The South West 3 'Peaks' Yacht Race
by Tim Whitaker 19 Jun 2015 08:31 BST
12-14 June 2015
Start of the South West 3 'Peaks' Yacht Race in St Mawes Harbour © Mary Alice Pollard
The race is a sailing cycling and running race starting in St Mawes and taking in Newlyn, Land's End, Fowey, Brown Willy, Eddystone Lighthouse, Plymouth and Yes Tor. It involves 115 miles of sailing, 140 miles of cycling and 24 miles of running in a non stop race.
Six teams started at 12:00 on Friday 12th June in St Mawes with a 5 mile run to St Just. The first team back were 1 AGRM closely followed by Team Per Mare and Noah's Jest.
The runners jumped into their dinghies and rowed out to their waiting boats, dinghies were hauled on board, engines started and sails raised. Yachts then raced for the start line where engines were stopped and the yachts sailed off in a light wind into the fog heading for the Lizard and then on to Newlyn.
A difficult beat to the Lizard was won by Musk-Ox the only yacht that chose to hug the coast and stay out of the tide. Musk-Ox were subsequently first into Newlyn giving their runners/cyclists the advantage of completing the trip to Land's End mostly in the light. The runners from Per Mare (Royal Marine officers) recorded the fastest time to Land's End and back of 3hours 26 mins.
Musk-Ox never relinquished it's lead from here recording the fastest sailing times from Newlyn to Fowey and did the Fowey to Plymouth (via Eddystone Lighthouse) in 4 hours in a fresh breeze on Saturday afternoon.
The fleet was fairly spread out but some interesting battles occurred with Team HMS Raleigh beating Per Mare on corrected sailing times by 1 minute.
The second land leg to Brown Willy from Fowey was won again by Per Mare, but the final longest land leg from Plymouth to Yes Tor was won by 1 AGRM who took advantage of their late arrival in Plymouth on Sunday morning that gave them a daylight trip there and back, many of the other teams had done the trip in the night with thick fog making navigation a severe challenge.
A special mention should go to Laura and Becky (Team Noah' Jest) who were the only girls competing on the land legs and who recorded the 3rd fastest time on the final Yes Tor leg. Also becoming the only all girl pair ever to complete all the land legs.
Our special thanks go to Rustler Yachts and MDL Marinas who have kindly supported the SW3PYR this year.
Final results:
1. Team Musk-Ox (37h 21m), Saltash Sailing Club
2. Per Mare (40h 15m), Royal Marines and Navy
3. HMS Raleigh (40h 50m), Royal Navy Training centre Plymouth
4. Team Aquila (41h 16m), Royal Navy
5. Team Noah's Jest (46h 15m) from Exeter
6. Team 1 AGRM (47h 30), Royal Marines