A FARNHAM sailor along with her team Aparito Digital Health won Line Honours in this year’s Three Peaks Yacht Race while raising money for Find a Cure.

The team which consisted of two runners, Jo Jackson, Lowri Morgan, and three sailors Elin Haf Davies, Pip Hare and former Frensham Sailing Club member Nikki Curwen, walked away with The Daily Telegraph Cup Aparito Digital Health (the first yacht to finish); The Merioneth Cup Aparito Digital Health (the second yacht to finish under handicap); and The Flicka Cup Aparito Digital Health (winner of the third leg, IRC sail and run).

The Three Peaks Yacht Race takes sailors on a different type of journey, starting from Barmouth and finishing in Fort William – with two group members climbing some of the UK’s highest mountains, the equivalent of running three marathons in under four days.

Nikki said that the event is a “unique and special race”, which she thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely endeavour to race again next year.

With three sailing legs and three mountains to scale, it combines 389 miles of sailing, 72 miles running with a climb of over 11,000 ft, and 36 miles cycling. One of the unique points of the race is that participants are allowed to row, so when there is no wind participants can still move forward/stem the tide, which in this edition was a frequent occurrence.

The race has been taking place since 1977 and for all previous editions it has been a non-stop race. From when the starting gun fires in Barmouth, to when sailors cross the finish of the run of Ben Nevis, every second counts.

“With no ratings or limits to your choice of boat, it’s your decision to pick the most suitable boat, weighing up between waterline length and speed vs the ability to row and the depth of the keel” added Nikki.

“Each and every member of the team has their own incredible achievements, we all had huge respect for each other and there was in no way any egos on board.

“I’ve never been part of a team that has gelled quite so well, as the five of us did in this race.

“We had never once sailed together and most of us met for the first time in Barmouth. However it was the immediate bond and teamwork that resulted in our huge success.”

From the beginning the group set a rule that the sailors sailed and rowed, and the runners ran and recovered. It was the sailors duty to look after the runners, feed them, make sure they drank enough water, slept and didn’t get sea sick.

Nikki continued: “While we were technically a team of five, we could not have done it without our ‘racer chaser’ Frosty, the current owner of the boat who seemed to appear in his pink jacket at every headland and bridge, tracking us the whole way.

“Thanks also go to Pam and Mike Jacques, previous owners of the boat and frequent competitors of the Three Peaks Yacht Race, and numerous members of family and friends.”