The penultimate race of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race series is underway with the fleet of ten internationally-backed yachts setting off on their final ocean crossing from Sydney, Nova Scotia. The 2080-mile race will take them across the North Atlantic to Cork, Ireland.
It was an anxious start to the morning for the Race Team as the Clipper crews woke to a light breeze but, as the morning progressed, the wind filled in and by the time the yachts slipped their moorings at the Sydney Marine Terminal at midday it had strengthened to ten knots to allow a spectacular start in beautiful conditions in the harbour.
For some of the crew who joined the team for the last leg in Jamaica, this will be their first ocean crossing, for the round the worlders it will be their last on their ten-month adventure.
Half an hour into the race Qingdao were pulling out a healthy lead over the rest of the fleet. Durban 2010 and Beyond were second, westernaustralia2011.com third and New York in fourth place.
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