One design fleet, one design problems is what they say and after the hiatus in the last Clipper race when all the boats were forced to make a lengthy unscheduled stop in the Phillipines with serious keel issues one wonders whether the double dismasting could be indicative of a fleet-wide problem.

Last week westernaustralia2011.com lost her rig and is sailing under jury rig towards Midway for re-fuelling and re-provisioning. Now comes the news that Durban 2010 and Beyond has suffered a similar fate, although the race organisers say the causes of both are not thought to be the same. However, as an apparently precautionary measure, the remaining eight boats have been instructed to cease racing, with two going to Durban’s assistance. No injuries have been reported.