Race Teams for 2009

Updated 21 April 2009

Team 1: Neil Buckby Motors Subaru

Design: Chamberlin 9 catamaran
Division: 1 - Main Racing Multihull

Crew: Phillip Marshall (14), Devonport Tas; Charlie Nolan (4) sailor, Mt Nelson Tas; Steve Walker (11) sailor, Wynyard Tas; Mark Guy (12) runner, Hobart Tas; Tim Piper (3) runner, Invermay Tas.

Aiming for a fifth consecutive Three Peaks win this year. The only change to the team is the addition of runner Tim Piper, who ran last year for third-placed Jailhouse Grill, to replace long time team member Paul McKenzie.

Supporters include:
Neil Buckby Motors Subaru

Passing Low Head Lighthouse in 2004.

Photo: Paul Scambler

Team 2: Pisces

Design: Sydney 36
Division: 3 - Fully Crewed Racing

Crew: David Taylor (4), sailor, Sandy Bay Tas; Graeme McKibben (4) sailor, Blackmans Bay Tas; Adrian Herrington (1) sailor, Rosny Point Tas; Douglas Steele (1) sailor, Blackmans Bay Tas; Jim Nixon (3) sailor, Manly NSW; Tony Fattorini (1) runner, Annandale NSW; Philip Whitten (1) runner, Fairy Meadow NSW; Aaron McKibben (3) sailor, Blackmans Bay Tas.

Pisces was the best performing Tasmanian yacht in the 2008 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, winner of the RYCT Britannia Trophy 2007/08. David Taylor and his team won the Fully Crewed Division in 2007 and came second in 2008. The yacht has had improved results on the Derwent this season and should continue its excellent performance in this years Three Peaks Race.

Team 3: Elphinstone Weigh To Go

Design: Farr 11.6
Division: 1 - Main Racing Mono

Crew: John Hall (2) sailor, Triabunna Tas; Graeme Elphinstone (5) sailor, Triabunna Tas; Edward Forbes (0) sailor, Blackmans Bay Tas; Dean Radford (1) runner, Ulverstone Tas; David Sweetman (7) runner, Penguin Tas.

A regular competitor in the small but enthusiastic east coast fleet at Triabunna, John Hall's Farr designed cruiser/racer is a design known for being quick in fresh free-sheet conditions. This team could be a surprise in the Monohull section.

Supporters include:
Elphinstone Weighing Systems

Team 4: Haphazard

Design: Radford 14
Division: 3 - Fully Crewed Racing

Crew: Nick Edmunds (20) sailor, Sidmouth Tas; Ross Edmunds (12) sailor, Sidmouth Tas; Sam Edmunds (12) sailor, Bridgenorth Tas; David Wright (20) sailor, Bridgenorth Tas; Andrew Jones (5) sailor, Ulverstone Tas; Jarrod Polson (0) sailor, Tas; John Claridge (5) runner, Launceston Tas; Tristan Gourlay (5) runner, Launceston Tas.

Always one, if not the most experienced team in the race is Haphazard. With the only two competitors who have competed in all Three Peaks Races since it began in 1989 their ability to pick opportunities not seen by some of the less experienced competitors will give them advantages to keep their performance up against some of the newer designed and built yachts. Tristan Gourlay is better known as a sailor in this event but is one of the specialist runners for this year.

Team 5: Team Whistler

Design: Andy Dovell 36, 11 m sloop
Division: 1 - Main Racing Mono
Competing for Tilman Trophy

Crew: David Rees (2) sailor, Hobart Tas; Jory Linscott (2) sailor, Hobart Tas; Tim Jones (2) sailor, Taroona Tas; Jacqui Guy (10) runner, Lenah Valley Tas; Michael McIntyre (1) runner, Lauderdale Tas.

Previously David Rees and his team have raced in the Fully Crewed Division but this year is competing in the Main Racing Monohull Division to experience the full challenge of the Three Peaks Race. Why the change in Division? David says the team wants the challenge and also for runner Jacqui Guy this will be her first attempt with a team competing for the special points award Tilman Trophy.

Team 6: Chance

Design: 14.2 m sloop [Lidgard 47]
Division: 2 - Cruising
Competing for Tilman Trophy

Crew: Robert Grant (1) sailor, Clarence Point Tas; Kevin Lloyd (1) sailor, Beaconsfield Tas; John Hillcoat (0) sailor, Tas; Jason Mills (0) sailor, Tas; John Wilson (2) runner, Kayena Tas; Lorna Wilson (1) runner, Kayena Tas.

Following the disappointment of not being able to compete last year, it is good to see Bob Grant's cruising yacht here again. Chance will give her crew a comfortable ride to Hobart and could surprise many with her speed. While it is the only team in the Cruising Division they will be competing against others for the Tilman Trophy. The Wilsons ran together in 2007.

Team 7: Peccadillo

Design: Atlantic 46 Mk II
Division: 1 - Main Racing Multihull
Competing for Tilman Trophy

Crew: Charles Meredith (1), sailor, Port Melbourne Vic; David Blake (0) sailor, Vic; David Tapper (0) sailor, Vic; Grant Houniet (1) runner, Mt Buller Vic; John Winsbury (0) runner, ACT.

Stepping away from the comfort of the Seawind 1000 that Charles entered for his first race last year he returns with a much larger catamaran. Not much is known about Peccadillo although she did compete in the 2009 Geelong Week Regatta. Crew David Tapper sailing his Cirrostratus 10 scored a second in that regatta so his skills added to the team will be beneficial.

