The Tenerife to Bermuda leg of the Tall Ships race was cut short yesterday due to a lack of wind, with the ships heading towards the Island under motor rather than sail.

The results for this leg of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge have now been determined based on where each ship was at 11 a.m. Bermuda time yesterday.

The race committee at Tall Ships organiser Sail Training International made the decision to cut the race off early following days without wind due to a high pressure system over the Atlantic.

The ships' subsequent slow progress caused concerns at the local Tall Ships headquarters that the vessels would not arrive in time for Bermuda's four-day Tall Ships Festival, starting on June 11.

Now, Class A and B ships are proceeding under motor, with the first few vessels expected to arrive by the end of the week.

"For those who have sailed so well and are so close, this must be very frustrating, however in the interest of getting the fleet here in time for our Tall Ships Festival, it was a necessary decision," said Tall Ships Bermuda chair John Wadson.

He added that the Class D ships — with spinnakers — are continuing to race as it is expected that they can all finish in time for the festival.

Based on each ship's position when the race was called at 11 a.m. yesterday, the winner of the Tenerife to Bermuda race is Jolie Brise from the UK, with Tecla from the Netherlands narrowly pushed into second. Kruzenshtern from Russia is in third and local entrant Spirit of Bermuda in fourth, with Romanian ship Mircea in fifth and Belle Poule from France in sixth.

Sail Training International's race committee stressed that these positions are very much provisional until all the ships arrive in Bermuda and their race declaration forms are handed in.

Of the Class D ships the only ones still racing Xsaar from Belgium remains in the lead on corrected time. Behind her is Peter von Danzig from Germany in second, Rona II from the UK in third and Urania from the Netherlands in fourth.

On the water, without taking into account corrected time, Peter von Danzig remains in the lead with Spirit of Bermuda in second.

Sail Training International expects to post an estimated time of arrival in Bermuda for each ship at some time today.

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The Spirit of Bermuda is heading for Bermuda as part of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge. Here is the latest despatch from the ship, written by the Royal Gazette's Ruth O'Kelly-Lynch.

and the ship's captain Today, after days of light and variable airs Spirit found her breeze and turned her head for home.

Hours later the decision came through to end the race early for the sake of the slower ships that will have to motor in order to arrive in Bermuda on time.

It's a disappointment for the crew who were looking forward to racing all the way, having worked patiently for this fair breeze and the chance to improve our standings.

Spirit was on track to arrive well within the original deadline, but most of our class would have retired. This crew has made many friends aboard other ships and we are looking forward to showing them Bermudian hospitality, once they catch up.

At race end we were second on the water, fourth on corrected time and the nearest tall ship to Bermuda.

Spirit's position at 1400UTC: Tuesday June 2.

31º17'N x 52º30'W

COG 290ºT

SOG 5.6 knots

Force 4 SW'ly, slight sea, fine and sunny scattered Cumulus

Barometer 1019.5 mb and steady.

Under full sail, Close Reach.

Daily run since 1400 yesterday 54.6 NM as the crow flies.

1889 NM from Santa Cruz de Tenerife

613 NM from St. David's Light, Bermuda