Navigators & General Three Rivers Race next weekend
by Holly Hancock 3 Jun 2012 18:04 BST
9-10 June 2012
The Navigators & General Three Rivers Race 2012 takes place on 9-10 June © Holly Hancock
The Navigators & General Three Rivers Race, organised by Horning Sailing Club and sponsored by Navigators & General, is said to be the most popular inland, long distance passage race in the UK. This year's Race will take place on the Norfolk Broads over the weekend of Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th JUNE 2012.
Crews from all over the world travel to Horning to take part in this event, for which there are approximately 110 entrants. A variety of craft are entered, including the impressive Thames ‘A' Raters, Norfolk Punts, Half-Deckers, Yeomans, Yare and Bure One Designs ("White Boats"), Reedlings, Rebels, Wayfarers, Enterprises and other dinghies, traditional Broads River Cruisers and Production Cruisers.
Competitors make their own decisions as to how they sail the course, which covers a distance of some 50 miles along the rivers BURE, THURNE and ANT, including four turning points that may be taken in any order (Ludham Bridge, South Walsham, Hickling Broad and a moveable buoy on the Lower Bure). They are given a 24-hour deadline in which to complete the Race, starting and finishing at Horning.
As the rivers are tidal, a great deal of tactical planning is required from skippers and crews to choose the most efficient way of getting round all the turning marks as quickly as possible. Boats must pass under Acle Bridge and the two bridges at Potter Heigham, which obviously entails lowering and raising of masts. There is a paddling/quanting zone before and after the bridges, but elsewhere on the course paddling or any other means of propulsion apart from sailing is forbidden. No outside help is allowed. The fastest boats are expected to be back at Horning by about 9 p.m. on the Saturday night, given a good breeze, with the slower ones arriving throughout the night and into Sunday morning, aiming to complete the course before the 24 hour deadline.
Sponsored by Navigators & General for many years, the Race has become ‘the' sailing event in the Eastern Region and is very much a spectator sport. Crowds flock to watch the action and the bridges are packed as the boats attempt to ‘shoot the bridges' at Potter Heigham and Acle, accompanied by loud clapping and encouragement on successful completion – or near misses - fun for competitors and spectators alike.
This year's Race will start at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday 9th June from Horning Sailing Club (opposite The Swan Public House, Lower Street, Horning, Norfolk, NR12 8AA). We hope to see you there – but if you can't make it you can still watch online via the live webcams at www.horningsc.co.uk