| ||||||||||||
|
BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE - MOTOROLA ARRIVES IN WELLINGTON IN FOURTH PLACE Wellington (New Zealand), Tuesday December 31st 1996 Motorola crossed the finish line of the second leg of the BT Global Challenge today at 12:06:08 hrs local time (23:06:08 hrs GMT on Monday December 30th). She was the fourth yacht to arrive in Wellington's Lambton Harbour, and her time puts her in fourth place overall in the race, giving her a combined time for legs 1 and 2 of 67 days, 20 hours and 37 minutes. Having crossed the line and then completed customs formalities, she motored round into the harbour where a large and noisy crowd were waiting to greet her. Blue and white balloons (Motorola's corporate colours) decorated the arrivals pontoon, where race organiser Chay Blyth and various friends and media members were waiting with bottles of champagne. As the yacht came alongside, the "Batman" theme tune began to play over loud speakers, and her crew danced on the deck wearing Batman outfits they had made themselves, with the three female crew volunteers dressed in Catwoman disguises that they had created using their Musto thermals (Motorola's logo bears a resemblance to that of the "caped crusader", hence the crew's choice of fancy dress). Locals who had come down to Queen's Wharf for lunch looked on in amazement as the crew sprayed champagne on each other with great enthusiasm, while other BT Global Challeng yacht crews yelled their greetings to friends they had not seen since Rio de Janeiro. Skipper Mark Lodge, aged 31, was given a warm welcome by his girlfriend Michelle Lane, who has been following his progress around the world and who he last saw when he set sail from Brazil in late November. Motorola's crew were obviously pleased to have arrived at their port of call, especially as they will now be able to take part in the New Year's Eve celebrations planned for the BT Global Challenge tonight. The bars and restaurants of Queen's Wharf have been getting ready for what promises to be one of the biggest parties Wellington has seen this year, and the four yacht crews who have arrived so far - Group 4, Save the Children, Toshiba Wave Warrior and Motorola - will be more than happy to join in the festivities. Like the other yachts that have arrived, Motorola has re-rigged her spinnaker halyards to provide additional support for her mast as a precautionary measure, further to the rigging problems experienced by the fleet during this leg. Along with the rest of the fleet, she will be taken out of the water in Wellington and fully checked over before setting off on the next leg of the race on February 9th, 1997. For updated information on the BT Global Challenge: 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 telephone bureau: 01703 212124 (+44 1703 212124 from outside UK) Ceefax page 388 (UK)) |
 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. |