Simon Rowell and the Jersey Clipper crew have taken their second consecutive win in the Clipper 2002 Race from Panama to Galapagos. The team achieved a fast passage despite the threat of lack of win on their approach to the finishing line this morning.

Rowell took over command of Jersey Clipper in Cuba at the beginning of December 2002 and made an impressive start, clinching victory for the Channel Islanders on the race from Cuba to Panama. This latest race into Galapagos, the fourth in the Clipper 2002 series, sees Jersey as popular Winners.

The fight for second place went all the way to the finish. The wind held and London Clipper, skippered by Ed Green, finished at 02:22 UTC closely followed by New York who took third place at 02:47 UTC – just 25 minutes behind the Londoners after some 895 nautical miles of racing.

London Clipper now has three podium places out of four finishes and this result is just the tonic New York Clipper, helmed by Samantha Fuller, needed after finishing at both extremes of the fleet in the previous two races.

Now all eyes turn to those still racing to see how the other five Clippers will do on their charge to Isla Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands. The remaining five boats are heading for Gate Darwin, but they still have 200 miles to get there and a further 75-mile run to the finish.

Richard Butler aboard Bristol Clipper is now duty skipper and reports that the wind is light and fluky, with an annoying swell from the south killing any speed.

All the boats are spread over a wide front and only separated by 40 miles on a ‘distance to finish’ basis. There are wide fluctuations in places as the fortunes swing one way or another. Bristol Clipper has clawed back places well after dropping right back and Rupert Parkhouse in Glasgow Clipper has dropped from what seemed a comfortable margin in fourth having decided to break from the fleet.

The remaining yachts are due to cross the finish line on Sunday 5 January.

Latest Positions

04:00, 03 January 2003

Pos, Yacht, Distance To Finish

1 Jersey Finished 00:19utc

2 London Finished 02:22utc

3 New York Finished 02:47utc

4 Bristol 240.18 (nautical miles to finish)

5 Hong Kong 246.63

6 Glasgow 249.78

7 Liverpool 272.28

8 Cape Town 273.91