Still fighting for 9th with 100 miles to go

At 00:01 today, Wednesday 16th January and with 100 miles to the finish JAMAICA has extended her lead over Qingdao to 27 miles. Achieving a distance of 86 miles in the last 12 hours she should arrive in Nongsa Point Marina, Indonesia, this afternoon.

Let's hope that after the disasters that they experienced at the start of this race with a number of spinnaker problems which were out of their control they will manage to cling on to a well deserved 9th place.

When you consider that in the last race Qingdao finished 3rd, their confidence will have been sky high going into this leg, but still JAMAICA has managed to out-sail them for the best part of 2 weeks. If JAMAICA has a dose of good fortune in the next race, sailing from Singapore to the Chinese Olympic village of Qingdao, this crew will be well placed to rise up the leader board.

With eight yachts now moored in Nongsa Point Marina, the crews have begun the task of deep cleaning their yacht, beginning routine maintenance and enjoying some well-earned rest. The marina on Batam, one of the Riau Islands of Indonesia, is where the whole Clipper fleet will muster ahead of the coordinated arrival in Singapore on Saturday 19 January.

The fleet’s arrival in Singapore will be part of the glittering opening ceremony for the new Marina at Keppel Bay. During the stopover in Singapore they will be berthed at the new multi-million dollar facility, the centre-piece of Keppel Bay’s premier waterfront precinct – the only residential development in Singapore to have its own world-class marina on its own private five-hectare island. It is owned by Keppel Corporation which sponsors Uniquely Singapore with Singapore Tourism Board as Race Partner.

Keppel Corporation’s Group Corporate Communications General Manager, Ms Look Fung Wang said, “When the Clippers make their Singapore stopover they will be hosted at the spanking new Marina at Keppel Bay.

“The Clipper yachts will add colour and vibrance to this new premier waterfront lifestyle hub, fast taking shape in Singapore’s southern coast of which Keppel Bay is an integral part. We believe this will help showcase Singapore as the Asian destination in which to live, work and play and promote Singapore as a leading boating destination in Asia.”