The Three Peaks Yacht Race
Almost Ready to Go
Rob Howard / 16.06.2006
There is usually one entry that has problems on the way to the start line, and this year the Moody 38 is the unlucky one and they are currently in Pwllheli for repairs to their cooling system. They are expecting to arrive around 23.00, but will fall foul of a race rule which stipulates yachts must be in Barmouth 24 hours before the race start, which is at 14.00 tomorrow. The penalty is half the time they are overdue, so the unfortunate InfluenzaProtection.co.uk will be playing catch up from the start.
With a full race and 22 entries all the available moorings in the estuary are taken and some are laid especially for the weekend. So most of the entries are lined up in the main river channel some 200m from shore, and there will much coming and going tonight as teams come ashore for a meal and a drink in the Merioneth Yacht Club, which acts as Race HQ.
Some are moored up on the harbour wall, including Amicus, the team of medics and health informaticians, who last entered in 2004. That year the skipper was Peter Horsfield, but this afternoon there was some doubt he would be starting the race. Looking poorly he was sitting on deck sipping a drink while Glyn Hayes, who is skipper this time, was figuring out how to secure their purpose made 15’ oars.
“Peter wasn’t going to race, but he’s decided to come along after all,� said Hayes, “otherwise we would only be 4. We’ve decided it’s OK as I have the skippers privilege of being able to bury him at sea if he gets worse, and we’ve got some big bin liners to use!�
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