The West Lancashire Yacht Club 24 hour yacht race is a national event that has been running for an amazing 39 years this September, it is classed as the UK's No.1 endurance dinghy race and is believed to be the only event of it’s kind in the country! There have been up to 120 boats in the race in previous years with entries being accepted from Sailing Clubs and Universities throughout the UK, with occasional visits from Eire, France and even the USA. This year organisers are expecting around 70 boats in the race, with around 700 - 800 competitors working on shifts through the night in the same fashion as the Le Mont car race, fighting to be the boat that travels the furthest distance over the 24 hours. For those in the know - the 24 Hour Race is sailed in Enterprise, GP14 and Lark style 14 foot dinghies, which the teams have all been training hard onboard, to compete for some of the serious trophies that are up for grabs.
 | | The 2003 event! |
Rob Pickering, Club Project Officer for the event said: “It’s an exciting day for the competitors, the essence of the race isn’t necessarily speed but team work and not making mistakes. Preparation is the key, making sure the boat can withstand 24 hours and making sure the team are well fed and can sleep amongst other things. The team that wins are usually the team that prepares the best - rather like the hair and the tortoise!” The Southport 24 Hour Race is also classed as one of the best social events in the dinghy racing calendar, with live music and parties on the banks for the competitors, so it’s no surprise that it gets a good turn out! Details Visitors can come down and watch the action for free on Saturday 17th Sept around the 2 mile shore of the Southport Marine Lake where the race will begin at 12 midday. Anyone wishing to know more about how to get involved with the 24 Hour Yacht race can find all details and guidelines on the West Lancashire Yacht Club website at the top right of this page. | 
