Entries are invited from recognised clubs, class associations as well as university sailing teams.
History
The race had a long history, dating back to 1967, and had always been held in September. The race was not sailed in the year 2000 due to the fuel crisis, and again in 2020 until 2023 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic as well as the high cost of organising the event. An early race in the mid 1980s was stopped during the night because of the fierce weather conditions. The Club formally withdrew the race from the sailing calendar in January 2022 quoting difficulties with the organisation, with the race revived for the 2024 edition. The 2024 race brought a collaborative approach to organisation with competitors requested to share organisational roles and volunteer for on the day duties. It also reduced the dinghy entry classes to only the Enterprise and GP14. A 2025 race has been confirmed by the club, and has reintroduced the entry of the Firefly class.
The average turnout, which had stabilised in the years prior to 2020, had been between 60 and 70 boats, although the 50th anniversary race, held in 2016, attracted 82 entries. Recent entry numbers had been held up by the fact that many of the competing clubs had entered two, three or even four teams. Races in the early years had seen as many as 100 entries with a waiting list.
Format
The race starts at 12 noon on the Saturday. The competing teams then raced their dinghies around the Southport Marine Lake (a man made feature containing 2 islands)[5] for the next 24 hours, finishing at noon on Sunday. Crew changes only being allowed in a specially dedicated docking area. Most entries were made up of teams with around 12 sailors. Competitors were not permitted to sail in more than one team during the event. However, there was nothing (other than exhaustion) to prevent a crew of two from sailing the whole event in one boat; 2 people sailing non stop was successfully sailed by Adam McGovern and Chris Robinson of Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club in the 2007 race.
The Southport National Junior 12 Hour Race is a endurance sailing race held by Southport Sailing Club, on the same lake as the 24 hour race. The event takes place often in June, three months before the adult event. Despite the 24 hour race allowing junior participants, the 12 hour race allows junior and youth sailors up to the age of 20 the chance to compete against their peers in an endurance race with similar rules to the 24 hour race. In 2025 it was won by Budworth Sailing Club, followed by Toddbrook Sailing Club, with Winsford Flash Sailing Club coming third and winning first under 18 team.
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