Water Great Weekend

The highest temperatures of the year so far were matched by red-hot action on the waves, as powerboats and the exhilarating newcomers, ZapCats, raced in front of tens of thousands of spectactors.

On the beach there was scarcely a free square inch of sand and car parks were full along the seafront and in the town centre.

Regatta Group chairman Mike Northeast hailed the weekend as one of the best in the regatta's eight-year history.

"This is the first time we have really succeeded in staging an event not only for local people, but to show Littlehampton at its best to everyone.

"For too long we have lived with the jokey seaside town label and now people can see we are moving on.

"The interesting thing was how many people seemed to have come down specifically for the regatta as an event."

Cut back to one day last year when riverside redevelopments caused uncertainty over riverside access, the regatta was restored to a weekend-long celebration of Littlehampton's sea and river assets.

And it's hoped the waterfront building schemes will be sufficiently advanced next year to allow more big ships to visit the harbour and make events such as dragon boat racing possible again.

The new public riverside walkway should provide better views of the action on the water than ever.

But for this year, the spectators seemed more than happy with the wide-ranging activities extending across a large area between sea and river.

Arts and crafts stalls and a Littlehampton Museum display fringed the Oyster Pond, historic military vehicles and an ex-Falklands War helicopter lined up on The Green and Littlehampton Bonfire Society members were busy fund raising in Arun Parade.

The River Arun hosted dinghy racing and crab fishing, while scores of anglers went out in boats from the harbour for the regatta fishing competitions, and Arun Yacht Club staged two days of offshore Tempest sailing races.

Mr Northeast said that, while the ZapCats thrilled spectators with races just feet from the seashore, the traditional powerboats remained a big draw for people who enjoyed seeing the bigger boats parading in the harbour before and after competing offshore.

The graceful former Thames sailing barge, Victor, was fully booked for its cruises, the first time a visiting passenger vessel has sold out.

Harbour staff, and particularly harbourmaster Colin Hitchcock, were thanked by Mr Northeast for their co-operation over the weekend, along with Arun foreshore staff and lifeguards who kept the beach area safe. It was Mr Hitchcock's idea to bring ZapCat racing to Littlehampton.

Legendary Littlehampton charity collector Tyndall Jones was busy again, coaxing an amazing 465 out of spectators, to go to Regatta funds.

For more on the regatta and plenty of pictures, see the Gazette, August 1.