Betreff: Clipper 2002 Race Update
Absender: "Clipper _blanks"
Datum: 16. Apr 2003 08:38

Clipper 2002 Race Report
16 April 2003

CLIPPER 2002 FLEET NOW HOMEWARD BOUND

The fourth leg of the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race gets underway
tomorrow, Thursday 17 April 2003, after a three-week stopover in Hong Kong,
which has seen the largest crew changeover of the eleven-month
circumnavigation and the yachts hoisted out of the water for routine
indextenance.

The San Fernando Race 2003 has been cancelled however, following an eleventh
hour decision by the authorities in La Union to refuse entry to the race
fleet due to concerns about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

San Fernando is therefore no longer an option for the crews competing on the
Clipper 2002 race due to these quarantine restrictions. However the Clipper
yachts, namely Bristol, Cape Town, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Jersey, Liverpool,
London and _blank York, will still set sail with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht
Club's fleet at 12:00 (local time) on Thursday, 17 April 2003.

An alternative course is planned for the Club’s strong contingent of racing
yachts and the Clipper 2002 race route will now take its crews directly to
Singapore. The San Fernando Race represents the only time the Clipper fleet
sails in competition with other yachts and therefore it was an especially
popular event with the crews two years ago.

Setting sail from Hong Kong at midday, the Clippers will race non-stop to
Singapore, taking an easterly route through the South China Sea; a route
very similar to that sailed in the first two Clipper races. The challenging
course marks the start of Clipper 2002's homeward stretch and will cover
some 1,850 miles, with the fleet expected to successfully reach their
destination on Friday, 2 May.

In Singapore the fleet will berth at the highly impressive Republic of
Singapore Yacht Club, who are hosting the visit.

Clipper Ventures plc, organisers of the Clipper 2002 and Around Alone races,
continues to closely monitor Typhoon Kujira, which is presently to the east
of the Philippines.

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club has excelled itself as the host of the
halfway point of the Clipper circumnavigation and the overall points at this
stage show the Jersey yacht indextaining her healthy lead with 53 points.
Bristol and Liverpool are both chasing the leader with 46 and 38.5 points
respectively.

A mere 4 points separate the next chasers, namely London, Hong Kong and
Glasgow, who continue to close the gap threateningly. _blank York and Cape Town
are bringing up the rear of the fleet, although they will be immensely
popular winners should they secure some podium successes on the second half
of the Clipper 2002 race.

Following a 7-day stopover in Singapore, the fourth crew leg will conclude
in Mauritius at the end of May 2003.

Clipper 2002 Overall Order after Race 8
Place Yacht    Cumulative Points
1    Jersey    53
2    Bristol    46
3    Liverpool    38.5
4    London    37
5    Hong Kong    35
6    Glasgow       33
7    _blank York    25
8    Cape Town    12

Note: At the halfway point of Clipper 2002, the following penalty points
have been awarded.

London Clipper
- One point sail damage and one point course infringement

Hong Kong Clipper
- One point course infringement

Liverpool Clipper
- One point course infringement

Glasgow Clipper
- One point late submission of declaration and one point sail damage

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


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------