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Victorious Spirit of Australia crew arrive in Panama  [10/05/2010]

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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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