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As Global Challenge fleet arrive back in Portsmouth after nine month round the world adventure

Today, BG Spirit won leg seven of the Global Challenge 2004/2005 yacht race, making them overall victors of this nine month race and winners of the Princess Royal Trophy. After a fiercely fought three day sprint from La Rochelle to Portsmouth, the ecstatic BG Spirit Crew crossed the finish line at 11.55 (BST), claiming first place on this final leg; a hat-trick for skipper Andy Forbes and his crew. Since the race started in Portsmouth on 3 October 2004, the 12-strong Global Challenge fleet has circumnavigated the globe, covering over 33,000 nautical miles. Today’s result sees BG Spirit claim first place on the podium with 90 points, in what has been the closest Global Challenge race in the event's history.

An emotional BG Spirit skipper, Andy Forbes, was delighted with his team’s victory: ”To win this leg and come first overall is absolutely unbelievable. It was an incredibly tense finish. We were neck and neck with Barclays Adventurer at The Needles this morning and then they passed us by about half a mile. We pulled them back down the western Solent through some great sailing and tactical work and crossed the line in first place - we couldn’t have wished for a better finish!”

Forbes continued, “I am so proud to be part of this crew - it’s these guys that sail the boat, 70% of them were inexperienced and had never really sailed before. Here they are after nine months and 33,000 miles, having won the Global Challenge yacht race.”

Frank Chapman, CEO of BG Group and crew member on legs six and seven commented: “To come in first and have the stage for yourself is an unbelievable feeling. This morning we’d been leading the race for sometime, and then to be overhauled by Barclays, we had to re-gather ourselves and focus very hard. We pulled them back and finished about half a mile in front. As you can image, after such a performance, the crew feels tremendously good about the whole thing.”

“When BG Group started the sponsorship we had some ideas about leadership development. We wanted to promote the brand globally and give our employees something to focus on to see the brand at work on the world stage. The mind-set and skills involved in this race mirror the qualities that are important in making BG Group the success that it is today. The sponsorship has achieved our objectives beyond our wildest dreams - absolutely unbelievable.”

During the past 24 hours of this final 420nm drag race from La Rochelle in France, BG Spirit and Barclays Adventurer have been caught in a dual for first place, with VAIO and SAIC La Jolla just miles behind them as they worked their way up the Solent, fighting against the foul tide. The BG Spirit crew members have had to draw on every last ounce of energy to sail the yacht as fast as possible to the finish line and their efforts have been rewarded with the greatest prize of all - victory!

The BG Spirit crew has come a long way since it left the dock in Portsmouth last year, a team of 17 amateur sailors with one professional Skipper, filled with trepidation at the extraordinary adventure that lay ahead. The race has required spirit, courage and determination from every crew member on board. They have experienced Southern Ocean hailstorms, been battered by 65ft waves and endured all the frustrations that the Doldrums have to offer. BG Spirit has achieved consistently strong results throughout the race, winning three of the seven legs and obtaining an impressive five podium positions. They have become a slick well-oiled machine and returned as a professional ocean racing team.

The Overall Prize Giving ceremony will take place at 16.00 (BST) in Gunwharf Quays tomorrow, 17 July, when BG Spirit will receive the trophy for first place on Leg Seven, together with the Princess Royal Trophy for the overall winner. This will be presented by Sir Chay Blyth, founder of this race.

More photos on the following pages...