Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S-Series LEADERBOARD

63rd Yachtmaster Insurance Three Rivers Race Preview

by Holly Hancock 27 May 02:33 PDT 1-2 June 2024
Three Rivers Race © Holly Hancock

Any form of 24-hour endurance race is a challenge, but imagine doing this in a boat, and having to lower and raise your mast no less than four times to make way under the narrow bridges of the Broads, including medieval Potter Heigham Bridge, whilst covering 50 miles through daylight and darkness on the winding waterways of the Norfolk Broads.

Next Saturday, hundreds of sailors from across the UK and further afield will make their way to Horning Sailing Club, in a small pretty Broadland village, for the start of the internationally renowned Three Rivers Race. Once billed as Europe's toughest inland sailing race, it provides a unique challenge for the newcomer to the race and the seasoned sailor alike, with each and every one of the 118 entrants hoping to make it round the course - and the three rivers: the Bure, the Ant and the Thurne - in a test of seamanship.

The brainchild of David Hastings MBE, who came up with the idea in 1961, along with Peter Mallender, Dickie Keogh and Eric Smith, as a new challenge for Horning Sailing Club members, the race is now in its 63rd year and is still going strong, attracting a new generation of sailors participating for the first time. Back in 1961, that very first race saw some 42 boats begin in a brisk breeze, which turned overnight to gale force winds, made all the harder by it being a moonless night. Whilst competitors in the 2024 might be hoping for somewhat calmer conditions, the excitement and exhilaration of the Race still exists. Safety is at the forefront of the race committee's mind, planning taking the best part of a year, and nowadays guardships are situated throughout the course to keep an eye on activities. In 2014 the Race was judged by the Sport & Recreation Alliance to be the third toughest mass-participation event in the UK.

With sixteen starts spanning almost an hour and a half, the boats will leave Horning Sailing Club from 11am, making their way through the village out onto the more open waters of the Broads, the skippers tactically choosing their own route dependent upon the wind and tide conditions on the day. The course will include sailing (in any order) to Ludham Bridge on the River Ant, South Walsham Broad, down the Bure through Acle Bridge to Stokesby or beyond, and through Potter Heigham Bridge to Hickling on the River Thurne. The Bridges in particular are always popular with spectators, especially as some competitors choose to "shoot" the bridges - meaning that they leave lowering the mast to the very last second, some even sailing between the old and new bridges at Potter Heigham, much to the excitement of the crowd!

Each year the starting order rotates and first away this year will be the thirteen-strong fleet of Wayfarers, a small, popular 15'10" dinghy, followed by a variety of craft from traditional Broads boats to hire boats. The boats range from a Miracle dinghy at 12'8" length to Thames A Raters with their imposing rigs standing at over 45' tall! The entries also include over 50 river and production cruisers.

This year, amongst the fleets to watch are the elegant Yare & Bure One Designs; these traditional boats were designed for the Broads, boasting previous winners amongst their ranks, including six times winner Chris Bunn sailing Fox, and last year's winning crew (and 2022 second-placed sailor) James Dugdale sailing Ghost. Another closely contended fleet will be the Norfolk Punts, with twelve having entered, along with two Thames A Raters, both classes of boats having been previous winners. The fast cruisers will also be competitive, with 2021 winner Chris Pank helming Moonraker once more.

Almost every class competing has won the race at least once in its history, so it really is wide open. Whether competitors are racing for the first time, for charity, to win, or for a personal challenge, it truly is a unique Broads spectacle which needs to be seen to be believed! The action kicks off at 11am on Saturday 1st June from Horning Sailing Club. If you cannot make it to see the Race in person, you can view all the action via webcams on the Horning Sailing Club website www.horning-sailing.club/webcams and find out more about the race here www.3rr.uk

Related Articles

Horning Sailing Club Autumn Passage Race
A superb 46 starters take to the water on Saturday Horning Sailing Club's Autumn Passage Race made a welcome return for its second year on Saturday 19th October 2024. This year, it attracted a great number of 50 entrants and saw 46 starters on the day. Posted on 21 Oct
Horning SC Junior Regatta and Open Dinghy Weekend
Racing on the river and on Hoveton Little Broad After the excitement of last weekend at Horning Sailing Club when it hosted the Broadland Youth Regatta, the weekend of 7/8th September was another busy one. With two events taking place! Posted on 10 Sep
30th NSBA Broadland Youth Regatta
Challenging conditions at Horning for the 99 young sailors In its 30th year of this Broadland event, the Norfolk & Suffolk Boating Association's (NSBA) Broadland Youth Regatta was hosted at Horning Sailing Club (HSC) on the Norfolk Broads on Saturday 31st August 2024. Posted on 2 Sep
Horning Sailing Club's Open Regatta Week 2024
Some of the best weather conditions for many years Horning Sailing Club enjoyed a fantastic week both on and off the water for their 2024 Regatta Week, in some of the best weather conditions for many years, and in stark contrast to the windy conditions of 2023's Regatta. Posted on 5 Aug
63rd Yachtmaster Insurance Ltd Three Rivers Race
An eventful weekend's sailing in this iconic event It's billed as a test of endurance and seamanship, and that's exactly what the 63rd Three Rivers Race proved to be on Saturday 1st June. Posted on 3 Jun
Discover Sailing day at Horning
Sailing really can change lives! Horning SC enjoyed a fantastic day on the water Saturday, for their 'Discover Sailing' event held as part of the biennial Horning Boat Show, which was celebrating its seventh event. Posted on 9 May
Horning Sailing Club Easter Weekend
Downriver race to Thurne and back After a breezy start to Horning Sailing Club's summer season last week with racing on the river, Easter weekend saw two events take place. Posted on 2 Apr
Horning Sailing Club Autumn Passage Race
Inaugural edition takes place in a brisk breeze Horning Sailing Club's inaugural new Autumn Passage Race took place on Saturday 21 October in a brisk breeze. Despite the challenging conditions, the race was thoroughly enjoyed by competitors. Posted on 22 Oct 2023
Horning Sailing Club End of Season Regatta 2023
A fantastic turnout on Hoveton Little Broad with 30 boats taking part Horning Sailing Club's traditional End of Season Regatta took place over the weekend, with a fantastic turnout of 30 boats taking part. Posted on 17 Oct 2023
Horning Sailing Club Junior Regatta
A fitting culmination to the season's training activities Horning Sailing Club's Junior Regatta, held on Saturday 16 September, was a fitting culmination to the season's training activities and also a celebration of 20 years of the Club's Training Centre. Posted on 19 Sep 2023
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERTrinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay