The death last year of British Olympic gold and silver medallist Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, 36, in a sailing accident in San Francisco Bay touched many people deeply.

Since he first sailed a Seafly at the age of six with his father, Bart was dedicated to the sport.

Always smiling, Bart’s youth, his exceptional talent and achievements were never spoiled by fame. “Bart left behind a wonderful happy life, and a wonderful family,” his Olympic team-mate, Iain Percy said.

It seemed inconceivable to Percy, and Bart’s wife Leah – the mother of their two young sons – that his memory should die with him. At the weekend, Oxfordshire’s sailing clubs took part in another world record attempt: to celebrate Bart’s inspirational life, and to raise money for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, set up with the help of his friend Sir Ben Ainslie.

For this was ‘Bart’s Bash’, which aimed to set a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Sailing Boat Race in the World.

With a bacon butty in one hand, and a mug of coffee in the other, I watched 44 boats cast off from the riverbank outside Goring Thames Sailing Club (GTSC) on an idyllic stretch of the river – just upriver from Pangbourne College, where Simpson was a pupil. The sun shone, dogs bounded, children licked ice creams, and men shouted into megaphones.

On the water, the flotilla of dingies headed for the start – Oppies and Toppers, Lasers and Comets – their brightly coloured sails catching the breeze, their whippet-lean sailors tacking into the wind.

Children as young as eight sailed alone, while others joined their older siblings – a peapod of under fives. One family took out their handsome sailboat, complete with Labrador.

Every minute, a bleep rang out from the Officer of the Day Hut, where race controller Robert Harrison was positioned, watching the water with a gimlet gaze, as a red kite circled over the water meadows on the opposite side of the river.

The race was exhilarating, gruelling and worth every sinew strained to win. A barbecue of beef burgers and sausages, a cold pint and a feast of homemade cakes rewarded the participants.

“Bart Simpson was a local and international legend and an inspiration when several of our Juniors met him at the 2012 Olympics, the day after he won silver,” said Rob Jones, Vice Commodore and Junior Development Officer of GTSC. “It was our way of sharing his vision.”

“I nearly capsized twice – but that’s part of the fun,” my daughter said, as she tied up her boat.

“Have we done it?” she added.

I didn’t know at the time, but knew we’d had a thrilling time trying.

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