Strong reaching conditions should favour the cutter rig giving a fast passage and a lumpy sea will not pose the difficulties experienced by the lighter multihulls.

Team 8: Sullivans Cove Whisky

Design: Sydney 38
Division: 3 - Fully Crewed

Crew: Dianne Barkas (0), sailor, Hobart Tas; Michael Burrows (1) sailor, Kettering Tas; Tim Malone (6) sailor, Kettering Tas; Heather McCallum (0) sailor, Sandy Bay Tas; Mark Singleton (0) sailor, Longley Tas; David Sudano (0) sailor, Huonville Tas; Andrew Howse (0) runner, Paddington NSW; Adrian Young (2) runner, Canterbury NZ; Julian Salter (1) sailor, Hobart Tas.

The largest team this year with nine members will push this well performed yacht in its first race. Competing for the first time Dianne Barkas joins a small but elite group of women skippers in this race.

Barkas is well-credentialed to challenge for the fully-crewed title, after she became the first female skipper to win the Bruny Island offshore race in its 111-year history in 2008.
She placed third in the last Launceston to Hobart yacht race and has also completed the Maria Island race.

Supporters include:
Sullivans Cove Whisky

Team 9: Westbury/Mersey Pharmacy

Design: Chamberlin 11.4
Division: 1 - Main Racing Multihull

Crew: Terry Travers (9) sailor, Devonport Tas; Peter Fletcher (10) sailor, Hobart Tas; Ben Kelly (0) sailor, Qld; Andrew Kromar (8) runner, Mt Beauty Vic; Clarence Blake (1) runner, Launceston Tas.

So close to a win last year arriving in Hobart first but being beaten on Mt Wellington by there friendly foe and four times winner Phillip Marshall, this team is very keen to win their fourth race and break Marshall's winning habit. Runner Andrew Kromar holds the running records for Mt Strzelecki and for Mt Wellington as well as the running aggregate time for all three mountains. The yachts holds the overall fastest record race time of just 2 days 10 hours 24 minutes and 8 seconds set in 2004.

Supporters include:
Westbury/Mersey Pharmacy

Team 10: Tas Marine Construction

Design: Thompson 12
Division: 1 - Main Racing Mono
Competing for Tilman Trophy

Crew: Skipper – Rob Gourlay (5) sailor, Sandy Bay Tas; Daniel Woods (0) sailor, Sandy Bay Tas; Jeremy Grey (0) sailor, Sydney NSW; Donovan Jacka (0) runner, South Melbourne Vic; Chris Stevens (0) runner, Mallacoota Vic.

Given fresh reaching conditions this yacht has proven its speed against well performed yachts up to twice its length. Heavy windward conditions will not be to their liking and while Tasmanian waters can provide every type of weather the conditions at Easter have often yielded conditions that would suit this team.

The sailing crew aboard Tas Marine Construction have some good ocean miles to their name, after completing the Launceston to Hobart, Bruny and Maria Island offshore races this season. Young helmsman Rob Gourlay will be aiming to dominate the monohull racing division but it may come down to how his first-time runners cope with the combination of sailing and running. This team could well be the race surprise.

Supporters include:
Tas Marine Construction

Team 11: Premium Constructions

Design: Beneteau 12
Division: 1 - Main Racing Mono

Crew: Jamie Cooper (7) sailor, Lilydale Tas; Robert McLelland (3) sailor, Lilydale Tas; Rick Cooper (2) sailor, Mt Martha Vic; Aubrey Hendricks (4) runner, St Leonards Tas; Doug Grubert (2) runner, Kayena Tas.

This crew is used to sailing and running together for Peter Newman's catamaran Plan Four. But without the big cat this year they will race Cooper and McLelland's Beneteau, otherwise known as Don't Panic, in the monohull racing division. Doug Grubert will come in to replace Aub Hendricks' usual running partner, Allan Hood.

Supporters include:
Premium Constructions

Team 12: Apollonius

Design: Robinson
Division: 3 - Fully Crewed Racing

Crew: Julian Robinson (5) sailor, Deviot Tas; Brendan Davies (0) runner, Belfield NSW; Vince Anderson (3) sailor, Battery Point Tas; Peter Martain (2) sailor, Launceston Tas; Paul Badcock (3) sailor, Riverside Tas; Matthew Chamberlain (0) runner, Tas; Patrick McKenna (3) sailor, Newstead Tas; Anthony Johnson (1) sailor, Trevallyn Tas.

This yacht was designed and build by the owner and regularly features in club results in northern Tasmania races. Apollonius' sailing course to Lady Barron last year has been since subject to a rule change that will remove any controversy on the passage to take. However, Apollonius proved in 2008 that it was a force to be reckoned with on the water and perhaps with a different team of runners will offer a challenge in the fully-crewed division this year.

Team 13: BWR Multihulls

Design: 14m catamaran
Division: 1 - Main Racing Multihull

Crew: Bruce Arms (1) sailor, Pacific Paradise Qld; Suzanne Arms (1) sailor, Pacific Paradise Qld; Kevin Green (1) sailor, Summer Hill NSW; John Kent (1) runner, Bright Vic; Ian Franzke (0) runner, Wodonga Vic.

Winner of the 2007 Solo Trans Tasman Race from New Plymouth to Mooloolaba Qld. BWR will be looking to improve on their first Three Peaks last year, when they finished fourth, despite using their backup runner at Mt Frecinet. With a new recruit up for the running challenge they would be hoping to step onto the podium at the end of the race.

Supporters include:
BWR Multihulls