Scarborough man to race yachts across North Sea - by bike in 'Top Gear' challenge

Scarborough Yacht Club’s annual North Sea Race to Ijmuiden in the Netherlands will have a special twist this year – crews won’t just be racing each other’s yachts, but also the club’s commodore who will be riding a bike in a ‘Top Gear-style’ charity challenge.

The yachts will leave the North Yorkshire town at 10am on Saturday 27 June for what will be the 35th edition of the event and head 200 miles to the Dutch port, which lies close to the entrance to the North Sea Canal, about 10 miles from Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, Commodore Steve Parker will be covering the same distance by bicycle, riding 50 miles from Scarborough to Hull, then getting back in the saddle after a ferry crossing to Zeebrugge for the remaining 150 miles of his journey to Ijmuiden.

Like the yachts he’ll be racing, Mr Parker’s bike will carry a device to allow its progress to be tracked by satellite, with real-time information relayed on the Scarborough Yacht Club website.

The challenge, which was suggested by race sponsor Boyes Sports, is being carried out in aid of the charity Macmillan, which has supported Mr Parker’s wife, Alana, who has been ill with ovarian cancer.

So far, his Just Giving page has raised more than £800 against an original target of £500.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a cyclist – just a bloke with a bike who likes Top Gear,” Mr Parker told The Scarborough News.

“I’ve getting some training in and I’ve ridden from Scarborough to Hull.”

He added that local TV personality Harry Gration from BBC’s Look North would be the official starter of the race.

“Harry will join us for the race brief on the Friday evening, then he will be down at the harbour on Saturday morning,” he said.

“Weather permitting, he will either start the race from Scarborough lifeboat, which will fire a maroon, or from the race station at the lighthouse.”