Bart's Bash at Frensham Pond Sailing Club
by Jim Morley 22 Sep 2014 15:42 BST
21 September 2014
Bart's Bash at Frensham Pond © Jim Morley
42 boats on the water
On Sunday 21st September Frensham Pond was crowded with sails. Nothing unusual in this but these boats and sailors were taking part in a World event with observers from the Guinness Book of Records on hand to record the event.
This was less a competitive race than a sort of waterborne fun run. The race was part of an ambitious worldwide event never tried before in memory of Andrew "Bart" Simpson, the outstanding Olympic medallist killed in a yachting accident in America. Sailing clubs on every continent took part on the day to compete in the biggest small boat event ever held. Throughout the world the Bart's Bash was raced. At Frensham an entry of 42 boats sailed representing every design of dinghy on the lake and some not usually seen.
After exactly an hour the event was ended and the statistics noted for the Guinness officials.
www.bartsbash.co.uk