SunShark takes third position in the 1999 World Solar Challenge

DAY SIX - 1999 SOLAR CAR CHALLENGE 22/10/99 SunShark takes third position in the 1999 World Solar Challenge

The University of Queensland's solar racing vehicle SunShark has finished third in the 1999 World Solar Challenge.

The SunShark driven by Paul Sernia crossed the finishing line at Victoria Park in Adelaide at 9.08am local time.

Team publicist Elana Maher said the SunShark had an amazing run from Darwin and had performed beautifully.

"We are the first Australian university to finish and we came in less than an hour behind the winner Aurora 1 from Melbourne," she said.

"To be that close after 3010 kilometres and five days of hard racing is fantastic."

The overcast conditions during the race prevented any race records being broken but SunShark was able to complete the race about six hours faster than the model that competed in the 1996 race.

SunShark led the race out of Darwin and again for a short period on Wednesday on the South Australian leg of the race.

Project leader Darren Bell said the team couldn't maintain the pace to stay in front because of the need to conserve their battery power.

Asked what the crew would do now after five days "roughing it" on the roadside, Ms Maher had a brief but relaxed reply.

"We going to celebrate."

Final Placings:
First - Aurora 101 from Melbourne, finishing at 8.37am Friday 22/10/99
Second - Radiance from Queen's University in Canada. finishing at 8.50am 22/10/99
Third - SunShark from the University of Queensland finishing at 9.09am
Fourth - Desert Rose from the Northern Territory University finsihing at 10.01am 22/10/99

For more information contact Elana Maher on telephone 0145/199 360
or Ron Drynan in Brisbane on telephone 0412/261 529

Released 1230 on 22/10/99