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Western Australia Names its Round The World Racer Clipper 05-06 News Release: Thursday, 26 May 2005 westernaustralia.com, the yacht that will represent ‘The Real Thing’ in the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race, will be officially named at a gala ceremony at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble, Hampshire today. Taking its name from the destination’s informative and interactive tourism website, the striking 68 foot yacht, resplendent in its blue racing livery, will now join the rest of the Dubois 68s fleet training off the English coast in the lead up to the race. Western Australia’s historic port of Fremantle will be the only Australian host port for the race and the Clipper will be officially and appropriately named by Commander Charles Fremantle, a descendant of its founder, Admiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle. As it makes its way around the world, westernaustralia.com will provide valuable international exposure in promoting the State as the ‘Real Australia’, offering an unspoilt, fresh and natural experience to its visitors. Penny Walsh of Tourism Western Australia, one of those selected as a crew member, said: “I’m extremely excited about being part of this crew and hope to make a valuable contribution. This event is truly reflective of Western Australia’s active outdoor lifestyle, with unique contrasts of landscape experiences - from the outback and beach, to city and open spaces and seas - plus highlighting a leading international event, all of which WA plays home to.” The Clipper 05-06 race sets off from Liverpool on 18 September 2005 with the 10 identical yachts following the longest round-the-world route. westernaustralia.com will face tough competition from the likes of Liverpool, Durban, Singapore, Glasgow and the race title defenders, Jersey. The Western Australia Clipper 05-06 race village will be in the heart of Fremantle, at Fishing Boat Harbour, where the same first class facilities previously available to Whitbread and America’s Cup crews at Fremantle Sailing Club will spring back into action. The yachts will depart on New Year’s Day 2006 for China, via Singapore, then onto Canada, Mexico, the United States, the Channel Island of Jersey and onto the finish in Liverpool in the summer of 2006. Welcoming the launch of the westernaustralia.com yacht, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures plc, the AIM-listed company that has commissioned the 10-strong fleet, commented: “Today marks a significant step in Western Australia’s Clipper campaign, with the official naming of her ocean racer. The yacht is a credit to both the Dubois design team and the successful build team at Shanghai Double Happiness Yachts in China. “Myself, the Clipper shore team and, most importantly, the crews that will race her around the world, are extremely excited about putting westernaustralia.com through her paces on the water. “We believe the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race will generate a similar level of enthusiasm, drama and excitement associated with Western Australia’s past participation in the America’s Cup and we look forward to experiencing the first rate event hosting services that the port of Fremantle offers later this year.” The city of Liverpool, European Capital of Culture in 2008, Singapore, the South African port city of Durban, Glasgow and the Channel Island of Jersey will also field competitive entries in the race, with sponsorship of the remaining four yachts to be announced soon.
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