Race 2 Day 26: Changing wind direction to test crews with tough beat into Rio

With less than 400 miles to go to Rio for the front third of the fleet, the changing wind patterns on the way will mean a hard beat into Rio after the recent spinnaker sailing.

Today, the wind will shift from a north easterly quickly round to southerly, south westerly headwinds overnight, meaning the more comfortable downwind sailing of the last few days will become a tough upwind beat into Rio.

In the last few hours, Jamaica Get All Right has overtaken PSP Logistics and is in front leading by just four miles, with Qingdao dropping back into fourth place behind Henri Lloyd which is making good speed at 10.5 knots having turned onto a south westerly course.

Jamaica Get All Right has made a charge into the west with skipper Pete Stirling and his crew gybing yesterday afternoon after seeing the wind shift coming to aim to get a quicker route into Rio.

Vicky Ellis, skipper of Switzerland, explains the changing weather front on the countdown into Rio.

“We are expecting a change in the weather that will see us battening down the hatches and transitioning from champagne spinnaker sailing to blustery upwind conditions in a matter of hours as a front sweeps up our route in a few days, switching the wind direction 180 degrees and giving us a long slog beat in to Rio.

“The crew are already appreciating what an awesome race this has been, the challenges have been numerous and the rewards priceless.  It is truly a life-changing experience crossing an ocean - I hope you at home still recognise us when we arrive in!”

For more details of the changing weather patterns, read the skippers’ reports here. You can keep an eye on the fleet’s progress to Rio here at the Official Race Viewer.