Race leader set for fourth Three Peaks win

by Jane Austin on 9 Apr 2007 Phil Marshall and his Neil Buckby Motor’s team looks set to win a fourth consecutive Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race following a strong performance overnight.

The race leader arrived in Coles Bay at 02:41 Easter Monday just over two hours ahead of second placed trimaran, Westbury/Mersey Pharmacy. The yachts are placed first and second respectively in the short handed main racing division. The leader’s team runners, Mark Guy and Glenn Campbell arrived at the summit of Mt Freycinet at 05:22.

The first of the fully crewed boats, and in third place overall, is race veteran Nick Edmunds on Haphazard. Nick had a great run down the east coast of Tasmania overnight and arrived into Coles Bay at 05:23, 30 minutes after Westbury/Mersey Pharmacy.

David Taylor's Sydney 36CR, Pisces, arrived at 06:16 and is currently in second place in the fully crewed division closely followed by Plan Four who is third in the main racing division.

Plan Four will be relieved to have arrived safely after last year's disastrous race which saw the 11.6m catamaran lose its mast in heavy winds close to Eddystone Point.

Runners at Coles Bay have to complete a 33km circuit. They proceed via the road and marked track to Wineglass Bay, up and over Mt Graham to Mt Freycinet (620m), then the East Freycinet Saddle to Cooks Beach. They return 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.

The holiday town of Coles Bay is nestled at the foot of the Hazards which are 300m high pink and grey granite outcrops. The area is abundant with pristine white beaches, clear blue water and native wildlife.

On completion of the Coles Bay leg, teams will sail 100 nautical miles south to Tasmania's capital city, Hobart, where the running teams will ascend the highest mountain, Mt Wellington, (1270m) to complete the final leg of the race.