Streakers at 50: Staunton's Nigel Pepperdine Joins Jubilee Sail on the Thames
Published 01:00 on 20 May 2025
More than twenty Streakers descended on Ranelagh Sailing Club to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Streaker dinghy—a fitting venue, as designer Jack Holt was a club member and crafted many of his iconic designs nearby.
Your representative from Staunton Harold SC arrived with the usual visitor anxieties: Where to park? Which app to download? Would there be a traffic warden lurking nearby? A warm welcome quickly put those parking worries to rest—Just leave the car on the riverbank, it is fine, said a friendly Ranelagh club member. This is central London, apparently!
With coffee and bacon rolls in hand, competitors gathered for a briefing that offered some vital Thames-specific advice: Keep out of the tide, avoid the ferries, do not hit anything, and beware of the birds standing in the middle of the river. Valuable guidance—though not all of it was fully absorbed by yours truly.
At 11:15 a.m., the fleet set off downstream, with the windward (?) mark set near Grosvenor Bridge, just past Battersea Park. The learning curve was steep. After a bold (but brief) Ben Ainslie-style start, I was soon rolled by the fleet and found myself at the back. Several bridges later, four boats had broken away and seemed destined for the podium… but the Thames had other ideas.
Unfamiliar with the local wildlife and perhaps distracted by the sights of the Chelsea Flower Show, I managed to run aground—twice. Yes, Streakers can go backwards, for those wondering. Despite holding around 5th or 6th, I was soon swarmed by ten boats closing in fast—a moment of despair every sailor knows too well.
Then, a twist. Just around the bend, the leaders were becalmed in a windless pocket. The chasing fleet bunched up, and a fresh breeze from behind brought us all back into contention. For the final stretch, the race tightened dramatically. The outcome came down to the passage under Putney Bridge. Several boats entered the arches; the exit made all the difference.
Fortunately, luck was on my side. I made it through cleanly and held position over the final 500 metres. Adam Yorkston (WOBYC) took the win, and I secured second place.
Ranelagh SC proved to be a fantastic host—welcoming, well-organised, and topped off with a delicious post-race meal. A huge thank you to all involved for putting on such a memorable event.
Oh, and the car? Still safely on the riverbank. No ticket. No flooding. Just a great day in central London with the Streaker fleet.
Thank you to Nigel Pepperdine for the excellent report! The full results from the race are below and for some fantastic shots of the race please go to BR Sailing Photography at:-
Last updated 13:13 on 23 May 2025
