A BREATHTAKING view of Sydney Harbour meant victory for Accrington skipper Andy Hindley.

Andy, 29, and his crew have been awarded the Courtaulds Trophy for winning the third leg of the BT Global Challenge yacht race from New Zealand to Australia.

The former Mount Carmel High School pupil skippered the "Save the Children" yacht the 1,250 miles across the Tasman Sea in seven days, 32 minutes and 58 seconds.

One of the youngest skippers in the race, Andy beat race leaders when he docked safely in Sydney Harbour on Sunday at 7.30am British time.

Andy said: "To have beaten the race leaders to Sydney is an incredible feeling, and when we entered Sydney Harbour the view literally took my breath away."

The success puts him in third place overall but he feels confident he will be standing on the winner's platform when the race ends in Southampton in July. Andy's dad Tony Hindley, of Hollins Lane said: "He is going to win the next stage and he feels confident he will win overall.

"He had problems during the second leg which slowed him down but that is behind him."

Tony speaks to Andy several times a week and will see him soon when they link up through a BT video phone.

A large group of family and friends are flying out to Boston to wish him luck before he sets off on the final leg of the race.

Tony added: "It is going to be a big party in Boston, but not as big as the one when he gets back to Southampton in first place."

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