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Every One a Winner

Rob Howard / 23.06.2005

To complete the Three Peaks Yacht Race is a remarkable achievement for any team. It’s a unique race, and a truly adventurous one, pushing competitors to the limit of their skill and endurance as they race non-stop over 4 days or more. The vagaries of the weather and the inescapable force of the tides are all a part of the challenge, as is the complex navigation and pilotage, and reaching the finish line requires exceptional team work. No two races are alike, and even teams in the same race can have very different experiences.

This year 10 of the 11 starters have reached the finish line, overcoming difficult and dangerous tides and light winds, which forced them to row for long periods. (Annie Gunn, the only boat to retire, is in Fort William too, having motored up to join the Thursday night race party.) All have their own tales to tell, of highs and lows during the week, and almost all of them will have won a trophy as the race has 3 or 4 times as many trophies as entries!

Before this year race aficionados said the challenge was so complex that only those with previous race experience could hope to win, but that can’t be said any more. The top 3 teams were all new to the race, which is remarkable as no one can remember when a team new to the race last won, if ever.

Vlad The Impaler came well prepared and hoping for a top 3 place, but had a convincing win. Greg Marsh’s one-off Simpson 39 racing yacht carried a carefully selected and well chosen crew, who moulded together into an unbeatable team. With a skipper who is a good runner and runners who proved to be capable sailors they won two of the mountain stages, the first sailing leg and the Tilman Trophy. And they could have won more but for adverse tides which allowed those chasing them to catch up twice. They also beat the Reflex 38 which has won multiple times and holds the race recordt.

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