West Lancashire Yacht Club announces winners of this year's 24-Hour Dinghy Race
by Richard Westlake 24 Sep 06:05 NZST
21-22 September 2024
Southport's Iconic 24-Hour Sailing Race Concludes with Thrilling Finish
The 53rd West Lancashire Yacht Club (WLYC) 24-Hour Dinghy Race came to a spectacular close on Sunday, with Budworth Sailing Club (SC) claiming victory after 24 hours of sailing non-stop on the Marine Lake in Southport.
The event, which took place over the weekend of 21st-22nd September, brought together some of the best sailing talent from across the UK. After 24 hours of intense and tactical racing, half a dozen leading boats finished within a few minutes of each other and it was the Budworth A boat which claimed the top spot, followed closely by South Staffordshire SC, who were neck and neck with Budworth throughout, and Looe SC in third place. We'll write a fuller race report soon.
Well done to Budworth for their incredible performance in this year's race! It was amazing to see such focus, determination and sailing skill from all the teams involved, which included local sea cadets as well the national sailing elite.
After a five year gap the eagerly awaited return of the event to Southport marks the first in a new generation of the WLYC 24 Hour Race, as a collaboration of all the sailing clubs involved. It wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous effort of the hundreds of competitors and volunteers from participating clubs - from Scotland to Sussex and from Bridlington to Blackpool - who made this year's race such a resounding success, supported by our local members and spectators, sponsors Marine Supplies Direct and Sefton MBC.
Competitors and club supporters volunteered for shift duty as race officers, first aiders, scrutineers, observers and parking marshals as well as manning five safety boats over the 24 hours. Bosun Greg Walker commented: 'I must admit to having been a little nervous beforehand, but it was amazing how every volunteer turned up on time for their duty and the handovers worked seamlessly'. It was a weekend full of competitive spirit, camaraderie, and love for sailing, and we couldn't have asked for better conditions or more enthusiasm all the way through to the exciting finish.
The return of the race is positive news for the town of Southport. The race, first held in 1967, which had grown into a beloved tradition in the sailing world, is 'back with a boom!' as a key fixture in Southport's event calendar. Teams raced tirelessly through the night, navigating lively wind conditions and intense competition in front of enthusiastic spectators on all sides of the lake.
Mayor of Sefton Councillor June Burns, who fired the starting gun on Saturday and presented the Southport Centenary Trophy to the winners on Sunday, told us: "It's great to have the 24-Hour Race back. I'm a huge supporter of what the Race represents for the people of Southport and the sailing community across the UK and it means a lot to the people of Southport too. A huge congratulations to the winning team Budworth SC and everyone who participated. I'm looking forward to next year's race already."
Full results can be found here.
The WLYC sailing development programme will benefit from a successful fundraising raffle, with all proceeds going towards the club's innovative work to widen access for young people interested in trying sailing in Southport, for which we recently won the Sunsail 'Funding the Future' prize.
The dates for next year's event are Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th September 2025 and entry is now open. WLYC hosted this year's race in collaboration with all of the competing clubs, and the successful teamwork bodes very well for the future - we're convinced the model makes the event more fun and more sustainable. We're already preparing for next year's race, and hope to build on this year's momentum by continuing to grow participation from sailors of all ages and abilities. The club invites sailors and spectators alike to return to the Marine Lake, Southport in September 2025 and join for what promises to be another unforgettable race. Online entry will again be hosted by the GP14 Association website gp14.org/events/wlyc-24-hour-race at the same entry fees as this year, with early bird rates until 31st March 2025.