Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race - Images

by Al Constable on 19 Apr 2006 Heavy weather, two gales and cold nights on the mountains for the crews sailing and running in the 2006 Three Peaks event. Australia's premier short-handed sailing endurance mountain running race is held every Easter in Tasmania.

First conducted in 1989, the Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race is a major event on the Tasmanian sporting calendar attracting large crowds and extensive media following. The 18th annual race started on Good Friday, 14th April 2006.

The race is divided into three legs of two sections consisting of a sailing and running leg.

Legs 1 and 2
The race starts on the Tamar River at Beauty Point just north of Launceston and competitors proceed by yacht to Lady Barron on Flinders Island. When they arrive (no matter what time of the day or night), two crew members are landed so that they can run to the top of Mt Strzelecki and back. They travel via the Coast Road, Badger Corner Road, Big River Road and Trousers Point Road to the mountain, returning to their vessels via the Trousers Point Road, Lady Barron Road and Coast Road. SAILING DISTANCE: 90 nms; RUN: 65kms; ASCENT: 756m.

Legs 3 and 4
Teams then sail to Coles Bay where once again two crew members are disembarked to complete the circuit of the peninsula. They proceed via the road and marked track to Wineglass Bay, up over Mt Graham to Mt Freycinet, then the East Freycinet Saddle to Cooks Beach, returning to Coles Bay via the Peninsula Track, Hazards Beach, Isthmus Track and the Wineglass Bay Track over the saddle between Mt Mayson and Mt Amos. SAILING DISTANCE: 145 nms; RUN: 33kms; ASCENT: 620m.


Legs 5 and 6
When the crew is united, yachts then sail for Hobart where two crew members are landed at Kings Pier at Hobart to run to Davey Street and then to the Huon Highway, Fingerpost Track, Pinnacle Track and Zig Zag Track to a checkpoint at the summit of Mt Wellington. Thence by the Pinnacle Road via Big Bend to the Fingerpost Track at the Springs, returning to the finish line via the outward course.

As the sailing course is optional, some crews choose to sail, row or pedal through the Denison Canal at Dunalley to save time.SAILING DISTANCE: 100 nms; RUN: 33kms; ASCENT: 1270m.


Total distances: Sailing 335 nms; Running 131kms; ASCENT: 2646m.

Sailor Photographer Jane Austin shot these images .

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