Crews head out of Brisbane ready for Race 8 start

The Clipper Race crews have left Rivergate Marina, Brisbane and are headed down river in a Parade of Sail before going out into Moreton Bay for a practice sail ahead of the Le Mans race start offshore at 1700.

Race 8 to Singapore, the Old Pulteney Navigator Cup, will be one of the most testing races of the global circuit which will push skippers and crews to their mental and physical limits.

The 4500 mile race is expected to take around 28 days with meteorological challenges coming from tropical storms and the Pacific Ocean equivalent of the Doldrums.

The geographical hazards come from the narrow confines of the Indonesian Island chain.

Once north of the equator, the fleet will leave Papua New Guinea to port and start a light airs battle in high temperatures through the islands of Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Rich Gould, skipper of Invest Africa, said: “We will be going up north of the equator and trim will be critical when 0.1 knot of boat speed can make a difference to overall results. It will be a different kind of race to the shorter races we have been sailing recently and we will need a different mindset for a month at sea.”

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky is sponsoring Race 8 to pay tribute to the skilful individuals who will navigate this tough seafaring challenge.

Known as the Maritime Malt due to its rich seafaring heritage, Old Pulteney’s partnership with the Clipper Race celebrates the spirit of global maritime adventure.

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