Another quite amazing day in The Times Clipper 2000 with the tail-enders closing right up on the two Golden Boys in the front. Three days ago the back markers were 237 miles behind and looking as though they would arrive well over a day behind everyone. Today only 22 miles separates the first from the last and the race is wide open.

Yesterday was also a busy day ashore with the announcement of the revised programme to take into account the fleet’s late arrival in Jersey. It is expected that the fleet will arrive in Jersey on Friday although, as everyone knows, there’s no guarantee. The new starting date from Jersey will be Tuesday 25 September and the finish will be at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth on Wednesday 26th September.

Yesterday afternoon Bob Beggs in Bristol saw his gamble of going even further north pay off and they ghosted past their rivals, Jersey, into a 6 mile lead. This morning the lead is 7 miles but they have a problem in that they are the northern boat and the light wind from the ESE is pushing them even further north. At present all the boats are heading for Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. This coast has some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world but this is of little consequence when you have raced 2,500 miles and are meant to be rounding a point off The Lizard in the south of Cornwall.