British Three Peaks - Team Whistler running down the leaders

by Peter Campbell on 22 Jun 2010 Brtish Three Peaks - Despite losing vital time because of tides and getting lost on land, the Tasmanian Three Peaks Race winners, Team Whistler, is sailing in hot pursuit of the leading yachts in the British Three Peaks Race up the rugged western coastline of Wales, England and Scotland.

Their chartered 38-footer Lightning Reflex was first boat to finish the first two sailing legs but missed the tide to enter the harbour to officially finished the second leg, from Caernarfon to Whitehaven. Then the runners got lost on their cycle leg to the foot of Scapel Pike, the second the three peaks.

By the time Team Whistler started the final leg from Whitehaven to Fort Campbell in Scotland, they had dropped from first to seventh overall.

However, last evening (UK time) skipper David Rees and his sailors, Tim Jones and Jory Linscott, were steadily making up ground on the leading boat, EAD Innovation Works. At 10.00pm local time, Team Whistler was about nine nautical miles astern.

They had already passed the overall leaders, The Dockers, and were sailing across the Irish Sea in company with several other yachts towards the narrow channel between the north-west tip of Ireland and the Scottish mainland. The tracking system showed the Tasmanians in fourth place in the fleet.

The final sailing leg is the longest of the British Three Peaks, 227 nautical miles, partly open sea but with tricky sailing through the western isles of Scotland before a long sail up Loch Linnhe to Fort Campbell.

From there the runners, Jacqui Guy and Michael McIntyre face the steepest climb of the event to the 4400 feet peak of Ben Nevis and back to the finish at Fort Campbell.

Yesterday, Team Whistler’s yacht, Lightnight Reflex, again outsailed the fleet and was the first boat to arrive off Whitehaven but, because of their draft, could not get over the sandbar and through the sea lock to the marina. The British yacht, EADS Innovation Works, which has the shallowest draft in the fleet, was able to get into the marina, gaining an advantage of an hour over Team Whistler. In fact, the Australians had by then dropped from first to seventh in overall standings.

Team Whistler finally came in, setting their runners on their way at dawn. Whistler had now lost their lead, and as they set off they also lost their way.

Finding the start of the cycle way in town is not easy and Michael McIntyre was a bit confused by the instruction from their support crew, resulting in an unnecessary 20 minute detour. 'I was cursing myself,' he said, 'worrying we’d miss a tide as a result of the mistake.'

The Australian pair was at a disadvantage on an unfamiliar route with unfamiliar maps and said they had to stop a little more often than others to check their way.

After riding out to Ennerdale and leaving the bikes the pair set off on foot over Black Sail Pass and McIntyre was not impressed with local knowledge when he asked the way. 'We reached Black Sail Youth Hostel and I asked three people to double check the way but they had no idea what I was talking about!' They had more luck on Scafell Pike, where hundreds of people were taking part in a fire service Three Peaks walk, so it was easy enough to follow them to the summit, which was covered in cloud when they got there.

McIntyre commented, 'The cairns were quite far apart but we found our way OK and even stopped to take a few pictures to show people what it is like when the cloud is down. WE took quite a few pictures along the way. I’m not going to look at a view and not take a photo.... we don’t get this way very often!'

On the whole stage, however, it was EADS who were quickest, taking just 7 hours 09 minutes and finishing a minute up on The Dockers. Both these boats got out through the lock but The Dockers did not go far, almost immediately missing the channel in the outer harbour and running hard aground. After all the efforts of their runners they were now stuck for hours waiting for the tide to lift them off! So EADS got away clean, with an advantage of 4 to 5 hours at the start of the final sailing leg.

The Team Whistler runners finally reached the marina at with a time of 8 hours 37 minutes. Jacqui Guy arrived looking fresh and enthusiastic – but starving!

McIntyre said this run/bike did not really compare to the longest stage on the Tasmanian race. 'Out longest run comes first, so we get it out of the way,' he said. 'On this run you already have a marathon in your legs from Snowdon. Our long run is also mostly flat, with tracks to and from the mountain.'

He said the team had no great aspirations to win and just wanted to finish and enjoy the race, but his skipper was still sounding confident. 'There is a long sail ahead and a five hour lead can be pulled back,' he added confidently as the Australians set sail on the final leg to Fort Campbell.

However, last evening (UK time) skipper David Rees and his sailors, Tim Jones and Jory Linscott, were steadily making up ground on the leading boat, EAD Innovation Works. At 10.00pm local time, Team Whistler was about nine nautical miles astern.

They had already passed the overall leaders, The Dockers, and were sailing across the Irish Sea in company with several other yachts towards the narrow channel between the north-west tip of Ireland and the Scottish mainland. The tracking system showed the Tasmanians in fourth place in the fleet.