2009 Three Peaks Race launched in Hobart

4:44 PM Thu 19 Feb 2009 GMT

'Hobart competitors for the 2009 Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race will include, left to right, Rob Gourlay, Dianne Barkas and David Taylor' Peter Campbell &copy

The 2009 Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race was launched in Hobart today, with the first interstate entry already moored in the Derwent and three prominent Hobart offshore racing skippers announcing they will compete in the premier short-handed sailing and mountain running adventure.

Queenslanders Bruce and Suzanne Arms have already sailed their catamaran Big Wave Rider to Tasmania for the 2009 Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race. - Peter Campbell &copy

Queenslanders Bruce and Suzanne Arm have already sailed their 46-foot Robin Chamberlain-designed catamaran Big Wave Rider from Mooloolaba to Hobart to contest the Main Racing Multihull Division.

They plan a cruise from Hobart around the southern tip of Tasmania to Port Davey and up the West Coast, finally arriving at Beauty Point on the Tamar River in time for the Good Friday start.

Confirming their participation in this year's Three Peaks Race, which starts on Good Friday, 10 April, were Dianne Barkas in her Sydney 38 Asylum, Rob Gourlay in his Thompson 10 sports boat Tas Marine Constructions and David Taylor with his Sydney 36 Pisces.

The Three Peaks is another offshore sailing challenge for Dianne, who has previously competed in the Maria Island Race, the Bruny Island Race (winning in 2008) and the Launceston to Hobart Race.

'We really enjoy offshore racing and this is one event in which we have yet to compete,' she said today at the launch aboard the historic ferry MV Cartela in Hobart's Sullivan's Cove, near the sailing finish of the Three Peaks Race. 'We will be competing in the Fully Crewed Division,' she added.

David Taylor won the Fully Crewed Division in 2007 and is looking for another success with Pisces, which recently contested the Rolex Sydney Hobart.

This year's Three Peaks Race will be the sixth for young Hobart sailor Rob Gourlay, his first with Team Youth. 'We finished second in the Main Division last year and we have a new boat for the 2009 event,' Gourlay said. 'Our aim this year is beat the monohulls and be the first boat to Hobart.'

Race Director Alastair Douglas said that after 20 years of evolution, the Three Peaks Race would have a refocus on the various divisions, for the benefit of competitors.

The traditional way competing in the Three Peaks Race has been for yachts to have three sailors and two runners. In an effort to attract more teams new divisions have been introduced over the years that have allowed teams to be given concessions such as motoring allowances for slower and heavier yachts and for yachts to be sailed by their full offshore crew, well in excess of the limit of three sailors.

The Cruising Division and the Fully Crewed Divisions resulted, with the latter appealing to many sailors. However, the success of the Fully Crewed Division has overshadowed the effect and challenges of competing in the Main Division with a team limited to five members.

The race committee now sees the need for renewed focus on the Main division and will be giving greater emphasis to the progress of these teams as the race progresses.

'Efforts to give greater recognition of the Main Division teams will be to the forefront of race reporting,' the Race Director said. 'To add further attractiveness to the Main Division, new perpetual trophies will be awarded,' he added.

by Peter Campbell

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos: