Scotland with style Clipper crossed the line ahead of the rest of the fleet as the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht restarted at 0610 UT (1410 local time) on Sunday after a spectacular send-off from the new Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore. The ten yachts motored to the start line off Nongsa Point, Batam, Indonesia, where Race 5 from Fremantle finished prior to the fleets choreographed arrival in Singapore on 19 January to coincide with the opening of the new marina.
In the sweltering heat and just 5-8 knots of breeze from the east, the ten crews struggled to maintain some boat speed. Less than a minute after the start, the heavens opened and the crews were afforded some temporary relief in the form of a tropical downpour.
The start of Race 6 to Qingdao will prove challenging for the teams as they race in the restricted waters of the Singapore Straits. With one of the worlds busiest shipping channels penning them into a tight area, they are being forced to tack in light airs to make it to the first mark, Middle Rock, which lies approximately 30 miles east of Singapore.
