As per the article below..
Clipper Yacht
"westernaustralia.com" rockets towards Singapore
Sunday, 01 January 2006
Race news:
westernaustralia.com, the Australian entry in the Clipper 05-06
Round the World Yacht Race surged over the start line this
afternoon after a spectacular in-shore match race that signalled
the start of the race north to Singapore.
Thousands of people lined Fremantle Harbour to witness the ten
Clipper yachts race around a series of buoys that gave the crowds
incredible views of the fleet as they sped past at around 10 knots.
John Longley, CEO of Fremantle Chamber of Commerce and of Australia
II Americas Cup fame provided dramatic commentary for the people
lining the harbour, who were basking in a festival atmosphere in
the mid-summer sun.
At 13.00hrs local time, 18-year-old Sam Gallagher, leaving the team
here in Fremantle but the youngest crew member to be taking part in
this race fired the start cannon aboard Zingara, the same cannon
that started the Americas Cup here in 1983.
An aerobatic display of Tigermoths and Chipmunks executed daredevil
stunts to wow the crowd before westernaustralia.com got the perfect
start and looked unstoppable as she thundered through the harbour,
under the careful helming of local-boy Jamie Weeden. As she crossed
the start line and hoisted her medium weight spinnaker to begin her
charge northwards past Cottesloe and Scarborough beaches to
Singapore, the crowds were still dancing to the sounds of Land
Down Under with Australian flags, entertainers on stilts and
face-painters providing a carnival atmosphere at Fremantle
Harbour.
Fremantle has come alive this weekend with Clipper Fever after
yesterdays samba band crew parade through the streets of the old
town, followed by a sensational firework display over Fishing Boat
Harbour. Todays incredible scenes provided the perfect start to
2006 and will stay long in the memory of those who witnessed the
event.
By the time the teams had reached Scarborough beach,
westernaustralia.com, under a medium-weight spinnaker, had opened
up a half-mile lead as the home team and race leaders look to build
on an incredible run of form. Crowds were thronging the beaches
with the surrounding roads jammed with traffic that backed up for
several miles in all directions.
The next leg of the 2005-2006 Race sees the Clippers race north to
Qingdao in China via Singapore where they will spend two weeks
enjoying the delights of the island before continuing north to
China and Japan.
