The M.J. Quinn UK Firefighters Sailing Challenge
by Eddie Winter 30 Apr 2011 15:54 BST
26-28 April 2011
The eighth running of the UK Firefighters Sailing Challenge (UKFSC) racing series took place on the testing waters of the Solent between 26th and 28th April 2011. Being a 999 community event this years Challenge was contested by 25 crews of 8 people each representing members of the emergency services from around the UK. The UKFSC 2011 also attracted major sponsorship from Liverpool based MJ Quinn Integrated Services Ltd, a well-established and successful multi-disciplined services operation with over 25 years' experience in the industry.. As a result the title of the event was changed to MJ Quinn UK Firefighters Sailing Challenge to reflect this.
Day one saw crews collect their F40 yachts from Sunsail at Port Solent. The series requires that all competing crews, who are of mixed ability, use identical yachts prepared to ensure an equal competitive standing. On leaving Portsmouth the UKFSC’s committee boat set the fleet a race course that would ensure that competitors, and particularly the novices amongst them, would gain through their qualified skippers a familiarity with the yachts and their location in a relatively safe environment. This three and a half hour passage race would also be used to separate the fleet into three groups that would compete for class trophies that would be awarded at the end of the next day.
The race course set took us from Spit Sands Fort out around the Nab Tower and a return to the central Solent via several marks towards Cowes which was to be the base for its overnight stop. The wind at Chichester was showing in the region of 22 knots so the race officer prudently ordered no spinnakers and mandatory lifejackets. Sadly on this race the wind simply stayed at a maximum of 10 knots but it allowed crews to get used to the new F40’s chartered from Sunsail. This first race was won by the yacht skippered by London Fire Brigade’s Dave Sharman.
Late in the afternoon competitors made their way to the Cowes Yacht Haven where, having moored their yachts, crew’s were able to renew old acquaintances and meet with new entrants. The event regularly attracts competitors from fire, police and ambulance services as well as personnel from airport fire stations and mountain rescue teams. Crews gathered for the first of two evenings at the Cowes Event Centre where they were entertained by members of the Joke Klub whilst they enjoyed their evening meal. The UKFSC raises funds at these evening events which it contributes towards charities and good causes. Over the course of seven years over £35,000 has been raised and distributed in this way.
An early start was made on day two of the event in order to accommodate five ‘round the cans’ races set for the day. Although the wind was a bit fluky over the central bank it was generally steady at around 15 knots and with short racing and with half the fleet using spinnakers the racing got really serious. All skippers and crews were to be commended on their behaviour as there was only one OCS and no collisions throughout the event, although the committee boat did get worried on a couple of occasions with boats finding that small gap between the committee and the next boat! The winner’s spoils in these races were shared amongst yacht crews of ‘Hampshire Fire-1’, ‘Met Police’ and ‘West Yorkshire-1’. Late in the afternoon crews returned to Cowes.
The MJ Quinn Gala Evening saw the winners of the Class Trophies announced. This allows crews to compete for recognition of achieved when compared to their peers and is run outside the competition for the event’s principle trophies. The three course meal was followed by the event raffle of prizes donated by supporting business community and an auction of those prizes considered to be particularly special. These included a 40 inch flat screen TV, a balloon ride for two, a five day yacht charter in Gibraltar and a pair of boxing gloves signed by the Ukrainian world boxing champions Wladimir and Vitalii Klitchko. In all £3,198 was raised towards the charity giving fund in just under an hour.
On Thursday, the third and last day of the event, two more long races were set by the committee boat. These races consolidated the position of those seen as favourites the day before. Again Hampshire skipper, and event organiser, Mick Stead showed last years winner Roger Glass and contender Nick Harding that he and his crew were a force to be reckoned with gaining a third place in the first race of the day and a first place in the second. On the completion of the last race crews returned to Port Solent for the event’s closing ceremony and prize giving.
Hampshire’s Chief Fire Officer John Bonney presented trophies to the following to mark the merit of their achievement:
- First Fire team placed – Mick Stead (Hampshire Fire 1)
- Second Fire team placed – Nick Harding (London Fire 3)
- Third Fire team placed – Dave Sharman (London Fire 2)
- Best Non Fire team placed – Roger Glass (Met Police)
- Best White Sail team placed – Mark Rowden (Hampshire Fire 2)
- Best Sponsors team placed – David Redman (MJ Quinn)
The UK Firefighters Sailing Challenge 2012 will run between Tuesday 24th April and Thursday the 26th. Anyone interested in participating should contact the event organisers by email via