Course shortened due to continued light winds

Due to the continued forecast for light winds, Race Director Justin Taylor has offered Invest Africa 12^th place which the crew have accepted.  

As this is not a retirement but an offer of a place they will get 1 point.  Team Garmin has accepted 11^th place, Qingdao 10^th and Mission Performance 9^th.  They will be awarded the corresponding points – two points, three points and four points respectively.  They will all now start to make best speed to New York through a combination of sailing and motoring, and are predicted to arrive on 2 June.  

For the remaining eight boats still racing, the course has been shortened due to the weather forecast so the boats will finish at the second of two gates, the most northerly gate, the Norfolk Gate. This gate is approximately 240 miles from New York itself. 

The original course instructions had two gates included for this purpose should the weather conditions seriously impede progress.  It is anticipated that the first yachts will cross the Norfolk Gate and finish on 31 May.  They should then arrive in New York late on 1 June.