The 2025 Memorial Winter Pursuit Race Echoes Legacy of Ashley Crawford at Plym Yacht Club

The late winter chill of the sea breeze at Plym Yacht Club is pierced by the camaraderie and competitive spirit of local sailors. They annually congregate here not simply for the sport of sailing, but to honor the memory of a beloved member, Ashley Crawford. The Ashley Crawford Memorial Pursuit Race, dreamt up by Crawford himself years ago as a way to entice sailors from their Christmas-induced hibernation, has become a cherished tradition.

The 2025 winter edition of the event witnessed a robust turnout, a testament to Crawford’s impact on the sailing community. The race admitted a diverse array of watercraft from yachts and dinghies to wingfoilers, straining against the moorings in anticipation. With the North Easterly breeze pushing against their sails, a bevy of seafarers embarked on a course from Deadman’s Bay to North Drakes Island, navigating the famously unpredictable winds of Plymouth Sound.

After the racing was finished, all retreated to the warmth of the Plym, to share laughter, drinks, and stories of the day’s events. The Ashley Crawford Memorial Pursuit Race proved once more that it is not just about racing, it is a gathering of the extended family that is the sailing community, united in memory of a cherished member, and in celebration of the joy of being on the water.