The Australian Three Peaks Race is a short-handed offshore sailing and endurance mountain running event that was held in Tasmania, the southern-most state of Australia, over the Easter long weekend. The first race was in 1989 and the race was conducted annually until Easter 2013.
It was a non-stop event, commencing at Beauty Point just north of Launceston on the Tamar River, during which runners were transported by yacht finishing in the Tasmanian capital city some three to four days later:
90 nmi to Flinders Island (settlement of Lady Barron) in Bass Strait where two runners proceed to the top of Mount Strzelecki (65 km run; 756 m ascent);
145 nmi to Coles Bay where two runners scale Mount Freycinet (33 km run; 620 m ascent); and
100 nmi to Hobart on the Derwent River where two runners top Mount Wellington (33 km run; 1270 m ascent), and finishing in Hobart.
The race course was approximately:
Sail: 335 nm;
Run: 131 km;
Ascent: 2646 m.
The concept of the race is similar to the United Kingdom Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race. The Tasmanian race was inaugurated in 1989 after a team competed in the 1987 British event. The race has been an annual event for 25 years until the last race was conducted in 2013. Changes in social patterns have affected many offshore sailing races in Australia in recent years and the Three Peaks Race was no exception failing to attract a viable number of entrants. The organising committee made the painful decision to defer running the event until economic and social pressures ease to make the race again viable.
The Tilman Trophy has been a keenly contested section of the race. The trophy is named after the famed Harold William (Bill) Tilman CBE, DSO, MC, FRGS, FRIN Soldier, Mountaineer, Explorer, Sailor 1898-1977 who was the first President of the United Kingdom-based Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race. The UK organising committee in 1989 kindly donated a silver tray trophy to be awarded to the first team to win the race based on a points system that favoured older teams, older yachts and all round participation.
2013: Whistler, David Rees
2012: Centre Euro Wines, David Allan
2011: Team Cradle Mountain Chateau, David Allan
2010: Team CommunityCarbon, Jeff Dusting, Rick Pacey, Graham Smith, Stuart Jacobson, Travis Tremayne
2009: Team Chance, Bob Grant and team
2008: Team Stornoway, Richard Gardner
2007 PRD Nationwide Tamar Valley, Greg Hall
2006 Alize, Phillip Amos
2005 Liberte, Anthony Cook
2004 Misty, Brian Claque
2003 Downing Street, Andrew Ostler
2002 Mobil Kingston Beach, Angus Sprott
2001 Camp Quality, Benny Parsons
2000 Camp Quality, Benny Parsons
1999 Underwater Video Systems, Jeff Cordell
1998 Brigitta Bits 4 Boats, Peter Crawford
1997 Tamar Marine, Rob Giblin
1996 Every One An Original, Angus Sprott
1995 MMI Insurance, John Saul
1994 Southern Cross Network II, Greg Prescott
1993 Coles Bay Business, Glenn Myler
1992 French Pine, Peter Crawford/Ron Brooker
1991 Underwater Video Systems, Kerry Boden
1990 Risky Business, Richard Edmunds
1989 Budget Rent-A-Car, Don Calvert
2013: Euphoria Furniture, Steve Laird
2012: Big Wave Rider, Bruce Arms (skipper), Jessica Watson
2011: Peccadillo, Charles Meredith
2010: Team Whistler, David Rees
2009: Neil Buckby Motors Subaru, Phillip Marshall
2008: Shearwater Pure Sprouts, Phillip Marshall
2007: Neil Buckby Motors, Phillip Marshall
2006: Marshall Engineering, Phillip Marshall
2005: Elite Renovations, Phillip Marshall
2004: Orana Respite Mersey Pharmacy, Robin Chamberlin & Terry Travers
2003: API Mersey Pharmacy, Robin Chamberlin & Terry Travers
2002: API Mersey Pharmacy, Robin Chamberlin & Terry Travers
2001: API Mersey Pharmacy, Robin Chamberlin & Terry Travers
2000: Haphazard, Nick Edmunds
1999: Computerland, John Saul
1998: Business Post Naiad, Bruce Guy
1997: Computerland, John Saul
1996: Optus World, John Saul
1995: Southern Cross News, Richard Edmunds
1994: Redbook Performance Plus Carpets, Ken Gourlay
1993: Windswept, Martin Pryor
1992: Ronstan Wild Thing, Grant Wharrington
1991: Hazadatas, Nick Edmunds
1990: Ericsson, Rob Cassidy
1989: Inaugural winner Verbatim, Ian Johnston, Cathy Hawkins
