---

A Blow and a Few Bumps

Rob Howard / 25.06.2011

Overnight and through the morning the weather has remained wet and windy, which has given a few skippers a restless night and may have given some runners who are nervous sailors a sleepless one as they anticipate a bumpy ride to Caernarfon. Heavy rain continues to fall, though it is forecast to ease by the time the race starts, and the flags on the harbour side are stiff in the breeze. Beyond the harbour wall there is a heavy surf, and there are only a few hardy spectators on the front enjoying the bands and stalls.

Some of the crews who slept on board were kept awake fending off during the night when some moorings moved and the tide swung the adjoin boats around. There have been a few cases of minor damage, including some before last night and another with a bump with the ferry. Keith Mander, skipper of the adidas Terrex team said, “We set a shift system to keep on watch ... but it was only on my watches we had any problems!� When I asked runner Richard Ludlow if he had been on board his yacht overnight he laughed and said; “No, not a chance! I know better than that!� ... he has done the race more than 10 times.

At the race briefing for skippers and runners the Race Director Meic Ellis even asked teams to take their own start times ... “if the start buoy isn’t there.� Kate Hattersley raised a laugh by asking if the rules allowed you to come back into Barmouth for 12 hours to wait for better weather! In truth, there has been much rougher weather at the start before, and the forecast given by the Coastguard is 5 or 6 SW, but it is a pity for the spectators, dampening the spirits of race followers and families here to see the boats off. But that’s the British seaside for you!

The briefings were the usual mix of instructions and updates to runners and sailors alike, given by Meic Ellis from behind the bar to a packed room. In the wet weather the yacht club can barely accommodate everyone and the stairs and corridors are constantly packed with crews and race staff coming and going. Through the morning the final trackers were fixed to the boats, and last runners kit checks and boat scrutineering tasks were undertaken, so the race is now set to go!

See All Stories On This Race