Historic win as New York romps to victory into home port

This elusive accolade of a home port win has only been achieved once before in the history of the biennial round the world race, by Canadian entry Victoria Clipper, in Clipper 05-06.

In what has been one of the closest races of the ten-month series, the New York team was able to hold its nerve and clinch victory in a nail biting finish that saw the top six teams finishing within eight nautical miles each other.

Skipper of New York, Duggie Gillespie, said, “I am extremely pleased with our win. The team worked really hard under busy light wind conditions and I am very proud of them all. It is a new experience for me to go to New York and what better way than to lead the fleet into our home port.”

Round the world crew member on New York and city resident, Justyn Comer, said, “I’m incredibly proud to have won on New York coming into my home town and our home port. It’s been a very interesting race with so many different types of conditions. We worked very hard and made very few mistakes. Of course at the end of the day we owe most of it to our fearless skipper, Duggie.”

New York was just three and a half points behind overall race leaders Hull & Humber at the start of Race 11 from Jamaica and, subject to protests upon the fleet’s arrival in port, the result catapults the US team to the top of the leader board. A disappointing eighth place result means that Hull & Humber has now slipped into second place overall and they now find themselves with a three and a half point deficit on the new race leaders.

On hearing the news of New York’s victory, Ken Podziba, New York’s Sports Commissioner, said: “The city of New York is proud of New York’s victory in the latest leg of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race. We’re excited to have the opportunity to personally show the skipper and crew of New York how much we appreciate them when they arrive here in a few days. Moreover, we look forward to welcoming all the teams from around the world to our city who, through this amazing and gruelling competition, have united countries through the great sport of sailing.”

Despite some fast reaching conditions at the beginning of the race, the teams found themselves hampered by frustratingly light winds over the last 48-hours, clocking an average of around 50 miles a day. With these exceptionally light winds due to continue along the whole coastal region for some time and the projected ETA in New York at these speeds pushed out to another two weeks, the Race Committee took the decision to finish Race 11 at 0000UTC 31 May (2000 30 May local time in New York).

The final results for Race 11 have been taken from the positions that were reported at that time and the distance to finish to Ambrose Light, the location of the original Race 11 finish line.

Race Director, Joff Bailey, said: “Overall this must have been the closest fought ocean race of Clipper 07-08 as at any time six or seven of the leading boats were fighting for the podium positions and there were lots of place changes right up to the last minute.

“This has been a great race with many of the teams being within sight of each other since the start of the race in Jamaica. The closeness of the racing is a testament to how well all of the crews are performing and how much they have developed as sailors since the start of the race last September. The next five weeks of racing will be very exciting to watch as the Clipper 07-08 Race draws to its climax in Liverpool on the 5 July, during the height of the city’s celebrations as European Capital of Culture 2008.”

New York is now making best speed towards her home port where upon arrival the team is set to receive a rapturous welcome. Reflecting on the race and looking forward to arriving into the city where he was born, New York crew member, Nate Thompson, said: “After seven days of either a fair amount of wind or none at all and after exhibiting diligence, patience and dedication we achieved the result we were after - even more significant because we have broken the home port curse and it is really good to be going home.”

The first boats are expected to arrive in New York on Sunday evening (local time) and will be berthed at North Cove Marina, Battery Park City for the duration of the three-day stopover.

The internationally sponsored boats making up the ten-strong Clipper fleet are an impressive sight whether out racing or alongside in port. New Yorkers are invited to come down to see the fleet over the next couple of days and watch as the teams prepare their boats for the next race to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The fleet will slip their berths in North Cove at 08:00 local time on 4 June and perform a formation sail past the Statue of Liberty before heading out of the Hudson to start Race 12.