WINNING skipper Geoff West has called on his Solent sailing colleagues to join him in next year's gruelling Magellan Three Peaks Yacht Race.

The 43-year-old, from Cowes, claimed his third win in five years in the race which involves sailing, cycling and running up the highest mountains in England, Wales and Scotland!

West and his crew started at 3pm last Saturday from Barmouth on the Welsh coast and finished at 8.30pm four days, four hours and 38 minutes later.

The second-placed team were a further 16 hours behind.

From Barmouth, West sailed his Spirit of Barmouth Reflex 38 through the Menai Straight to Caernarfon, where two of his runners ran up Mt Snowdon and back - a distance over 25 miles.

Then it was back in the yacht and up to Whitehaven in Cumbria, where two more runners scaled Scafell Pike and back - another 17 miles of running plus 30 miles cycling.

Back in the yacht, West sailed up to Fort William for the runners to cross off the final 17 miles of the competition - up Ben Nevis and back again.

In all, West and his crew sailed 398 nautical miles and ran 59 miles in addition to the cycling.

The crew used the new handheld Magellan SporTrak Color GPS receivers to navigate on the yachts and up the mountains. "This is a very special race," said West. "It's fascinating - you get to see some fantastic scenery in Wales and Scotland.

"I'm a yacht instructor but some of the navigating we had to do in this race was very difficult, very challenging.

"I'd love to see some more sailors from the Solent area do the race.

"Apart from the racing, it's a good holiday - I've got nine days of sailing to do now going back to Cowes. No doubt we'll stop off in Ireland on the way back for a few Guinnesses!"