Peninsula All-Media Reporter Pan Lichao
Recently, the Clipper 2019-20 sailing race set off from New York, USA to Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The race mileage exceeded 3,000 nautical miles. Starting from July 12, the fleet began to cross the finish line one after another. , and now the large sailing ship Qingdao has successfully arrived at Foyle Marina in Northern Ireland , paying tribute to China Maritime Day (July 11) from a distance.
It is understood that this season’s Clipper Race has reached 40,000 nautical miles around the world, and the number of crew members participating in the 8th stage is about 175. The crew of the Qingdao experienced the scorching heat of New York and entered the cold wind and waves of more than 50 degrees north latitude in the Atlantic Ocean. The Qingdao arrived at the finish line as the sixth winner of this stage. Crew member Guan Yadi said, "The past 24 hours on July 12 were thrilling. The storm that had to be passed through had a maximum wind speed of more than 60 knots. The Qingdao The No. 3 spinnaker that had just been repaired exploded in the air at the last moment before the strong wind suddenly lowered the sail. But these 24 hours were the most enjoyable day of the game for me, which happened to include one of my day shifts, two During the night shift, I faced the storm on the deck for 14 hours, constantly raising, lowering, changing sails, and steering. Every time I was tired and sweating, I stood still. It might be because I had completed several light wind stages in a row. One thought is: This is what a long-distance sailing race should be like. The racing process is exciting, and the fleets can chase each other on the ocean. This is the most exciting part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. , let’s experience North Atlantic for a while longer. Chris is a super captain and knows how to push the boat to its extreme. The sprint of 200 nautical miles before the end of the race should be a record. I am very happy! ”
Zheng Yi, another crew member from the Qingdao, said that this was his fourth time crossing the Atlantic. The Qingdao departed from New York and could sail quickly on the ocean current "express train", but later due to operational problems, it faced the ocean current and got caught in the wind. hole, causing the long-term route plan to fall into embarrassment and even fall into the last position. At this moment, the Qingdao chose to give it a try. Constantly adjusting the sails, the three thousand nautical miles sailing turned into a track race: "When the storm hit in the last two days, the maximum wind force reached 60 knots and the wave height was 8 meters. The three of us taking turns at the helm were really tired and doubtful about life. It was intense. A careless or wrong operation while sailing downwind could result in the ship being destroyed and people dying. In the end, we did not expect to catch up to sixth place even though we were 300 nautical miles behind. The crew was as happy as if they had won the championship in this section. The sailing day has arrived, and when we return to the North Atlantic, it feels like time has returned to 3 years ago. I am very touched. The Qingdao will once again complete a circumnavigation, and the 44,000 nautical mile voyage is about to be completed.”
After docking in Londonderry for rest, the Clipper fleet will set off again on July 24 to begin the final sprint before returning to London. The much-anticipated and long-awaited moment has made people wait for three years. This season Clipper The Round the World Yacht Race set sail from London in the summer of 2019. After the first half of the voyage and the pause period of the global new crown epidemic that began in early 2020, it will finally return to the starting point to draw a successful conclusion to the season.
