The first race was held in 1977 when 7 yachts took part. The founders of the race were 2 local doctors, Rob Haworth and the late Merfyn Jones. Doctor Haworth's idea was to sail from Barmouth to Fort William, climbing en route the highest mountains in Wales, England and Scottland. He told doctor Merfyn of his plans and his reply was " why don't we make a race of it?" and the idea of the Three Peaks Yacht Race was born. Over the years similar races have been held in Scotland, Australia, Norway and Hong Kong. The yachts are allowed up to 5 crew and sail from Barmouth to Caernarfon - a distance of 62 miles. Two runners from each yacht disembark to run to the summit of Snowdon before returning to their yacht. On their return, a sail of 100 miles to Whitehaven confronts them. Here again, two disembark to cycle to the Ennerdale Forest followed by a run via Black Sail Pass to the summit of Scafell Pike, a round tip of 48 miles. The last leg is a sail of 227, miles through some of the UK's most challenging waters, to Fort William. The race is completed when the two runners return to the yacht from the summit of Ben Nevis.

Over the years there have been some amazing times on sea and land. In 2002 the yacht Lightening Reflex, skippered by Geoff West and crewed by local sailors won in a record time of 2 days 14 hours and 22 minutes; and their runners broke the record for the best aggregate time for all three mountains of 14 hours 56 minutes, winning 'King of the Mountains'

For the 30th anniversary race in 2007, the race will start with a run around its home town of Barmouth.

The team 'Spirit of Three Peaks' will be racing in the yacht 'Lightning Reflex'.

Tasmanian Three Peaks Race

In 1987 Martin Pryor led the first Australian team to compete in the British event in a chartered formula 40 catamaran. Although very fast and leading at the time, the team was forced to retire due to damaged rudders.

During the planning of that campaign, Pryor came up with the idea of a sister event in Australia. It was obvious that the only place to satisfactorily replicate the British event was Tasmania.

The uncanny similarity of the Tasmanian course, in terms of terrain, distances and waters to be sailed made course selection relatively easy. In addition, the event could encompass the two largest cities in the State, Launceston and the capital, Hobart.

On returning to Australia, planning began in earnest, culminating in the highly successful inaugural race over Easter 1989, followed by exciting events being held at Easter each year since.

After the 1992 race, Pryor retired as Race Director and retired from the organising committee. The race is now run by a Tasmania-wide community based committee.
The Australian Three Peaks Race is a non-stop event, commencing at Beauty Point just north of Launceston on the Tamar River and finishing in Hobart on the Derwent River. En-route, teams have to scale Mt Strzelecki, Mt Freycinet and Mt Wellington.

The east-coast course around Tasmania affords the best combinations of suitable mountains, coastal centres, accessibility for followers, press crews and the public. It brings publicity and exposure to two of the more beautiful but remote areas of the State, Flinders Island and the Freycinet Peninsula, and takes competitors, supporting groups and the media the length of the beautiful east coast.

The race also provides local, national and international publicity and exposure through newspaper, radio, T.V. and film coverage, community participation and focus through the detailed organisation that is required and gives 4 to 5 days of prolonged publicity during a peak holiday period.

For competitors it offers an interesting alternative for the yachting fraternity and a challenging new activity for runners, climbers and bushwalkers. It is this unique combination of the two disparate disciplines which provides for such a challenging event.

The Scottish Islands Race

In 1983, half a dozen boats set off from Troon to run the same hills as these days but landing in Brodick Bay for Goat Fell and without the Oban run.

The committee is always keen to improve the race even though the records are no longer directly comparable. So they soon decided that it was better to start in Oban and end at Troon.

One year there was a big Easterly blowing into Brodick Bay and the race organisers decided that Lamlash offered far better shelter.

The race grew in size and also added an interesting run.

Classes were added as the race grew in size and then to reduce the chances of collisions at the start the idea was introduced introduced of getting the runners to run up and round McCaig's Folly before returning to the beach for a Le Man's type start from the promenade.

Then a Youth Team class was added but as the race got still bigger and as the Oban visitors got older, there was an increasing danger of little old ladies finding themselves carried out to sea in the rush. So the very scenic run was introduced at the start which gives the runners a wonderful view of their waiting yachts as they run along the cliffs.

Another change was to stop using the derelict pier at Salen before someone fell through the timbers.

Since then, minor adjustments have continued to try to improve aspects of the race but after over 20 years of evolution, the event answers the needs pretty well.

There will always be an element of risk in this type of adventurous sport, but life is inherently risky and it is those who take part in dangerous activities who learn how to assess and survive danger.

But although there are inevitably dangers in a race of this type, the worst injury to date has been a broken toe despite over 1000 team-trips over the course.

Everyone hopes that the overall impression will be that this is a very friendly race where you will see some outstanding views, meet interesting people and enjoy a memorable experience.