tentatively reacquainted themselves with the joys of the
galley and those headsail hanks that they will grow to love, some faces were
a little nervous. For some it has been nearly six months since they even saw
their boats!

This had all changed however, as the crews met up for a fleet barbeque last
night. Faces were glowing after one of the best day's weather we have had
here in Hong Kong had taken affect on the _blank English skins! Once more, talk
buzzed the club of sail changes, trim and the months ahead.

Back in the boat yard of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club all of the Clipper
yachts are now back in the water and as crew return relaxed and (almost)
recuperated from their breaks away in various countries of the world, the
fleet is getting ready for the off once more.

The RHKYC is itself gearing up for a high level of participation for this
year's biennial San Fernando Race. Considered one of Asia's classic offshore
races, the 480nm race heralds the start of the fourth crew leg of Clipper
2002 and will get underway on Thursday, 17 April. These last few days will
see many of the other competing boats being hauled out and sprayed down in
preparation for the race. Every detail checked and checked again.

Winds are often strong as the fleet departs Hong Kong and sails across the
South China Sea, but when the yachts reach the Luzon coast, the lighter
winds call for tactical spinnaker flying as they near the finish line at the
small resort town of San Fernando on the north-western Philippine Coast.

But that all lays ahead for the Clipper crews. For now, the crews are coming
back ‘home’ and preparing for a busy two days of stowing food and sails. And
of course they are still basking in the fantastically warm hospitality of
the RHKYC, despite the return of the drizzle outside!

Clipper _blanks Distribution
Clipper Ventures Plc
Tel: +44 (0) 2380 237088
Fax: +44 (0) 2380 237081
Email: distribution@clipper-ventures.com
Website: www.clipper-ventures.com

San Fernando Race 2003, Hong Kong to the Philippines
Race 9 of the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race


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