The 44th Navigators & General sponsored Three Rivers Race, organised by Horning Sailing Club, will take place on the Norfolk Broads over the weekend of 5-6 June.

Taking place over a 24-hour period, the Navigators Three Rivers Race is a handicap event with entries ranging from dinghies, half-deckers, traditional Broads yachts and modern production yachts. This year there will be big Yeoman and White boat fleets and up to five impressive Thames A Raters.

There are expected to be over 100 entrants for this year’s event, who will either be paddling or punting under bridges, short-tacking up narrow rivers whilst having to contend with hire cruisers sailing the opposite direction.

The course is approximately 50 miles set around three of the rivers of the Norfolk Broads, the Bure, the Ant and the Thurne, and includes four turning points which may be taken in any order. As the rivers are tidal, a great deal of tactical planning is required from skippers and crews to choose the most efficient method of getting round all the turning marks as quickly as possible.

But the tide is not the only hazard. Competitors have to negotiate bridges on both the Bure and the Thurne at which masts must be lowered in order to pass underneath. One of these bridges is the famous Potter Heigham bridge.

Racing starts at 12 noon on Saturday 5 June and there is a time limit of 24 hours in which to complete the race. The fastest boats are expected to be back in Horning by about 9pm on the Saturday night, given a good breeze, with the slower ones arriving throughout the night and into Sunday morning.

Joe Field, Marketing Manager of sponsors Navigators & General Insurance said: “This will be the 9th year we have sponsored this great event and we are encouraging even more people to take part this year. It is fun, not only for the competitors but for spectators as well who jostle for position to see the boats passing under the bridges and lowering their masts.”

For more details and entry forms contact: Colin Facey at Woodsdyke Boatyard on 01692 630461 or by e-mail at enquiries@woodsdyke-boatyard.co.uk.