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28 Breeze Magazine
Dramatic start for Ryder Williams in Auckland leg of the Ocean Globe Race Mastercard Youth Training Programme graduate Ryder Williams looks set to celebrate Christmas and his 18th birthday in the Southern Ocean, following early damage in the 7,400-mile Cape Town-Auckland leg of the Ocean Globe Race. At the time of writing, his ETA in Auckland aboard the Swan 57 Explorer was February 7, some three weeks after the race restart, which will take the 13-boat fleet around Cape Horn to Punta del Este, Uruguay. The race, which recreates and celebrates the spirit and conditions of the first Whitbread Round the World Race 50 years ago, includes an opportunity for a youth sailor to join race organiser Don McIntyre’s Swan 57, Explorer, on the leg finishing in his or her home port. Ryder, who is a member of the extended Whiting sailing dynasty, joined the yacht in Cape Town and had a baptism by fire on the first night of the passage home, which he described as a “very interesting” experience. After the start, the fleet struggled to escape the wind shadow of the city’s signature Table Mountain. However, by the time Ryder woke up for his midnight watch, they were well offshore and it was blowing about 30 knots with a “pretty big” sea state. “Through the whole watch it was building and building, so we tried to furl away the genoa,” he said in an interview with the race organisers. “We were quite overpowered. Unfortunately, the furling line broke, the genoa unfurled in 40 knots and we had quite a bit to sort out. We
Ryder Williams had a baptism by fire on his first night at sea in the Ocean Globe Race – Ivor Wilkins Photo. had pretty big waves coming over at that point and were going quite fast.” In the struggle to regain control, the halyard broke, the bolt rope started ripping, the sail went into the water and the crew ended up having to cut it away. With damage to the forestay and furler and no genoa, Explorer returned to Cape Town for repairs. Interviewed as they were about to put to sea once again, Ryder was keen to get back in the action. “We are about to get back to sea, which will be awesome. “It was a very interesting first night but we are pretty excited to get back out there and give it another crack.”
THE PERFECT GIFT An entertaining memoir and history of New Zealand yacht racing and boatbuilding from the 1960s – 1990s. Years of great change and progress through the eyes of one who was on the shopfloor and on board during Kiwi yachting’s march to world renown.
• AVAILABLE FROM
Boat Books Ltd • 22 Westhaven Drive, Auckland 1010 • Tel 09 358 5691 Contact the author at gil@littlerfamilyresearch.com
