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Michael Clarke and top sailors join LOYAL

7th October, 2015
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Perpetual LOYAL owner Anthony Bell has recruited former Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke and two top-notch sailors, as he chases a second Sydney to Hobart line honours win.

Clarke, who sailed aboard the supermaxi in the Sydney to Gold Coast race last year, is the latest in a long line of high profile sporting celebrities to have sailed on one of Bell’s boats.

The list includes fellow cricketer Matthew Hayden, AFL icons Nathan Buckley and Jude Bolton, rugby league star Anthony Minichiello, surfers Layne Beachley and Sally Fitzgibbons, boxer Danny Green, swimmers Grant Hackett and Geoff Huegill and Wallabies Phil Waugh and Phil Kearns.

The Sydney to Hobart starts on Boxing Day, which for nine of the past 11 years Clarke has spent in Melbourne as part of the Test team.

“I was a lot more comfortable in the Boxing Day Test match that’s for sure,” Clarke said on Wednesday.

“On the one hand, I’m excited by the challenge that lies ahead, I think it’s probably in my personality to confront any challenge and try and make the most of that opportunity.

“But on the other hand there’s certainly nerves and a bit of fear there and I’m petrified by sharks.”

Clarke is doing the race to help raise money for Bell’s LOYAL Foundation for the purchase of medical equipment for children.

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“The machines that we are buying have saved the lives of my niece, my nephew and my Goddaughter, so I guess I know first hand how important these machines are,” said Clarke whose wife Kyly is expecting their first child in the next few months.

Bell, who took line honours in 2011 in his previous supermaxi Investec LOYAL, is looking at inviting other celebrities aboard this year, but has also supplemented his group of specialist sailors.

Tom Slingsby, the Olympic Laser champion, will be temporarily released from Oracle Team USA’S America’s Cup campaign to rejoin Bell, who he sailed with in the 2013 Hobart.

Also sailing with Bell this year will be top navigator Adrienne Cahalan, who has been part of five Sydney to Hobart line honours winning crews, four aboard Wild Oats XI and once on Nicorette.

Eight-time line honours winner Wild Oats XI and American boat Comanche are two other supermaxis entered for this year’s Sydney to Hobart.

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