The Southport 24 Hour Race – the UK’s No 1 dinghy sailing endurance race is always a popular and sociable occasion.Whether your aim is to win or to just take part, it is an opportunity for club members who regularly pit their wits against each other to join forces to take on the might of sailors from other clubs around the UK, including some of the UK’s top dinghy sailors who are drawn to the unique atmosphere created by this event.
Having finished just outside the top flight in 2007, the Budworth SC “A” Team immediately set itself the challenge of returning in 2008 to recapture a place in the top flight.Those who had followed the forecast in the days leading up to the event knew that the conditions would be challenging. Mental toughness as much as physical stamina would be tested. However, hopes were raised as the warning cannon sounded across the Southport Marine Lake and the drizzle cleared giving way to bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.
Filled with optimism, Bill Kenyon and Ben Ditchburn led the charge for Budworth’s “A”Team. A clean start was followed up by a couple of good early laps which saw the team affirm its intention to establish a place in the top flight. The team was soon up to seventh.
There was also a sigh of relief as it became apparent that the threat of an early challenge from the “B” Team (fresh from their success in the Junior 12 Hour Race) appeared to have been averted.
As the leading boats rapidly caught up the tail enders, the usual problem of identifying places on the water ensued. After a three hour stint, it was time for Bill and Ben to hand over safely to Graham Tinsley and Ali Cormack, who showed an impressive turn of speed and commitment to the challenge. For a fleeting moment and based on average lap times it appeared that the Budworth “A” Team had risen to the dizzy heights of fourth.
As Graham and Ali came to the end of their stint the wind shut off completely and for the majority of the next 12 hours simply attempting to maintain forward momentum would be the greatest challenge of all. Luke Shaw and Ben Dutton, Graeme Bristow and Chris Bowmer and Russell Cormack and Geoff Edwards would endure probably the most tricky and painstaking conditions of the weekend. However, not ones to shy away from the challenge the team came through a night that favoured the Enterprises and Larks in 7th place (3rd GP14), equal to Budworth SC’s best ever finish at the 24 Hour Race.
Bill and Ben took to the water again in the early hours of the morning and saw in the new dawn, before handing over for a second time to Graham and Ali. With the sixth place boat now over half a lap ahead, it was looking like the team would have to settle for 7th place. However, as Luke and Ben stepped into the boat for the final time it was becoming apparent that attention needed to be turned to the boat behind.
Amongst others, the on-going shore support of Marie Shaw and Emma Ditchburn (who throughout the twenty four hours helped to monitor the team’s progress) chewed finger nails as the eighth placed Enterprise closed the gap to as little as 30 seconds. It was decided that no further team changes would take place - Luke and Ben would have to stick to the task of making sure the team stayed in 7th.
At 12:02.26, it was confirmed: job done, seventh overall and first flight next year – well done the “A” Team!
Not two, but three Budworth teams took part in this year’s West Lancs 24 Hour race.
The B team consisted of the Budworth youth sailors who won the 12 hour race just months ago and were now seeded 27th , placing them on the third start.
The first few laps from Stewart Brown and crew Annie Stephenson were quite mixed with places ranging from 15th to 31st. After a good three hour stint these two were switched for Andrew Brown and Katie Greenwood just as the wind dropped. They stepped in lying 23rd but a harsh reality of the 24 hour race came into play as Andy was forced onto the mark by an inexperienced team doing a poor gybe resulting in the first of our two ¼ lap penalties… putting us down from a very respectable, 23rd, to 33rd.
It was difficult to recover this vital time later on in the race as conditions were very tricky and where the wind came from was going to be anyone’s guess. Tom Hubbard crewed by Tom Ditchburn maintained our position as it drew dark and the wind dropped to almost nothing.
Throughout the night, the wind died to a total mirror and with the spinnaker unable to fill, the Enterprises gained an advantage and the Budworth team did very well to keep their position. Alex Sharp did some sterling work during this period and Andy and Katie - our lightweight pairing – were back in the boat to try and work a bit of magic but without success with a bit of early morning tiredness creeping in.
After a swap to our senior member – Mark Antonelli and Ryan Penny, it was time to give everyone else a chance and so sportingly we broke our tiller extension in an attempt to make things that little bit more enjoyable. This also caused a collision with the metal tripods marks which are stuck in the lake bed and so we took another ¼ lap penalty?. Lessons learnt so far: avoid the huge metal tripods. Position on the water was now 40th.
At 6am Stewart and Annie were back but the time gaps between themselves and the boats ahead were not close enough to make many places and so at 9am when Andy and Katie went back on again in the light winds they had lots of work to do. For 2 hours the pair kept a certain Mike Senior in the South Staffs boat behind them which by anyone’s standard is no mean achievement. But still not many places were being gained as the fleet was so spread out. In the end the two Toms went back out as the wind increased in 33rd position and the team finished overall in a credible 32nd.
Thanks to everyone on the shore – John Greenwood, Harry Brown and the other two teams who helped out tremendously. Two names above all should be mentioned: Craig Hewett for very kindly lending the boat and Bill Kenyon for all the support he gave us this year as well as around and about the GP fleet in general… Thanks Craig and Bill!! The B team will be back next year without hitting any marks and aiming much higher!
The C-Team entry was made up mainly of Budworth’s GP14 Silver Fleet members who had never sailed the event before, but were banking on the experience of Gold Fleet sailor Steve Hubbard and experienced helm Peter Guest to help them through. The team was drawn 56th in the entry of 69 boats so wanted to improve on this.
After the early hours in a usable light breeze in Steve Hubbard’s & Pauline Penny’s hands, we were lying 47th. Mark Antonelli and Peter Guest put in a good shift sharing the helming, but later on the Saturday night the wind dropped to Budworth drift levels. Through these light wind early hours of darkness the Baileys, Hewett’s and Downes all put in shifts, but as novices at the event the team’s position settled back to 58th overall.
But in the early hours of the Sunday morning the breeze picked up progressively, and we all had better second shifts but could not get higher than 52nd by the time the sun rose. With many of us tiring we were delighted to have Paul Bowmer (very talented Gold fleet sailor) offer his services, so a final 4 hour strategy was hatched. Firstly we put out Steve & Pauline again for 2 hours, then Paul Bowmer with Peter Guest crewing for the final 2 hours. As the wind increased further and boats started to capsize, Paul and Peter demonstrated some superb 3 sail planning reaches, and finished a remarkable 46th!
The 24hr race is a fantastic advert for Budworth SC, and our 3 team entry demonstrated that we are a highly enthusiastic sailing club with some extremely talented sailors. The strong social team, and cameradery amongst the crews will surely attract new members to Budworth SC.
Mike Senior of South Staffs SC with crew Luke Shaw were on commanding form, dominating all three races from start to finish. But competition was intense amongst the rest of the Gold Fleet sailors with Bill Kenyon (Budworth SC), Gary Dewhurst (Burwain SC), Innes Armstrong (Burwain SC) and Bruce Deppe (Hollingworth Lake SC) all swapping positions from beat to run and lap to lap. In the end home fleet sailor Bill Kenyon was second overall and as a result Bill extends his lead in the 2009 GP14 Northern Bell Championship, which is generously sponsored by Omega Sails.
