The 2009 Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race could be anyone’s race if light and shifty conditions forecast for this weekend eventuate.
A high will pass over Tasmania on Friday, bringing moderate north-westerly winds for the first leg, tending northerly for the run down the east coast and then dying during the final days of competition.
Race director Peter Sluce said the expected weather would not favour any specific division or boat design.
``All the boats should go fairly well in those conditions; they don’t really favour the cats because it’s strong enough for them to get up and go,’’ he said.
``I’d expect the cats to be first over to Flinders but the light stuff and running conditions should let the others back into the race.’’
Sluce said the forecast showed the fleet would see 15 to 20 knots from the west, tending north-westerly, on Friday.
``That should hang in until late in the evening, so they should get to Flinders (Island) very quickly,’’ he said.
``They might have a slow Saturday morning but then a five to 15-knot northerly is expected to come in to push them down the east coast. Sunday and Monday are looking light and shifty, but at least they won’t get a pounding going around Tasman as they often have in the past.’’
Showers are forecast for late on Good Friday, but tradition is on the race’s side, with 20 perfect start days to date.
The weather outlook is similar to the conditions experienced in last year’s race, in which the first four finishers in the main racing division were multihulls.