Britain will have a team in the inaugural Antarctica Cup yacht race, joining New Zealand and Australian entrants already confirmed, organisers said today.
Portsmouth-based Boating Partners will take up one of two places allocated to Britain for the 14,600-nautical mile non-stop contest starting and ending in Auckland in 2005.
Team Challenge Australia
was the first entry, signing up in August.
They were followed in October by a New Zealand franchise, managed by Nick Crabtree.
The New Zealanders have round-the-world, America's Cup and Olympic veterans among their number, including Stu Bannatyne, Steve Cotton and Jamie Gale.
The nation-versus-nation Antarctica Cup is set to start on February 12, 2005, and is due to last 45 days.
The fleet of identical 25m maxis, each carrying 14 crew, will head south and east to round Cape Horn and on to the Cape of Good Hope.
It will pass north of the Kerguelen Islands to the southwest of Australia, before heading back to New Zealand.
- NZPA
