Yachting Monthly Triangle Race - Leg 3 Update

Mark and Walter Hipgrave during the Yachting Monthly Triangle Race © John Roberson

Yachting Monthly Triangle Race leg 1 © John Roberson

Australian father and son team lead

Australian father and son team, Mark and Walter Hipgrave, sailing Mr Lucky, are leading the Yachting Monthly Triangle Race fleet as they approach the finish in Torquay.

With the leading group just east of Start Point on the south Devon coast, the Australians, representing the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron have a clear lead over Chris and Corky Rhodes in the nearly identical boat Footloose II.

Also in the leading group are eXebitionist (Rick Newcombe and George Melbourne), Free Spirit (Rob Drohan and Mike Rix), Maverick (Peter Jenkins and Andy Whitmill) and current overall race leader Amylou (Gary Heward and Russell Hawkins).

This must put Heward an Hawkins from Southampton's Marchwood Yacht Club in a strong position to retain their overall lead and win the race.

For the Australians it is a case of getting as many boats between themselves and the Rhodes pair on handicap, in order to overtake them on the leaderboard.

With the wind currently northerly and less than 10 knots, but predicted to steadily clock towards the west and likely to decrease, the tactical options for the leaders look fairly simple, while those following will have no other choice but to follow.

trianglerace.co.uk