Holt Streaker Golden Jubilee Tideway Race at Ranelagh Sailing Club
by Neil Firth 23 May 01:21 PDT
17 May 2025
Kyle Beamish sailing 125 under Battersea Railway Bridge - Holt Streaker Golden Jubilee Tideway Race © BR Sailing Photography
Jack Holt would have been proud to see 21 Streaker dinghies gathering at Ranelagh Sailing Club, all there to celebrate 50 years since he designed the Streaker at his premises on Putney Embankment.
On 17 May 2025, sailors from as far afield as Scotland, Worcestershire, Dorset and Suffolk made the journey into London for the Streaker Golden Jubilee Tideway Race, generously supported by Holt.
We arrived on Saturday morning to the aroma of freshly cooked bacon sandwiches, laid on by our welcoming hosts. Reassuringly the tide was out, allowing plenty of space in front of the club to rig our boats. There was a sense of anticipation and excitement, tempered with a few nerves, as we considered how to navigate the arches of Putney Bridge, looming large just downstream from the club.
This would be the first of eight bridges set to challenge us in both directions. However, conditions were idyllic - a gentle breeze, sunshine and clear blue skies, so everyone was up for giving it a go!
Ranelagh SC is no stranger to this race format, which was carefully explained at the briefing by Jack Norton, our Race Officer for the day. The start time - an hour or so before low water - would hopefully allow everyone to reach the turning mark at Battersea Power Station. The tide would still be going out as the leaders reached the turn, so some compression of the fleet would be likely... if not a complete restart!
The Race Officer also pointed out the perils of the fast-approaching bridges, as well as the consequences of being OCS in the fast-running tide... boats may struggle to get back to the line, in which case they would be released after 5 minutes by a rolling start gate! Finally, a warning to watch out for the Uber Boats - the fast catamarans criss-crossing the river every 30 minutes... oh, and keep an eye out for rowing eights which "never give way"! Good luck everyone...
The forecast north-easterly should have meant a reaching start but, as we were to discover, the actual wind direction varies significantly along the river as influenced by 'local features'! So we actually had a north-westerly breeze at the start, helping the tide to push us over the line.
Most managed to stay upstream before the gun, but two boats succumbed to the tide and scored OCS. They sensibly decided to race on with the fleet rather than try to get back to the line and risk not making it to the turning mark before the tide turned. It's the taking part that counts!
Meanwhile, James Dawes (Redditch SC) judged the line nicely and was the first to reach Putney Bridge (1), closely pursued by Duncan Glen (Spinnaker SC), Adam Yorkston (WOBYC) and Nathan Clark (WOBYC).
Progress felt slow but the whole fleet soon made it to Fulham Railway Bridge (2), propelled more by the tide than the fickle breeze.
By Wandsworth Bridge (3) there were a few patches of pressure. The front four, led by James Dawes, benefitted from the slightly steadier north-easterly for the long beat up to Battersea Railway Bridge (4) and, beyond that, Battersea Bridge (5). It was on this beat that Duncan picked up a couple of good shifts, possibly helicopter-assisted, and reeled in James to take the lead.
Behind the four leaders the chasing pack, led by Alistair Smith (RYA) and including Simon Cory (Downs SC), Nigel Pepperdine (Staunton Harold SC), Neil Firth (Banbury SC), Jon Aldhous (Beaver SC) and Simon Gillow (Chipstead SC), started to stretch away from the rest of the fleet.
The iconic Albert Bridge (6) marks the beginning of Battersea Park, with Chelsea Bridge (7) at its far end. A few park-goers watched the unique spectacle from the tree-lined footpath. Some even waved, but I doubt they caught the attention of the front four as they searched for the elusive patches of pressure. Duncan held on to his lead and emerged from under Grosvenor Bridge (8) to be first round the turning mark opposite Battersea Power Station.
The anticipated compression after the mark didn't materialise (well... not yet) as the leaders managed to hug the shore and find enough pressure to outrun the slackening tide. Duncan chose the north bank while the other three crossed the river to the south side, which paid off. Duncan quickly spotted his error and re-joined the others as they ran with the gentle breeze back towards Putney. These four (James, Adam, Nathan and Duncan) built up an unassailable lead... or so they thought!
