Tom’s Way ahead (From Dorset Echo)
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Tom’s Way ahead
8:49am Friday 13th January 2012 in News By Laura Kitching
LEADING LIGHT: Portland’s Tom Way
PORTLAND sailor Tom Way topped the leaderboard in his yacht Derry-Londonderry this week in the Clipper round-the-world yacht race.
The 21-year-old and his crewmates are facing tough competition to be the winning yacht in the Gold Coast, Australia to Singapore leg of the 40,000-mile voyage.
Derry-Londonderry skipper Mark Light said: “After a fantastic last 24 hours of racing the crew of Derry-Londonderry are delighted to have moved up into first position.
“We have been reaching under our heavyweight spinnaker for the last day and have recorded some great mileage. Our average speed over the last 12 hours has been over 11 knots and we have managed to claw ourselves just ahead of Qingdao on the leaderboard.
“With approximately 1,100 miles to go to the Basilian gate, it is becoming a match race between all 10 Clipper 68s as we all start to converge onto the same headings and before long we will all be affected by the same weather.”
Derry-Londonderry remained in pole position at 3pm yesterday, with Geraldton Western Australia moving into second spot.
Castle Cove Sailing Club member Way left the United Kingdom on July 31 last year after securing a media and race management internship with Clipper Ventures and will return this summer on July 22.
He has crewed on four of the 10 identical 68ft yachts – he started the race on Qingdao, broke his nose on Geraldton during 30ft sea conditions, came fourth in race six on Welcome to Yorkshire and is now on the Irish-sponsored vessel.
Way’s proud mum Jo, of Southwell, said her son would be looking forward to reaching dry land after the epic 4,500-leg of the voyage, which has involved battling ‘intense heat.’ The fleet will arrive to a spectacular welcome in Singapore after mustering on the island of Batam in Indonesia prior to the coordinated arrival in Marina at Keppel Bay on Saturday, January 28.
Updates and further information on the Round the World race can be found at clipperroundtheworld.com
