Going south

Aussies win first leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

After a 3500 mile transatlantic crossing, westernaustralia.com has taken the lead back from Liverpool 08 by winning leg one of the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race. The Western Australia Clipper arrived into the Port of Salvador, Brazil at 2325hrs to a traditional Brazilian welcome – chilled caipirinhas, music and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the harbour.

It was a close battle for first place with Liverpool 08 coming in just one hour and 24 minutes after the Australians and finally taking second place - pipping the Cardiff Clipper by just three minutes.

The transatlantic crossing is deemed one of the most important races of this seven-leg, round the world yacht race and marks the first stop in the southern hemisphere. It is the first big test for the amateur crew of the ten-yacht fleet, coping with extremely changeable conditions from the frustrating calm of the Doldrums to the unpredictable squalls in the approach to the Equator.

westernaustralia. com have maintained a consistently good performance since the start in Liverpool, UK, on 18 September, and took second place in the first race to Cascais, Portugal. This transatlantic leg took 20 days in total, in which westernaustralia. com have held the lead for the past seven days, tactically squeezing out other yachts trailing behind in its wake and reducing any opportunity for the opposition to take the lead.

westernaustralia. com Skipper, David Pryce said: “We have been challenged by the other yachts at every step of the 3500 miles. I think i ground a couple of my teeth away last night worrying that Liverpool and Cardiff, just a breath away, would overtake in the fluctuating conditions so crossing the finish line in Salvador has been with both disbelief and relief!”

Skipper of Liverpool 08, Tim Magee said "Once again a very tight finish. I am happy to take second place, but I wouldn't let my crew sell themselves out to third! I am now looking forward to a few cold beers, a couple of days of TLC for Liverpool 08 and then we will concentrate on the next leg."

The yachts leave for the second leg on 25 October in the race for Durban, where they will face the challenge of the southern Atlantic weather systems followed by the treacherous seas around the Cape of Good Hope.

The yachts will visit 12 international ports – including Durban (South Africa), Fremantle (Western Australia), Singapore, Qingdao (China), Victoria (Canada) and New York (US) - before finally returning to Liverpool in July 2006.