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2005 Press Release No 1
25 November 2004
RACE BACKGROUND
The Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race, now in its seventeenth year, is a four day test of sailing skill and running endurance around Tasmania's scenic East Coast.
The Race starts on Good Friday (25th March 2005), at Beauty Point north of Launceston, on the Tamar River and finishes in Hobart on the Derwent River.
During the race, teams of two runners have to complete three marathon-length runs which include scaling Mt. Strzelecki, on Flinders Island in Bass Strait, Mt. Freycinet, at Coles Bay on Tasmania's East Coast, and Mt. Wellington in Hobart.
The course, which comprises about 140 km of running and 600 km of sailing, is testing and passes through some of Australia's most rugged and beautiful scenery.
The Three Peaks concept was inspired in the United Kingdom some 28 years ago by Welsh mountaineer and seaman Major H. W. (Bill) Tilman. The original race was organised by two Welsh doctors, Rob Haworth and the late Merfyn Jones.
They planned a sailing course from Barmouth in Wales, to Fort William, Scotland, with runners scaling the highest mountains in Wales, England and Scotland.
In 1989 expatriate Tasmanian Martin Pryor saw the potential for this event in Tasmania and brought the concept to Australia after competing in the British race two years earlier.
A number of innovative features of the British Three Peaks Race have been transferred to the Australian event including boat sponsorship and acceptance of mono and multi-hulled yachts.
The Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race is governed by innovative rules specifically published by the organising committee that allow yachts to be rowed, propelled by human-powered propellers or towed by human power.
Entry is open to any well-found yacht, either monohull or multi-hull, with a minimum hull length of 8.5 metres crewed by five persons over the age of 18.
In addition to the Main Racing Division, there is the Cruising Division and the Fully Crewed Division. The Cruising Division provides yachts with a motoring allowance and the ability to take in excess of the normal five members of the team. The Fully Crewed Division is ideal for owners of offshore racing yachts wanting to take their usual complement of crew rather than be sailing short-handed. This Division requires yachts to sail recognised navigational channels at Flinders Island and to round Tasman Island on their passage to Hobart thus removing some of the navigational challenges when opting to sail short-cut courses often used by competitors.
One of the more sought after trophies is the Tilman Trophy donated by the British Three Peaks Race committee in 1989 in memory of renowned adventurer and their first President, Major Harold William (Bill) Tilman. It is a points-award prize that favours older slower yachts, an older crew and participation by more than the usual two runners to scale all three mountains. The Tilman points system penalises multihulls and younger crew.
Further information:
Alastair Douglas, Race Director 03 6225 4974, 0418 127 897.
ENDS