Page published 14 February 2021
Originally posted on on 4 June 2011 on what used to be "The Blog", this page records some thoughts and sights of Horning Sailing Club's Three River's Race.
Some Thoughts from a Spectator
There would have been a time when I would have posted a 25,000 word report here on the Three Rivers Race. Those days have gone, but only because these days Horning Sailing Club refuses to invite me to take part.
I find the club's behaviour, since 2008, when I first made various offers, intended to help promote the race, a little peculiar. However, the club took such exception to what I considered to be a trivial remark that I posted last year (concerning the race chairman's understanding of the term "interactive" in connection with a web site) that, in its view, I appear to deserve a permanent ban from participation in the race, even though I posted an apology for the offence caused, which I made without reservation, as soon as I was approached about the matter.
River Cruisers at the Start of the Three Rivers Race 2011.
This year, I just looked on, as a spectator, viewing the boats from the New Inn a couple of hundred yards downstream from the start. In some ways the start was a disappointing spectacle. With the wind in the north, it seemed that it was difficult for skippers to judge their run to the line. Certainly by the time they made the turn at the club house almost all classes were well spread out, running, so at the mercy of the wind with almost no opportunity for the skill of the crew to show in skilful tacking or other manoeuvres.
Zingara - first river cruiser at Ludham.
Conditions appeared very different in the more open waters at Ludham Bridge. In the strong winds tacking up the Ant proved extremely difficult for some of the larger river cruisers, especially in the cut and thrust of close racing with smaller lighter boats. However, by the time they made the turn onto the reach with the mark the wind was on their beam and all the boats cantered for the line with a good bow wave showing.
Beth at Ludham.
From Ludham we returned home for lunch before making a quick visit to Potter Heigham, but by the time we reached there, late in the afternoon, the boats were well spread out. The Forum on Three Rivers Race web site, however, gives some idea of the excitement for the competitors this year, with some of the strongest winds in ten years.
Update
Back in 2011 when the content above was originally posted, the independent Three Rivers Race site was the best place for a spectator to get information on the race. At the time, the HSC had no site dedicated to the race and the club site was very much focused on current race administration. Since then the address of the independent site has changed, the forum been separated from the main site and the software become poorly maintained and unreliable. It's rather a shame.