| ||||||||||||
|
BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - GROUP 4 WINS SECOND LEG Wellington (New Zealand), Monday December 30th 1996 Group 4 has won the second leg of the BT Global Challenge - the world's toughest yacht race. She arrived at 00:16:30 hrs GMT on Monday December 30th (13:16:30 hrs local time in Wellington) to a rapturous reception, having sailed 6,600 miles. She had embarked upon her journey from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Wellington over six weeks before, making a wet and windless start on November 20th, after a month's stopover at the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club. Group 4 had won the first leg of the race (Southampton to Rio) with a 2 hour and 9 minute lead over Toshiba Wave Warrior; however, she had a disappointing start to the second leg, sailing close inshore and losing out on position as a result. It was not until the middle of the second leg that Group 4 began to dominate the race once more, leading the fleet for 15 consecutive days from December 16th until she arrived triumphant in Wellington's Lambton Harbour. The seond leg was a very tight race; at one stage, after three weeks at sea and 4,000 miles of sailing, less than 60 miles separated the leading six yachts in the race, highlighting the excitement and close-fought competition of one-design yacht racing. Along with the other BT Global Challenge yachts, Group 4 skipper Mike Golding and his crew celebrated a cold, wet, windy and uncomfortable Christmas Day in the Southern Ocean, with an estimated 5 days' sailing to go before reaching their next port of call. Sailing conditions improved as Group 4 closed in on the New Zealand coast and good winds started to carry the yacht towards her destination while blue skies and sunny weather made life more comfortable for her crew. However, the ultimate frustration was yet to come; the wind died late on Sunday evening when Group 4 was only a few miles away from the finish line at point Jerningham, leaving her wallowing stranded for over 12 hours. When she finally crossed the line she had a lead of 7 miles over her earest Save the Children who had made some 40 miles on her. As Group 4 moored alongside Queen's Wharf on Monday afternoon, she was welcomed by a large crowd of friends, family members, sponsors and race organisers, plus local media and Wellington residents keen to welcome home one of their own - Group 4 crew volunteer Grant Winfield is a Group 4 employee from Wellington. The Courtaulds trophy, awarded to the winner of each leg, was presented to Group 4 skipper Mike Golding by Courtaulds Coatings (New Zealand) representative Russell Pauling. Group 4's crew will now be able to welcome in the New Year and enjoy a well-earned rest in sunny New Zealand, before setting sail for the third leg of the BT Global Challenge (a journey of 1,250 miles from Wellington to Sydney, Australia) on February 9th, 1997. For updated information on the BT Global Challenge : The next race news report will be issued after the 2nd yacht crosses the finish line Internet site : http://www/btchallenge.com Fax database : 0990 321123 (+44 990 321123 from outside UK) Recorded telephone information line : 0891 505550 (UK only) Public enquiry bureau : 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) Ceefax page 388 (UK only) |
 Let's Talk |
 |
Copyright British Telecommunications plc 1996.
Notices| (i) | Copyright British Telecommunications plc 1996. |
| (ii) | Access to this information/data or any part of this page via the World Wide Web must only be by linking to the relevant page on the BT Global Challenge Web Site. (http://www.btchallenge.com/results/latest/latest.htm) |
| (iii) | This information/data was originally produced by "BT's Race Information System". BT shall not be liable for use of any part of it. Subject to (ii), you may use the information/data alone provided this notice is included. |
| (iv) | You may copy and use any part of this page, other than on the World Wide Web, provided you include all of these notices. You must not charge for public use and before such use you must inform BT by facsimile to 0171 777 7444 or email to h.brierley@btinternet.com stating the intended use. |
| (v) | Inform BT (as in notice (iv)) if your platform is not world wide web. |
| (vi) | Map data was produced using MundoCart/CD (a digital product of Petroconsultants Group). BT shall not be liable for use of any part of it. |