Race in the steps of Peter Blake ... 2 January 2014 @1900utc

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larger image here

 

In 1989, a group of widely differing boats set off from Southampton, England, on the first leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race. The race was to prove to be a resounding success for Peter Blake and yacht Steinlager 2, an 84ft ketch, although one of the smallest boats in the fleet, Tracy Edwards' Maiden, a 58ft sloop, crewed by the first ever all-female round-the-world crew, did pretty well too!

 

Thanks to SOLer WetWing, Sailonline’s database includes the polar of Steinlager 2 so as part of the Sailonline Ocean Championship 2014, the Sailonline Race Committee has decided to include all six legs of the 1989/1990 Whitbread Round the World Race.

 

The legs are:

 

1. Southampton, England – Punta del Este, Uruguay

2. Punta del Este, Uruguay – Fremantle, Australia

3. Fremantle, Australia – Auckland, New Zealand

4. Auckland, New Zealand – Punta del Este, Uruguay

5. Punta del Este, Uruguay – Fort Lauderdale, USA

6. Fort Lauderdale, USA – Southampton, England

 

To make starts DC-able, Sailonline’s Race Committee has made minor adjustments to the real start and finish points – the idea is to provide a clean ocean-racing competition (after all, there are no onshore spectators to appease!).

 

This will be a magnificent opportunity for SOLers of all ages, not only to recreate a little bit of yachting’s history, but, perhaps, to try and beat the amazing records set by Peter Blake and Steinlager in the original race! Tell everyone to come and recapture yachting history on Sailonline!

 

Leg 1 starts on 2 January 2014 at 1900utc.