Race Fans, we have a WINNER!! 

At 08:30 (EST) this morning, BILLIE crossed into the finish zone as the winner of The Great Turtle Race! Congratulations, Billie, on an amazing swim!!  Although not the largest or strongest lady in the bunch, Billie swam hard for 10 straight days, surprising her competitors with superb navigation and unparalleled endurance.  Her exemplary performance was undoubtedly aided by billfish throughout the Pacific who rallied to support their turtle hero in the race.

Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for an exclusive interview with Billie and a slideshow on the finish zone – the Galapagos Islands.

And the race isn't over yet! Stephanie Colburtle now seems to have a lock on second place, barring any unforeseen currents or wrong turns. She is now less than 30 miles away from the finish zone.

Third place, however, is still up in the air! Saphira, Purple Lightning, and Turtleocity are in a close battle for third, just a few miles apart… And although she may not be the winner of the race, Turtleocity secured a different honor yesterday, for the deepest dive!  Hard to believe that anyturtle could outdo Tuesday's dives, but Turtleocity dove to an incredible 2,789 feet yesterday! Wow!

Although deep dives are not uncommon for us leatherbacks, the oceanographic information that these ladies have been gathering with their transmitters shows that this year is a La Niña year. This means that it's colder in shallower water than normal, bringing food closer to the surface and making us dive shallower than normal… So, Turtleocity's dive was especially unique, and a great display of athleticism!

Although Billie has secured victory in this year's Great Turtle Race, it's not over yet so be sure to check back as more turtles are crossing into the finish zone...

Congratulations, Billie! You ,made us proud!

- Mr. Leatherback

BILLIE, THE WINNER OF THE 2007 GREAT TURTLE RACE