Revealing interview with Stick Daring 'Round UK'

Stick Daring 'Round UK' © Stick Daring

I know Stick Daring (AKA Neil Peters) as a really good Laser sailor; we have raced against each other on the Laser Masters' circuit. Occasionally, Neil would mention his longing to sail around the UK. I just thought that it was a pretty crazy idea, but knowing Neil, I thought that he would certainly make an attempt at some stage.

Stick started from Eastbourne Pier on the 17th July and he was going to take the hard route (as if any route was easy) anti-clockwise around the UK.

I was too busy driving to Garda for the RS800 Europeans to notice his campaign on Facebook, only noticing his epic journey had already started when he was in the very north of Scotland. I quickly became addicted to following his journey and hoping it would turn out a success.

Stick needed a new Laser Replacement Sail to take him the last 1000 miles of his journey and some warmer sailing kit as he was struggling in Scottish summer conditions that would make most Southerners freeze. Supertherm Longjohns, Supertherm Top and a Signal Blue Pro Aquafleece Top (the brighter the better) later and Stick was back making good progress a little less chilly than before.

I had been given Stick's track responder data as Stick had made some loose plans to drop by at Stokes Bay on Wednesday, but weather plans had put paid to that idea. I watched on Thursday as his track did Weymouth to Cowes in a one-er! "Wow Stick - that's brave!" There was no point in him going to Stokes Bay now I thought and I wished him safe passage on the next stage of his journey. Then, out of the blue he called on Friday - he had landed on Hayling Beach having had an epic off Nab Tower. Stick's last 50 miles were going to prove as difficult as some in Scotland, I thought, as he was now facing the Equinoctial Gales.

We sat down so I could share some of his stories on our Blog. At the time of this chat, Stick had not yet completed his mission, but he had already smashed his target of raising £10,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.

Check the blog out for parts 2 ,3, 4 and 5 of this revealing interview.