Bigger boat wins

Peter Campbell ports on the new record set in the Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race

The Orana Respite Mersey Pharmacy team from Devonport today won the Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race for a record fourth time, with a record-slashing overall time, beating the the Slingshot team from Wynyard by a mere 1 minute 26 seconds in the closest finish in the history of this tough combination of ocean racing and mountain running over Easter.

The two Chamberlin-designed catamarans sailed up the Derwent River in the early hours of this morningm crossing tacks several times until the 14m Orana Respite Pharmy, owned by designed Rob Chamberlin and Terry Travers docked just 2 minute 24 seconds in front of the 9.2 metre Slingshot, skippered by Steve Walker.

During the 1270 metre dash to the peak of Hobart's Mt Wellington and back down to Constitution Dock, the Slingshot runners cut the lead by one minute, but could not quite overtake the leaders.

Orana Respite Mersey Pharamacy runners, Victorians Nigel Aylott and Michael Wheatley, finished the 2004 Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks at 0:39:08 hours. Aylott's first words,” we did it again, ” summed up the team's remarkable race history. Only one minute and 26 seconds later, Slingshot's runners, Mark Guy from Hobart and Paul McKenzie from Launceston, crossed the finish.

The new race record, of 2 days, 10 hours, 24 minutes and 8 seconds smashed the 2001 standing record of Orana Respite Mersey Pharmacy by 5 hours, 44 minutes and 27 seconds. “Somebody said we couldn't win another, so that was a challenge on. Four in a row and breaking the course record again, I think that's a good way to go out on a high note,” Aylott said after the run. Orana Respite Mersey Pharmacy have said they will retire after this year's event.

First timer Wheatley said the Three Peaks was the toughest race he's ever done. “That hurt more than anything I've ever done, and that's because I've never done this before, ” he said. Wheatley was a last minute inclusion in the team after regular runner Andy Kromer was unable to attend due to work commitments.

Guy and McKenzie were understandly upset after leading for most of the race, but acknowledged that they ran as hard as they could. “When you give it everything, you can't do more than that, ” Guy said. McKenzie and Guy ran the faster time on Mt Wellington than Aylott and Wheatly, completing the run in 2 hrs 40 minutes and 42 seconds.

The Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race started from Beauty Point on Good Friday, with Slingshot leading the fleet to Lady Barron on Flinders Island and then down to Coles Bay on the Tasmanian East Coast, with the two catamarans within a few hundred metres of each other throughout the final leg which saw many of the boats this year able to take the short cut through the Denison Canal at Dunalley.

The next boat of the 15 starters is not expected to complete the final sailing leg from Coles Bay on the Tasmanian East Coast until mid-afternoon, with the monohulls Haphazard, Everybody's Fitness and Incinerator heading the fleet still at sea.