Crew are 4th into New Zealand

With just three miles to go, and Derry-Londonderry hobbled by a rip in their mainsail, De Lage Landen was in the lead and looked to have it in the bag until they hit a wind hole and ground to a halt.

Flying just two headsails Derry-Londonderry held on to the wind, crossing behind their rivals and pulling ahead of them until they, too, were stopped in their tracks.

The crews tried everything in their repertoire to find some momentum and it was De Lage Landen whose sails filled first, powering away from the team representing the UK City of Culture 2013.

However an error at the finish line meant they had to go back on their tracks to complete the course and it was enough to allow the jubilant Derry-Londonderry crew to sneak past them and claim fourth place.

Mark Light, skipper of Derry-Londonderry was thrilled.

“It was an amazing finish, I didn’t think we’d get it in the end but I think we definitely deserved something out of this race and the finish was brilliant – I loved it,” he said as he and the crew arrived in Tauranga Bridge Marina, the fleet’s base for the next ten days.

“We had a bit of bad luck around East Cape, a few breakages and some severe weather. We kind of got over that, were going really well, almost got third, and to get fourth is brilliant. It’s laid to rest some of the ghosts of previous races – we’d had two good results and two really poor ones. We had a big chat in the beginning, we knew what we had to do – work hard basically – and everybody’s worked so hard. I’m proud of them.”

Stuart Jackson, De Lage Landen’s skipper, admitted: “It was a bit of a disaster really. We crossed what we thought was the finish line and everyone started celebrating and then we were told you haven’t crossed, so you have to undo what you did to then re-cross which, in not a lot of wind, took us a bit too long and Derry-Londonderry pipped us to the post. They sailed a great race, so they deserve it.”

Derry-Londonderry crossed the finish line at 09.47 local time on Saturday morning (2047 UTC Friday 25), with a deflated De Lage Landen finishing two minutes later.

The result will see Derry-Londonderry climb to seventh place overall, while De Lage Landen drops a place to fourth in the overall standings in the world’s longest yacht race.

Earlier, Gold Coast Australia scored their fifth consecutive victory of the campaign, while Visit Finland strengthened their hold on an overall podium position by arriving in Tauranga in second place and New York claimed their third third place of the campaign.

Danny O’Sullivan, an airbus training captain who was born and raised in Corna Veagh, Co Donegal, is competing on two legs of the race. He and his brother, Padraig, will sail into their home port of Derry-Londonderry together in July next year.

Commenting on the conditions he and the team faced in the Southern Ocean, he said, “Nothing can prepare you for the sheer power of the ocean and the relentless wind. When you sign up for this you think you know what you’re getting into but it’s much, much more than that.”

Danny’s wife, Rosanna, whose family hails from Greencastle, was on the dock to greet him, along with many of the crews’ friends and family who have travelled to Tauranga to meet their loved ones and to enjoy an extended holiday in the Bay of Plenty area.

Among the many activities on offer during the stopover, crew will visit the volcanic White Island, enjoy the Bay of Plenty’s fabulous beaches, climb Mount Maunganui, indulge in a spot of fishing and learn the art of paddle boarding.

Glenn Ormsby, Tourism Bay of Plenty General Manager, said: “With 180 crew on board, the supporting race team, the crew’s family and friends and an international film crew in tow, this is a perfect opportunity to showcase our region.

“The publicity around this high-profile event will help spread the word that Bay of Plenty beaches are open, the water is clean and virtually all our attractions and activities are operating as normal.”

Mayor of Tauranga City, Stuart Crosby, said: “Tauranga City is very pleased to welcome the yachts here – it is great to have some good news about water borne vessels for a change. We look forward to welcoming the crews to our beautiful harbour and city and trust they enjoy their stay.”

Chairman of the Clipper Race Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail single-handed and non-stop round the world, said: “Our sponsors raise their profile on the world stage with tangible benefits in developing trade, promoting tourism, sharing cultural experiences and involving their respective communities. It creates a powerful legacy.”

Race 6 to Gold Coast, Australia, starts on Sunday, December 4.