Three Peaks Race veteran Nick Edmunds has shown his experience to take control of a confused start in the 21st race. Most of the fleet turned back when the starting canon failed to fire, but the start sequence flags lowered to show the race had got away to a clear start. The skipper of the 46-foot Radford monohull, Haphazard, did not turn back and has hugged the eastern side of the river, using an outgoing tide to take a commanding lead over his competitors.

Neck and neck in second but on opposite sides of the river are defending champion Phil Marshall  in his catamaran and Dianne Barkas at the helm of her Sydney 38.

Despite re-starting unnecessarily, Rob Gourlay's Thompson 920 got away quickly but was passed by bigger boats.

Main challenger Terry Travers in catamaran Westbury-Mersey Pharmacy was so slow to start that it waited for clear air behind the fleet.

Conditions are a 10 knot north-westerly sea-breeze, just like the previous 20 years.

 

This post brought to you from the deck of media boat Agro on the Tamar River, via the Telstra Next G network. Check out our webcam footage at www.threepeaks.org.au.