​Seattle by night: Back-to-back arrivals into Bell Harbour Marina

Whilst the sun had set, the vibrant city lights came to life as Seattle's skyline was the backdrop for most of the fleet arrivals. After finishing Race 10 in such dramatic fashion, with only 42 minutes separating their finish times, Perseverance, Yacht Club Punta del Este, UNICEF, Our Isles and Oceans, PSP Logistics, Washington, DC and Dare To Lead all arrived at Bell Harbour Marina last night. Completing both Race 10 and Leg 6, it was a momentous occasion for all on board.

Perseverance

Ineke van der Weijden, Skipper on Perseverance reported on the thrilling final moments of the race: “About two and a half hours before the finish, all the other boats started popping up on AIS, so we were like ‘oh we need to get going now because we could get overtaken!’ It was crazy, there were eight boats going for the same tiny Finish Line after almost 6,000nm, all under different courses, sail plans but heading for the same spot. I think we did three sail changes in two hours just to keep going! At the very very very last second, we overtook Yacht Club Punta del Este.”

Image: Perseverance team

It was a challenging race for Perseverance, but after spending the start of the race at the back of the fleet, the team pulled it back to finish in fourth. Ineke said: “The crew don’t give up, even if it doesn’t go well, they don’t get down and just keep going.”

Image: Pippa Jephcott and Jade Golder

Jade Golder, 24, a student from the UK who is sailing around the world on board Perseverance said: “It was absolutely amazing. It was the one leg that I was quite nervous for, and actually, it’s been really challenging but not the hardest one. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Conditions-wise we had a bit of everything: some wind holes towards the end, some really tough conditions but spread over the whole race, so overall it wasn’t too bad.

“I think in moments when it gets hard, you forget about the racing and pull together as a team. That’s what matters and I think what makes our team really strong, in the moments when it gets tough we come together and pick each other up, and I think that’s the important thing. Even when we were at the back of the fleet, we just trusted in Ineke’s process and we fought hard.”

Jaap Koole, Perseverance Team Partner congratulated the team: “The Ultimate Test of Perseverance. After a difficult start the team did a great job. They were consistent over the whole race and finished in 4th position. This leg was a test of will to continue racing over an extreme distance and the team should be very proud of themselves and their achievement. A true life-changing experience.”

Image: Perseverance Ambassador Tom Neef

Yacht Club Punta del Este

Juan Villaveces, a 40-year-old, Business owner, from Colombia, who has completed Leg 6 on board Yacht Club Punta del Este says: “We have just arrived in Seattle after sailing from Qingdao, we have crossed the North Pacific Ocean, and it was an amazing journey.

“I feel very accomplished, very happy, can’t believe it's quite happened.

After over 27 days at sea, he adds: “You are not sure what day it is, your mind plays tricks on you, you just have to take it one watch at time.”

Now on shore what he is most looking forward to is: “I want to see my wife, have beer and enjoy a big hamburger!”

Image: YCPE team photo

Skipper Nano Antia said: “It was very challenging! So we are very happy to be here. We have an amazing crew.

“The past 24 hours was more like a matched race,but unfortunately didn’t go well for us as we missed the podium. But it was fun. It’s better when it goes your way, but it was still fun! It is always an achievement crossing an ocean, especially the North Pacific. I celebrated my birthday in the North Pacific, which was very special to me. This is one I will always remember.”

Image: Nano Antia

Commodore of the Yacht Club Punta del Este congratulated the team on their race: “This was already an extremely challenging, tough race, and we know the team faced some difficulties to make it more interesting... Thanks to their team effort and hard work they managed to sail fast and safely to port. Well done Yacht Club Punta del Este!”

UNICEF

Zina Krank, a 57-year-old design director from Finland said: “It’s my first time here, it's very cool to sail in. Very happy to be here, because this is the leg we have all been most afraid ofso now it feels like we are on our way home. I am so thinking of home. “It is always beautiful to smell and then see the land.”

Image: Zina Krank

Skipper Dan Bodey said: “It was a tough last 24hrs for us. We started off this race last then we were competing and holding onto third place for ages and then the final five miles just didn't work for us. We parked up in a wind hole and just watched the three teams sail passed us, which was heartbreaking, but the team have done really well, I am super proud of the team.”

Image: UNICEF arriving in Seattle

“A safe crossing which is a huge achievement, a few of the skippers have done three or four, but two is still massive. I am super happy and proud of the team to get here; I was saying to them earlier it is such a mammoth achievement to have crossed the world’s largest ocean. They have come through this crossing, done really well, as a cohesive unit, they are a great team and they have made it across with some really amazing memories and so should all be proud.”

Image: UNICEF team

Our Isles and Oceans

Tom Newsom, AQP said: “It is slightly surreal to see so many people, we have been on this boat for a month at sea. What a beautiful way to arrive, the skyline was awesome, with all the hills and then the city as we motored in.

