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WEST LANCS. YACHT CLUB 24 HOUR RACE
SATURDAY 13 August to Sunday 14
August 2008 saw the 42nd 24 Hour Race on Southport’s Marine Lake.
Hosted by West Lancashire Yacht Club, this race has played a key
role for many sailing clubs across the intervening years.
Growing from its original 12 hour race, it has also increased the
fleet to include the Lark dinghy, which is strong within the
university sailing clubs.
The race is managed by West Lancs., but
with support of others, including a strong contingent of non -member
friends, with Southport Little Theatre prominent amongst them.
It is ably backed in cash and kind by its sponsors, which include
Dinghy Magazine, Mailspeed, and Cain’s Brewery, TEU Containers,
Dormans and Halibop. This year’s race builds on previous
successes.
Bryan Marshall, the club’s Commodore,
described to us how the various weather conditions brought different
challenges. This year, very light winds prevailed for most of
the time. He said these calm conditions tested other skills,
where the crew had to seek to take advantage of whatever wind they
could find. This tended to favour younger and lighter sailors.
However, on Sunday; towards the finish time, the wind became much
brisker and things became more lively, with a few capsizes along the
way! All this adding interest for the keen spectators, who lined the
margins of the lake, encouraging their crews as they circuited.
Good water conditions; there was very little weed and high water
levels were appreciated. These are due in part to the
increased rain fall (one consolation for our indifferent summer
maybe?) but also to Sefton Council’s work.
Ian Donaldson, the Chief Executive of the 24 Hour Race, said that
there was no other race like this. There are other endurance
races, but none like the 24 Hour Race.
It is still a massive
event for the club and sees other clubs from all over the country
returning year by year. Both he and the Commodore spoke of the
importance of the social side of the gathering. Entertainment
is provided and people from all over get a chance to meet as well as
compete. The most northerly club this year, was a Royal Navy
crew from just north of Aberdeen. From the south, came a
collection from Weymouth and the nautical areas around Portsmouth
and they and many more from regions, between made up the total of 68
entrants. Tents and caravans sprang up all over the boatyard
and on adjacent land, lent by Southport and District Scouting
Association. Catering and other facilities are provided.
Ian Donaldson commented that Scammonden Water Sailing Club had
acquired a caravan for £150, on e-bay, which is used exclusively for
this race and is becoming a tradition.
We were struck by the
wide range of ages involved in this event. Notably, by
intrepid 6 year old George from Burwain, near Burnley, the youngest
competitor, who sailed with his father and even when conditions
became friskier, continued unabashed. Another tradition of
note is that of firing a cannon for every competitor as they cross
the finishing line. These shots come from a magnificent set of
miniature cannons, which are the creations of ex cabinet maker and
office holder of the Club, now an Honorary member and his toolmaker
son, also Chris. They are skilfully made, 3rd scale replicas
of the Tudor Mary Rose’s artillery. They are all
electronically controlled and fired as usual by enthusiasts, joined
for the first time at the race, by 4 year old Jacob, who took his
duties very seriously. These cannons have in the past,
appeared with Fred the Weatherman at the Albert Dock in Liverpool.
...continued...
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...continued... An important part of this race has been the ongoing collection, by
many of the crews, for a charity, adopted 5 years ago as its
official charity, namely ‘Sail 4 Cancer’. Sail 4 Cancer
was set up by a group of sailors who had all lost close family or
friends to cancer. The charity seeks to improve the quality of
life for individuals and their families by providing opportunities
to sail and by raising cash for research and palliative care.
Money raised will help 10 young people with cancer achieve a
fantastic sailing holiday in Greece. A new trophy has been
awarded this year for the group which raises the most for this
objective and has been won by Southport Sailing Club’s Junior
Section. Congratulations to them for their great achievement!
This award, along with many others, was presented in the presence of
the Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Paul Tweed and other dignitaries in the
marquee, that afternoon. The overall winners were South
Staffordshire Sailing Club (A ). Second came Bolton Sailing
Club and in third place were South Staffs ‘s B crew, with Etherow
Country Club (Cheshire) as fourth. Naturally Staffs were
delighted with their double; the first time they have come first in
many years. In 68th place, Aberystwyth University SC, took
their ranking in good spirit and received a liquid reward to enjoy.
West Lancs. Yacht Club( A) were 15th and Southport Sailing Club
ranked 40th.
It appears to have been a very successful weekend all round and
after gathering breath, no doubt all sights will be focused on next
year’s event.
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