Three Peaks finale

As final boats arrive in Fort William

The runners get the glory leg in this race. While their crews can only wait - they have the final part to play and get to run over the line, arms aloft when the champagne spray is flying.

Very shortly after the runners from Hellefix had finished the next yacht arrived. By now there was more breeze, though it was still variable, and the runners on the deck of Freedom could look up at the intimidating sight of Ben Nevis as the summit was clear of cloud again. Conditions were not ideal though as the weather was still very hot and humid.

Now the chasing fleet was arriving and in the two hours after Freedom came in, another five yachts followed and set their runners off up the mountain. There was some drama when Xchanging came in with no engine. Unable to safely sail in the runners were dropped off in a dinghy to row ashore. Although they were originally entered in the Tilman Trophy it was Jonathan Bradshaw and Martin Wilcock who rowed ashore, which meant only three of the team had done any running and they wouldn't now qualify. Wilcock explained, "the skipper wouldn't do Ben Nevis when it came to it!"

The pair were helped ashore by Tony Hodgson of Spirit of Barmouth and they congratulated him and thanked him for lending them his bike for the return ride along Ennerdale! (Wilcock had crashed his.) Although no longer in the Tilman Trophy this pair were easily fastest on the Scafell Pike stage and they now had 3 pairs of runners ahead of them. (Freedom, Pastime and Jacana.) So, if they managed to gain 45 minutes on the runners from Freedom, they could move from 6th to 3rd on the final run. The time they took to get ashore by dinghy may yet prove costly.

The last of this group of 6 yachts in was Mew Gull. They'd gained a lot of places by taking the same tactic as the winners and going to the West side of the Isle of Jura, but lost them again by staying to the west of Lismore! With only a small engine they had to row and sail to get in but their runners too have a trophy to race for. Colin Ricketts and Steve James could take the title of 'Kings of the Mountains' if they complete Ben Nevis in 4 hours 12 minutes. (Andy Sanderson and Tony Hodgson have the best time at present.) Ricketts ran it last year in 4.22 so it's going to be very close but they have the advantage of knowing exactly what they have to do.

At present all six teams are on Ben Nevis, racing to determine the final positions and who get the trophies.