“What a big race, what a great race. It was freezing cold at points; we were quite far north, and the sea state was challenging at times, but the crew are very happy.

Image: Our Isles and Oceans

“There was a split in the fleet after we left Japan, we were in the northern group and took the biggest gamble out of the pack going as high as we did, but the wind angles paid off, we ended up about 50nm ahead of YCPE. We decided to look afterour Codes[spinnakers] for later legs as the North Pacific is known for the damage it can cause. So, we are already really looking forward and ahead to the next leg and sailing round North America.”

Round the worlder from Canada, Lachlan Duncan said on arrival: “It was a lot of fun; it lived up to expectations. We took the more northerly route, so it was cold, there were big waves, big winds, and it was really exciting to sail to North America. For me especially we popped by Vancouver Island, which was really special as I’m from Canada. Overall, a great experience, recommend this leg, definitely a hard race though, but a great finish.

“I mean it really shows, 42 minutes between third and tenth, you can’t write that stuff.

Image: OIAO crew celebrate on arrival

“Crew worked really well together, as our crew has developed Max has got a little bit more hands off, especially with us round the worlders, giving us with more leadership. Which is helping us form our team even more cohesively.”

PSP Logistics

Mike Miller, Skipper: “I am so excited to be here, the third time I’ve been here."

Reporting on the race, he said: “It was long, relentless, and tough. I said to the team it will challenge you in ways you don'texpect. I think people came with a lot of expectations and it challenged us in a whole bunch of different ways. The racing was really tough, the weather was just cold and relentless, but we fought through it. I am so proud of them;they were exhausted at the end but what an amazing finish.

Image: Skipper Mike Miller

“After being 500nm behind we were cruising and the wind just kept blowing, forecasts said we were going to hit the wind hold but it never came; we just kept going and going. At the end we almost had Our Isles and Oceans and Perserverance, all of us coming together so cool.”

Lorenzo Gaudenzi Morandi, a 33 year old Italian circumnavigator on board said: "It has been relentless. We are very tired, but very happy to be here. When we see land we cannot believe it sometimes! We didn't come across any boats at all during the crossing apart from Washington DC."

Image: Lorenzo

"We did a lot of upwind sailing, but then a few nice mojito sailing days with sunny days and downwind, it was really nice. We had a few storms but in general not as violent as we thought it would be. I'm proud to represent Italy on this journey around the world!

"I'm looking forward to a rest, shower and a nice meal because we have been eating rice and noodles for a while now!"

Image: PSP Logistics

Washington, DC

Hannah Brewis, Race Skipper: “It’s quite a big ocean isn’t it!"

Image: Hannah Brewis

“This race is the ultimate test of endurance, perseverance and true grit. You have to keep going because you have to, but we kept going because we wanted to. We had such a good time; it was busy at times, but we came together, taking each day as it comes. When it's tough, you just focus on one watch at a time and try to enjoy the moment of being there in the ocean, the vastness of it, there are not that many people who have done it.

“We have been close to PSP Logistics and Dare To Lead a lot this race, and a couple of weeks ago I said it was going to be close between us three, but I didn’t think 10 minutes would be how close. In the end, Dare To Lead and us were coming in exactly at the same time to the same point, as we were the stand on vessel, they had to duck behind us and crossed 10 seconds after. Which after 28 days, 6000nm race is crazy.”

Dare To Lead

Megan Allpress, a 26 year-old circumnavigator, racing around the world with her mother, said: “I think before we set off it was this big scary monster, and then we set off and there was no turning back. And then it was very kind to us. The challenge really was the length of it; mentally keeping going. The weather was really kind to us and we didn’t get the really big waves or swells but we are really proud to have done it and all very happy to be in Seattle.

Image: Dare To Lead arrives in Seattle

“It just seemed to go on forever, never ending ocean but we all pull together as a team to get here.

“Its a strange feeling, now that we have done the Pacific it feels like the last big ocean is done and won't be long till we are back in Portsmouth.”

Ryan Gibson, Race Skipper commented: “It’s really nice to be here, it was a lot of time at sea, but we really enjoyed it, and it’s nice to be in Seattle.

Image: Ryan Gibson

“It’s definitely not the result we wanted, especially at this position in the race. We are normally really good at long races, so we were looking forward to this one, but there were so many different challenges along the way. Everyone stayed motivated though and are still really happy.

Speaking about the tense finish line, he said: “I was planning on having a nap before the finish, as I knew Charlie [AQP] had it under control, but I didn’t even sleep! It was really really exciting, and to be so close after such a long race really motivated us for the last two days.”

Image: Dare To Lead team

The final team to arrive will be Bekezela, due in the early hours of Friday 26 April. Follow the website and social channels for the latest.