Three Peaks Race - New home port announced

by Terry Travers on 10 Apr 2014 Australian Three Peaks Race has been an iconic event for 25 years - a unique combination of offshore sailing and ultra distance running around Bass Strait and Tasmania's rugged and scenic east coast. Teams of four sailors and two runners tackle 335 nautical miles of sailing, and after each sailing leg runners make the gruelling ascents of Mt Strzelecki, Mt Freycinet, and Mt Wellington; a combined distance of more than 130 kms of mountain running.

Following the 2013 race the voluntary committee that organises the event were informed by their former host club, Port Dalrymple Yacht Club, that the club had a divergent view on the future of the race, and in October the club gave notice of intention to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding with the committee.

Whilst it may have initially appeared that the race was homeless, the Three peaks Inc. committee took the opportunity to defer the 2014 race, and use the time to examine every aspect of the event in order to enhance it for the next 25 years.

It became obvious early in the deliberations that Devonport, a city with a strong maritime history, offered a better venue to host the start of the race, with air and sea passenger links just minutes from the city, accommodation and support services within the city, and unsurpassed close viewing of the action on the river from parkland on both sides of the Mersey river.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Three Peaks Race Inc committee and Devonport’s Mersey Yacht Club.

Commodore Tim Grant said 'The club has as a strong tradition of hosting major sailing events such as the Queenscliff to Devonport Race, and is proud to be the new home of the Australian Three Peaks Race.'

Devonport Mayor Steve Martin who was present when the announcement of the race change was made at today's press conference, said he expected to see thousands of spectators watching the start.

In another change from tradition, the event will commence on Friday evening sixth, March 2015, which leads into the Labor Day long weekend in both Tasmania and Victoria.

Devonport hosts the Lions Club Taste The Harvest Festival annually over that weekend, making Devonport an attractive destination at that time of the year.

Organising committee chairman Terry Travers said; 'The date change will mean skippers have the option to keep their boats in Tasmania following the traditional Christmas races, do the Three Peaks, and use Easter to get their boats home.'

'If this event has been on your bucket list, now is the time to start planning.' he said. 'Entries will be capped at 20 teams due to the limited facilities at the smaller host ports.'

The two major race trophies will be a revamped Tilman trophy, a point score challenge within the reach of every team, as well as a line honours trophy for the first team reaching the finish line at Mawson Place near Constitution Dock in Hobart.

The Tilman trophy was donated by the British race organisers to the inaugural Australian race. It rewards older crews, slower boats and teams that send additional runners onto Mount Wellington, encourages charity fund raising, and penalises yacht performance enhancements such as moveable appendages and multihulls.

'The changes announced today will ensure the Three Peaks Race maintains the essential elements of 'team' and 'challenge' that has been the essence of the public popularity of this event since its inception in 1989, while adapting to the requirements of future participants.' said Travers.

In the countdown to the March 2015 start, further information about the race will be available on the race website.