With just over 600 miles to run to the Channel Island of Jersey, Race 15 of the Clipper 2002 is hotting up.

Last night saw Bristol Clipper sneak into the lead once more, but this morning, Simon Rowell and his Jersey team have clawed back the lost four miles and are just a mile ahead. “That wasn’t supposed to happen,” contemplated Bristol skipper Binks.

Continuing to make good progress towards our green and pleasant land, the Clipper fleet have covered just shy of 200 miles in the last 24 hours. Liverpool Clipper retains their all-important third place and running down the leaderboard, the fleet positions remain unchanged.

Looking at the position charts Liverpool and Bristol taken a more northerly route and the north/south divide has become more pronounced.

The southerly pack consisting of Cape Town, Glasgow, Hong Kong and New York have perhaps held onto more wind as they have tightened the gap slightly on the frontrunners and once again achieved some of the highest runs of the fleet.

Joining the boys in the south, Jersey Clipper has made more of a southerly course and looks committed to that route. Sailing with north/north-westerly winds varying from 8-15 knots, skipper Simon reported that they have the spinnaker pole right forward and are shy reaching with their medium weight spinnaker up.

Positions at 03:00, 19 September 2003 (Race 15)

1 Jersey 645

2 Bristol 646

3 Liverpool 652

4 London 684

5 New York 713

6 Hong Kong 720

7 Glasgow 732

8 Cape Town 751