Sylvia Chesters has set sail;  Leg 4 of the Clipper Round the World Race has begun! Full details of the route are available on the Clipper website here where you can follow the progress of GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland and positions of all the boats in the Race Standings.

The 2,088 nautical miles from Albany to Sydney will take the racers through some of the most inhospitable and treacherous waters on the planet:

"From Albany, the yachts will head south-east back into the Southern Ocean. Once again, the race route will go below the 40th parallel for a downwind sleigh ride east to Tasmania. Going further south than on any other leg, this race goes through one of the most inhospitable parts of the planet. Going south of the rhumb line to get stronger westerly winds may be the fastest option but will add extra miles.

On the port beam is the Great Australian Bight and the unforgiving shores of the Nullarbor Plain. Here Australia sits above cold Antarctic waters where icebergs can flow north. The yachts will route toward the southern tip of Tasmania and into the Tasman Sea and the Bass Strait for the first time in an upwind beat against the East Australia current.

The teams will be rewarded for their efforts with the beautiful sight of Sydney Harbour.

The race to Sydney is expected to take around 11-14 days to complete depending on the prevailing weather the crew encounter en-route. The arrival window into Sydney is 12-15 December."