The Three Peaks Yacht Race 2015
From Japan to Corpach for a Finish Medal
Rob Howard / 02.07.2015
Intrepid Misfits have finished the race – in the top 10 and not even last ;-)
They arrived in the early morning hours but almost fell at the last when they sailed into a rock just off the lock entrance with a loud thump (and resulting in a broken rib on the boat I’m told) They quickly reversed and motored onto the pontoon off the end of the pier.
They’d had an exciting time in the strong winds, damaging the main off Bardsey Head, where they drifted for a while getting it down and fearing a broken mast, and were not able to fix it until Whitehaven. They’d broached as well ... and then been becalmed later on in the Sound of Mull. Fortunately they still had plenty of time to get to the finish and the wind picked up again last night.
Their runners, Jason McVaugh and Nick Pearce, had difficult conditions on the mountain, which was hidden from view by the cloud, as it so often is. “That just got worse and worse,” said McVaugh. “By the top we could hardly see anything and spent 15 minutes wandering around the summit plateau trying to find the trig point. Eventually we stumbled onto it.”
He was clearly delighted when his blue and white enamelled race medal was hung around his neck. “I raced 2 years ago,” he said, “but didn’t get one of these as we had to put the engine on to get to the finish. It was unfinished business and I had to come back.” He’d come back a long way as he now lives in Japan. “Reckon I’ve come the furthest,” he said with a smile, as he headed back to the boat and put his arm around Pearce saying, “We did it buddy!”
They may have to wake the crew who didn’t make it to the finish line to see them in! We’ll have to get their team finish photo later once they are up and about and have collected their medals.
SleepMonsters
