Australian Three Peaks Race - Peccadillo heads for Hobart
by Peter Campbell on 24 Apr 2011
Haphazard - Three Peaks Race Paul Scrambler
Australian Three Peaks Race - A race record is on the cards in the Australian Three Peaks Race, the iconic Easter endurance event that combines ocean yacht racing and mountain running around the eastern coast of the island state of Tasmania.
Melbourne catamaran Peccadillo, skippered by Charles Meredith, at 10.30am today was 70 nautical miles from Hobart on the final sailing (and rowing) leg.
The Atlantic 46 MkII left Coles Bay on the east coast early this morning after a record second leg sail from Flinders Island yesterday and another fast run to Mount Freycinet overnight.
The overall race record, a combination of sailing and running times stands at two days 10 hours and 24 minutes for the 335 nautical miles of sailing, 133km of running and mountain ascents of 2,646m.
By mid-morning Peccadillo was sailing past Maria Island and will head into Marion Bay to pass through the Denison Canal at Dunalley, a feat that will require rowing rather than sailing the big cat. From there the crew have open sailing across Norfolk Bay and Frederick Henry Bay into Storm Bay and finally the River Derwent.
At 10.30am, Peccadillo was 47 nautical miles ahead of the second placed boat in the fleet, the Hobart catamaran VisitFlindersIsland.com.au, skippered by Steve Laird, which was south-west of the Schouten Island.
Four miles astern was the leading monohull yacht, AdvantEdge, an Inglis 47 skippered by Andrew Jones, from Launceston. Also on its way to Hobart was another Tamar yacht, Bruce Edmunds’ Haphazard.
Several other teams were still ashore, including the runners of Slingshot who were making a second bid to reach Mount Freycinet after losing their way during the night. Don’t Panic and Cradle Mountain Chateau have yet to reach Coles Bay.
The stream of cold westerly wind is continuing over Tasmania, with the 15-25 knot south-westerly forecast to ease slightly during the day, dropping away to 10 knots by nightfall.
Peccadillo is currently making just under eight knots and race officials expect the powerful catamaran to finish at Hobart’s Constitution Dock early this evening. From there her fast running team face a 33km climb to the final peak, Mount Wellington, to win the 23rd Australian Three Peaks
Australian Three Peaks Race website
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