WESTERNAUSTRALIA2011.COM ACHIVES PODIUM

In my experience of ocean racing, this has been by far the closest result ever, with excitement and tension all the way. We’ve had a few setbacks in the past few months and it feels so good to prove we haven’t lost the plot and are back up to speed again. I’m also very thankful for the boats that raced us so hard and kept us pushing to the end. Once the celebrations are over I shall sleep very well tonight.”

Less than one nautical mile behind westernaustralia2011.com was Liverpool 08 who finished in third place to also achieve a third podium of the Clipper
07-08 Race series. The result is a return to form for the team representing the north west of England and comes just five weeks before their biggest test when Liverpool 08 will attempt to repeat New York’s recent achievement by winning into their home port next month. Skipper of Liverpool 08, Ben Galloway, said, "Suspense and anticipation were killing myself and the rest of the crew. It's definitely been the most intense race so far, especially the last fifteen minutes not knowing whether we stood in first, second or third. We were waiting for the emails to come in but as the cards unfolded they didn’t turn up at first, but then they flew in revealing that we had came third to westernaustralia2011.com. Still, a triumphant victory over some boats that we needed to place well against. Having not been on the podium since Singapore, despite our efforts and sometimes not reflecting the efforts that we have put in, the result has come has a huge moral boost to the team."

Despite some fast reaching conditions at the beginning of the race, the teams found themselves hampered by frustratingly light winds over the last 48-hours, clocking an average of around 50 miles a day. With these exceptionally light winds due to continue along the whole coastal region for some time and the projected ETA in New York at these speeds pushed out to another two weeks, the Race Committee took the decision to finish Race 11 at 0000UTC 31 May (2000 30 May local time in New York).

The final results for Race 11 have been taken from the positions that were reported at that time and the distance to finish to Ambrose Light, the location of the original Race 11 finish line:

1 New York 456.50 nautical miles
2 westernaustralia2011.com 459.18 nautical miles
3 Liverpool 08 460.19 nautical miles
4 Qingdao 461.73 nautical miles
5 Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper 461.99 nautical miles
6 Jamaica 463.80 nautical miles
7 Uniquely Singapore 467.81 nautical miles
8 Hull & Humber 469.73 nautical miles
9 Nova Scotia 473.23 nautical miles
10 Durban 2010 and Beyond 484.65 nautical miles

Race Director, Joff Bailey, said: “Overall this must have been the closest fought ocean race of Clipper 07-08 as at any time six or seven of the leading boats were fighting for the podium positions and there were lots of place changes right up to the last minute.

“This has been a great race with many of the teams being within sight of each other since the start of the race in Jamaica. The closeness of the racing is a testament to how well all of the crews are performing and how much they have developed as sailors since the start of the race last September. The next five weeks of racing will be very exciting to watch as the Clipper 07-08 Race draws to its climax in Liverpool on the 5 July, during the height of the city’s celebrations as European Capital of Culture 2008.”

The fleet is now making best speed towards New York, with the first boats expected to arrive on Sunday evening (local time). The entire fleet will be berthed at North Cove Marina, Battery Park City for the duration of the three-day stopover.