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Eagle Spirit Race from New York to Sydney and all eyesCape Breton Island [06/06/2010]
6 June 2010
New York
All eyes will be on Canadian entry, Cape Breton Island as the internationally sponsored teams departed New York for the start of Race 11 of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race to Sydney, Cape Breton Island. With the home port curse appearing to have its hold across the fleet, the Canadian team will be hoping to be the first to achieve the elusive accolade of winning into their home port, something which has eluded Spirit of Australia, Uniquely Singapore, Qingdao, California and Jamaica Lightning Bolt.
Cape Breton Island’s skipper, Jan Ridd, believes that some local knowledge will give his team the upper hand they need.
He says “A gentleman I met at one of the Cape Breton Island functions here in New York is quite a keen racing sailor and he’s sailed this leg several times and has given me some inside information. Apparently there is quite a tidal stretch on the course so your placing compared to where the tide is will be key to winning this race.
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Victorious Spirit of Australia crew arrive in Panama [10/05/2010]
Victorious Spirit of Australia crew arrive in Panama
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 May 2010
Panama City, Panama
The ecstatic crew of Spirit of Australia have arrived in Panama following their victory in Race 8 of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race. The team led for much of the way but were pushed every inch of the 3,300-mile course by fellow competitors, Team Finland, Qingdao and Jamaica Lightning Bolt, who did not make it easy for them.
Spraying the traditional winner’s bottle of his champagne over his exhausted crew Queenslander, Brendan Hall, said, “That was a fantastic race, mainly because the whole fleet was pushing hard. It was very technical; we had some heavy weather coming out of San Francisco and then the light stuff and all the challenges that come along with that – social and technical. We’ve done pretty well.”
In addition to the ten points for winning the race from San Francisco, Spirit of Australia also picked up three points as the first team to cross the Scoring Gate. Despite two previous podium-topping finishes it is the first time they have netted the maximum haul of 13 points.
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Governor Schwarzenegger commends crews as Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race departs San Francisco [21/04/2010]
The teams competing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race couldn’t have hoped for better conditions for the start of Race 8 of the 35,000-mile challenge from San Francisco. A brisk 20 to 25 knot wind powered the fleet of internationally sponsored ocean racing yachts across the start line opposite the Golden Gate Yacht Club and out under the Golden Gate Bridge. Ahead lies a 3,329-mile leg to Panama which is set to deliver quite different conditions to the dramatic North Pacific race from Qingdao, China.
Wishing the crews well on the next leg of the race, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “This event brings together enthusiastic sailors for some great competition and I applaud all the participants for putting their talents and skills to work. As a former professional athlete I know what it takes to excel in demanding sporting contests. Everyone here has trained hard to be ready for this once in a lifetime opportunity and you can be proud of what you have accomplished so far.
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Justin Taylor announced as cover skipper for Hull & Humber [24/03/2010]
Justin Taylor announced as cover skipper for Hull & Humber
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
24 March 2010
Justin Taylor will take over as the skipper of Clipper 09-10 Race entry Hull & Humber following skipper Piers Dudin’s broken leg and subsequent medevac whilst racing from Qingdao, China to San Francisco. Piers has every intention of rejoining his boat before the end of the race but in the meantime the task of leading the team from San Francisco onwards falls on shoulders of the 38-year-old skipper from Brighton.
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Spectacular send off from Qingdao as Clipper 09-10 teams get set to take on the mighty Pacific [02/03/2010]
Spectacular send off from Qingdao as Clipper 09-10 teams get set to take on the mighty Pacific
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
02 March 2010
Qingdao, China
Following their hero’s welcome and an unforgettable stopover in the Shandong provincial city of Qingdao, China, the teams competing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race were treated to a spectacular send off for Race 7 of the 35,000-mile global challenge to San Francisco. As the brave sailors manned their boats and prepared to do battle with the largest ocean on the planet, thousands lined the breakwater of the Olympic Sailing Centre to send them on their way. A 15-knot breeze from the north gave a gentle introduction to the 5,680-mile race to California, USA, the longest leg in the history of the Clipper Race.
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Spirit of Australia claims first victory in Clipper 09-10 and team welcomed to Qingdao as heroes [20/02/2010]
Spirit of Australia claims first victory in Clipper 09-10 and team welcomed to Qingdao as heroes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20 February 2010
Qingdao, China
Following four second place podiums in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, Spirit of Australia has managed to secure an elusive first place by winning Race 6 from Singapore to Qingdao. At the end of what has been arguably the toughest and closest legs of the 35,000-mile global competition, which is contested by crews from all walks of life, Spirit of Australia crossed the finish line at 1307 local time (0507 GMT). Jamaica Lightning Bolt took second place by finishing at 1727 local time (0927 GMT) and Qingdao delighted the home crowd by taking the final podium position, their first of the race to date.
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Up-beat arrival for Clipper 09-10 fleet in Singapore [23/01/2010]
Up-beat arrival for Clipper 09-10 fleet in Singapore
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 January 2010
Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore
To the pulsating beats of 41 drummers, the Clipper 09-10 Race fleet made a dramatic entrance to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, this morning. Waiting to welcome them and beating drums of their own, the spectators included families, friends and fellow crew who had flown in for the stopover.
Singaporean crew members, Nicole Ho, who is taking part in the whole circumnavigation, and marketing executive, Karan Teo, competing on Leg 4, waved to the crowds from the spreaders, 60 feet up either side of the mast of Uniquely Singapore as the home team entered the marina. Confetti canons fired multi-coloured pieces of paper over the crew to welcome them.
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Cork crew reunited as Team Finland arrives in port [19/01/2010]
Cork crew reunited as Team Finland arrives in port
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
19 January 2010
Batam, Indonesia
The pontoon at Nongsa Point Marina in Batam, Indonesia, rang to the sound of tears, laughter and three cheers for the crews as Team Finland arrived in port at the end of Race 5 this afternoon, with seven members of the Cork crew on board to be reunited with those who had arrived on California on Sunday.
Loud applause broke out as Team Finland skipper, Rob McInally, brought the 68-foot yacht alongside and the waiting crews cheered the team’s arrival. They were the first of the Clipper yachts to reach the scene shortly after Cork ran aground and Southampton-based Rob coordinated the recovery operation.
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Cork's Fate Decided [19/01/2010]
Cork’s fate decided
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
16 January 2010
Following Cork’s collision with a reef two nights ago, the team at Clipper Ventures has been working closely with marine salvage experts and insurance assessors to understand whether the racing yacht is recoverable. After reviewing extensive material which includes video and digital images of the damage, reading reports sent from a number of qualified sources, getting hourly updates from the other Clipper yachts at the scene and discussing the options with a broad range of experts, there is clearly only one option open to the race organisers.
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Irish entry hits rock in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race [14/01/2010]
Irish entry hits rock in Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 January 2010
Cork, Ireland, one of ten 68-foot ocean racing yachts competing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race has struck a rock in the Java Sea, around 200 nautical miles north east of Jakarta.
All 16 crew were safely evacuated to the island and subsequently to two sister yachts, Team Finland and California. All are safe and next of kin have been informed.
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