After passing under Wandsworth Bridge, the river bends to the right and the final two bridges come into sight... they were almost home! The wind switched off and the leaders found themselves parked up in pretty much slack water. Meanwhile, the majority of the fleet still had some breeze and were also starting to feel the effect of the incoming tide which carried them right up to the helpless leaders.
More than half the fleet came together, spread across the width of the river, as they drifted under the final two bridges. Then, out of nowhere, a gentle breeze filled in from upriver and the anticipated 'restart' was on... albeit with only 500m to the finish! Adam Yorkston, in the middle of the river, was the first to pick up the breeze, quickly followed by Nigel Pepperdine on the left.
They finished in that order with Nathan Clark taking third. Amongst the following pack, Phil Halldron (Downs SC) took Silver Fleet honours and, close behind, Charmaine Ryland (Ouse Amateur SC) was first Bronze Fleet.
It was fantastic to see Streaker 125 on the water, being sailed for the first time in many years, after having taken pride of place at this year's RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show. The first Streaker was sail number 100, so 125 is a very early example. It was supplied as a Jack Holt kit in 1976 and was recently restored, by Simon Cory, to the original Jack Holt specification (with a minor kicker upgrade for the race!). 125 was well sailed by Kyle Beamish (WOBYC) who finished third in the Bronze Fleet.
The unforgettable day was wrapped up with an excellent sit-down lunch courtesy of our hosts at Ranelagh SC. The prize winners received Holt hardware and everyone took home a commemorative mug from event sponsors, Holt. It was fantastic that all 21 boats made it to the turning mark at Battersea Power Station and back! This included a single boat sailed by Denise Judd, Jo Thomson and Debbie Richards, the Downs SC relay team... with crew changeovers ably assisted by their team RIB!
The Streaker Class is hugely grateful to all the volunteers at Ranelagh SC for laying on such a memorable day, both on and off the water - you did us proud! We must also thank Amy and Lloyd from BR Sailing Photography who captured the experience for posterity with their stunning photographs.
So, that's the Tideway Race ticked off the Bucket List!
Overall Results:
| Pos | Fleet | Sail No | Helm | Club | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Gold | 2127 | Adam Yorkston | WOBYC | 1 |
| 2 | Gold | 2136 | Nigel Pepperdine | Staunton Harold SC | 2 |
| 3 | Gold | 1965 | Nathan Clark | WOBYC | 3 |
| 4 | Gold | 1665 | Neil Firth | Banbury SC | 4 |
| 5 | Gold | 2137 | Simon Cory | Downs SC | 5 |
| 6 | Gold | 1709 | Simon Gillow | Chipstead SC | 6 |
| 7 | Gold | 1975 | James Dawes | Redditch SC | 7 |
| 8 | Gold | 1930 | Duncan Glen | Spinnaker SC | 8 |
| 9 | Silver | 2109 | Phil Halldron | Downs SC | 9 |
| 10 | Gold | 2115 | Jon Aldhous | Beaver SC | 10 |
| 11 | Silver | 2112 | Katie Masterson | St Mary's Loch SC | 11 |
| 12 | Gold | 2121 | Ian Bradley | Ouse Amateur SC | 12 |
| 13 | Silver | 2132 | Alistair Smith | RYA | 13 |
| 14 | Silver | 1404 | Christopher Smith | Island Barn RSC | 14 |
| 15 | Bronze | 1911 | Charmaine Ryland | Ouse Amateur SC | 15 |
| 16 | Bronze | 1817 | Paul Burman‑Smith | Ouse Amateur SC | 16 |
| 17 | Bronze | 125 | Kyle Beamish | WOBYC | 17 |
| 18 | Bronze | 2160 | Chris Godwin | Rutland SC | 18 |
| 19 | Bronze | 2126 | Julia Blackman | Downs SC | 19 |
| 20 | Bronze | 1977 | Sue Firth | Banbury SC | OCS |
| 20 | Bronze | 1384 | Denise Judd/Jo Thomson/Debbie Richards | Downs SC | OCS |