The East Coast Piers Race (ECPR) first took place in 1987 and is the UK’s premier long-distance dinghy race. The ECPR attracts some of the best catamaran and dinghy sailors from across the UK and Europe as well as a wide range of club sailors who want to test their skills and enjoy a weekend of sailing in a beautiful setting.

The ECPR offers two course options. Faster catamarans can sail the full 50-mile course, that runs up and down the East coast. The race starts at Marconi Sailing Club, passes Bradwell Power station, Colne Point, Clacton Pier and finally reaches Walton Pier before heading back to Marconi. Slower cats and monohulls sail a shorter course, the Colne Point race, which returns to base at Colne Point and is around 27 miles long.

Course Overview

The typical ECPR weekend starts with shorter inshore races on Saturday after a race briefing at 12:00. The full ECPR and the Colne Point race start early on Sunday morning, with the race briefing for these two races taking place on Saturday evening. There is free camping on the extensive grassy club grounds of Marconi Sailing Club on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night included in the race entry as well as an evening meal on Saturday night.

A key aspect of the race is that all proceeds are donated to charity. For many years the race has supported the Cirdan Trust, which provides disadvantaged young people with the opportunity for self-development by living and working on large sailing boats, as well as the Essex air ambulance. The trust owns three large historic sailing vessels, and you can find more information about the trust here. Over the last four decades, the ECPR has raised over one hundred thousand pounds to support the work of the Cirdan trust and other charities.

Trophies

Over the years we’ve build a fantastic array of trophies which are up for grabs over the East Coast Piers Race weekend, they are:

  • Saturday Series Trophy
  • Best Newcomer
  • First Tornado
  • First Marconi Dart Home
  • First Dart 15 Home
  • First Hurricane
  • First Formula 18
  • First Dart 18
  • ECPR Team Trophy
  • Oldest Crew
  • Youngest Crew
  • Dinghy Colne Point Trophy
  • Colne Point Line Honours
  • Colne Point Race Winner
  • East Coast Piers Race Line Honours
  • East Coast Piers Race Winner