The Race and the Team

The Three Peaks Yacht Race involves sailing 389 nautical miles, running 59 miles and cycling 30 miles in a week – sailing from Barmouth on Saturday 19th June, via Caernafon to climb Snowdon; Whitehaven to climb Scafell Pike and finally to Fort William to climb Ben Nevis.

Helsby Running Club members Phil Gillard, Jackie Keasley and boat owner and captain Trevor Murphy will do all the running and cycling and also act as deck hands. Businessmen John Bailey and Richard Stone will sail the team’s yacht, Josephine –a Beneteau Oceanis 40 and one of the largest of the 23 boats in the race – through some of the trickiest waters of the Welsh, English and Scottish west coasts, navigating sandbanks, tidal streams, rocks and whirlpools.

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Monday 21 June 2010

John’s summary of Sunday evening and Monday morning

Mon 21st June – 15:00

Once our brave runners had returned from the heat (Phil got cramp) we blasted out to get over Caernarfon bar and go around the island. Our timings and wind for the shorter route were poor. However about 11 pm the wind disappeared and we ended up sailing currents, getting to Holy Island about 4. We decided to anchor off and catch the better currents and winds in the morning. Going around Holy Island sailing eddies and the last of the unfavourable currents was a challenge, we the started the long haul to Whitehaven with a cruising chute, Trevor’s sailing music and beef burgers courtesy of Jackie.

Next stop Whitehaven we hope (rather yet another becalmed episode)

The racing is fun, despite our myriad of mistakes we are constantly passing and being passed by our near competitors.


And this is Jackie doing what a good runner does - resting hard.



















This was their position at about 17:00, with a group of 6 other yachts, as mentioned by John.
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