EVENT HORIZON

Relay4Nature is an initiative from The Ocean Race. Discover what it is and why it matters.

Created by artist Tania Kovats, the Relay4Nature baton is derived from the ocean, sustainable and inspired by nature. It is also durable enough to tackle some of the world’s toughest ocean conditions.

During the Clipper Race Circumnavigation temperatures can soar as the route sees crew racing through the tropics and across the equator. With little to no break from the intense sun and the frustrations light and fickle wind bring, these conditions test crew both mentally and physically. However, the tropics are also known for squalls, usually short lived and isolated periods that bring torrential rain, wild wind shifts and gusting wind speeds that can cause serious damage but also bring welcome relief from the heat and sometimes a tactical advantage. Whilst some squalls can take you unawares there are often indications and some can be predicted when in areas of high activity. It is all about preparation and depending on the intensity the crew can sometimes enjoy the tropical rain. Here the crew on board Visit Sanya, China experience a squall during Leg 5 racing from the Whitsundays to Sanya and First Mate Jorge Infante Llorca narrates.

After a hard fought and challenging 5,200 nautical miles across the Atlantic, the Clipper Race fleet faced one more hurdle in the last 48 hours as they started to get closer to Punta del Este, Uruguay. The notorious Pampero wind is a meteorological phenomenon commonly found around the lowlands of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. This burst of cold polar air can be violent and picks up very quickly. The Clipper Race fleet experienced this natural force as they raced down the coast. Strange cigar shaped cloud formations, known as roll clouds, appeared ominously and the crews set to work quickly reducing sail and preparing for the inevitable. In the case of the Punta del Este team, the winds hit hard and gusts of up to nearly 80 knots were felt on deck. A Code 2 Spinnaker is certainly not designed for anything like those conditions and as the crew battled furiously to take it down, nature did its thing and decided it would come down but in many more pieces than it went up in. The crew’s experience and skill meant that up against the elements, they dealt with the situation extremely well and were back racing along very quickly to an outstanding and warm Latin American welcome as they arrived at the Yacht Club Punta del Este. Find out more about the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race at https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

From Köln, Germany, Ina joined the Clipper 2019-20 Race as a circumnavigator just 10 days after visiting us at Boot Düsseldorf in January 2019. She has sailed recreationally in the past but after embarking on her four levels of compulsory Clipper Race training, realised that this remarkable challenge would be a complete contrast to her previous trips. (@boot daily) COME AND FIND US IN THE BOOT DÜSSELDORF SAILING CENTER HALL 15, STAND 15B24 Discover Ina's story here: https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/news/article/meet-the-crew-ina-baum

6596 Photographs, 2353 hours, 1 message. CORAL - the very foundation of the most complex and biodiverse ecosystem on Earth. Capable of curing hundreds of diseases, providing a stable economy to over 100 countries and feeding over 1 billion people on the planet - these marine structures are worth more to our planet than any tree on land. Unfortunately, coral reefs are currently the most vulnerable and endangered habitat that we have, and its lack of priority on the conservation agenda needs to change - rapidly. Shot on Canon 60D