Navigators & General 3 Rivers Race at Horning Sailing Club

138 entrants for the 49th Navigators & General Three Rivers Race © Holly Hancock

138 entrants for the 49th Navigators & General Three Rivers Race © Holly Hancock

138 entrants for the 49th Navigators & General Three Rivers Race © Holly Hancock

The 49th Navigators and General Three Rivers Race over the weekend of 30-31st May 2009, held at Horning Sailing Club saw one of the largest entries ever with 138 entrants gracing the water, ahead of next year’s 50th Anniversary of the Event. With brisk Easterly winds to begin the day and brilliant sunshine, exciting and challenging racing was experienced by all those taking part.

With a 24-hour time limit on the Race beginning from 11am on Saturday, a boat ideally suited to the sailing conditions was the Yeoman, the Class celebrating its fortieth anniversary in 2009. Father and son team George and Richard Whitefoot took advantage of the near perfect weather to win the Race, finishing in a corrected time of a little over seven hours, the first time in the history of the Race that a Yeoman has won, taking the New Three Rivers Trophy, the Puffin Trophy, the Ivybank Jug, the Three Rivers Trophy and the Trudy Memorial Trophy. Just half an hour later on handicap, although crossing the line around 6.45 p.m., was Mark Elson sailing his Norfolk Punt Snark crewed by William Daniels, winning the Bosuns Call ‘A’ Trophy and Peter Cumming Tankard for his efforts. Third placed John Parker sailing Punt Emperor Goose came home some 15 minutes later, receiving the Hickling Trophy.

Most competitors took advantage of the fresh breezes to cover the majority of the 58-mile course in daylight, with some opting to sail to Acle Bridge and Stokesby first, others heading towards Hickling Broad, the finishing times showing that for the majority of the fleets there was little advantage to be gained on either route. Racing during the course was eventful, with the strong currents and consistently strong winds resulting in several collisions, capsizes and retirements, especially at the Bridges.

With the breeze keeping up throughout the day, several boats made it home before dark, including several Thames A Raters, Norfolk Punts, a Reedling and a Yeoman. First boat home was Martin Hunter, sailing Rater Spindrift, arriving in a new record time of 6 hours, 57 minutes and 45 seconds.

However, as soon as night fell the temperatures dipped and the breeze that had been keeping the fleet moving dropped away, the competitors and their waiting families facing an agonising few hours watching the boats emerge around the corner from the Clubhouse only to slip back again with the tide shortly afterwards, many not making it over the finish line until after daybreak. This resulted in a split in results in many of the classes, such as in the Wayfarers, with Paul Wren and Robbie Bell returning some five hours ahead of the next boat in the class, to take the Nightlight Trophy for Wayfarers.

There are more photos available from Colin Galloway.

Overall Results:

1. Folly Too, Yeoman, R Whitefoot, Y162
2. Snark, Norfolk Punt, M Elson, 49
3. Emperor Goose, Norfolk Punt, J Parker, 101
4. Onyx, Reedling, S Dugdale, RK10
5. Limelight, Norfolk Punt, G Tibbenham, 45
6. Silver Skipper, YBOD, C Bunn, 70
7. Snowgoose, Norfolk Punt, J Pye, 96
8. Whisper, River Cruiser, C Pank, 314
9. Spindrift, Thames A Rater, M Hunter, 14
10. Lady Jane, Thames A Rater, N Fribbens, 20