Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks update

by Holly Ranson on 3 Apr 2010 The leading boats in the Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race are off Tasmania’s north-east coast and making quick progress toward Coles Bay.

Conditions are providing a fast but tough windward leg, but are predicted to lighten as the fleet nears its destination.

There is a furious battle for race leadership on between Terry Travers’ Westbury-Mersey Pharmacy and John Brierley’s Deguello. The two catamarans are being closely pursued by Nick Edmunds’ 14m monohull, Haphazard.
The fleet’s tail-enders are close to departing Lady Barron, the boats delayed by runners suffering from dehydration and lethargy brought about by sea sickness on the trip to Flinders Island. The sailors from Team Wildfire and Carey Hire are putting contingency plans in place for the second and possibly third running legs of the race.

The leading boats are expected to complete the 140 nautical mile sail to Coles Bay at about midday tomorrow, where the runners will attempt to back up today’s ultra-marathon with a tough 38km run over the Hazards.Well-known Launceston runner Aubrey Henricks and his partner Doug Grubert, of Kayena, posted today’s fastest run time on the 65km course: six hours and 29 minutes.

Henricks tore his calf muscle at last weekend’s Tasmanian Athletics Championships, but defied the injury to fly around the course and book the pair a spot as King of the Mountain favourites.