Concert set sail with the rest of the Challenge fleet from Wellington on 9th February, sprinting 1,250 miles across the Tasman Sea to her next port of call in Sydney. Adrian remained with the crew due to the non-appearance of his replacement in Wellington and all seemed to be going well, with Concert battling for the lead for the first 5 days of the leg. One day out from Sydney the wind died completely on the leading yachts that had taken a more southerly course, allowing Save the Children and Courtaulds to finish ahead of the pack. Having escaped the 'Tasman Sea NCP' Concert finished sixth in a dramatic finish that saw the fifth to seventh yachts come in within a minute of each other.

At the time of writing, Adrian is in Sydney helping overhaul the yacht after it's 13,250 mile voyage from the UK to Australia. He is planning to return to the UK - and his desk in BT's Global Marketing Department in March, and another crew member will be taking over his berth for the remainder of the race, which is due to finish in Southampton in mid-July. Adrian is quite clear about the role he will be playing on his return to the company fold: 'I've been an ambassador for BT during this race and I'm sure that when I come back, I'll continue to help spread my enthusiasm for the BT Global Challenge within BT itself. Although the race is very well promoted to the general public, it's just as important that people within BT understand why we are supporting this venture and what it can do in terms of training staff and helping them develop as employees.'

He is keen to stress that anyone can do what he did ('I'm just an ordinary guy who has gone for it - and I'd encourage other people to do the same'), and he rates his BT Global Challenge experience as a very valuable one. As Adrian worked with his fellow crew members to unload their yacht on the quayside in Sydney's Darling Harbour, in preparation for the next leg, he summed up the last six months by saying 'It's great that BT gives people the chance to get involved in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I'm looking forward to putting some of my newly acquired team building skills into practice - I just hope my colleagues back at the office still remember my name !'

Since writing part four, Adrian has been fortunate to be included on the Concert crew for the fourth leg from Sydney to Capetown, as a late replacement.

Watch this space for 'Dear Boss, I may be some time'