Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy at Ullswater Yacht Club
by Sue Giles 6 Jul 2015 22:17 BST
4-5 July 2015
A record number of boats all lined up for the start of the Birkett on Saturday © Holly Rawlings
It was a record-breaking Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy at Ullswater Yacht Club on July 4 and 5, with an entry of 231 boats.
The winner of the 53rd Birkett was Archie Massey of Itchenor Sailing Club in an International 14 crewed by Andy Shaw. The entry of 231 was a record, topping the previous highest entry of 225 which was in 1999 – the last time the winning boat was an International 14.
This year the International 14 swept the board by winning the races on handicap on both days and crossing the finish line first on Saturday. Second overall was Paul Brotherton and Chris Grube of Glossop in a 505 and third were Paul and Jude Allen of Leigh & Lowton SC in an RS400.
After a scorchingly hot Friday, there were thunderstorms overnight and Saturday started off wet and windless. But with Southwesterly winds forecast, race officer Graham Donkin delayed the start by 30 minutes and a fresh breeze kicked in just in time, turning the iconic race into an ideal windward/leeward course.
The celebration event was first raced in 1963 in honour of Lord Norman Birkett who died two days after making a successful speech in the House of Lords which prevented Ullswater from becoming a reservoir.
Every year since then, the club has held the prestigious two-day long distance race in which boats sail the full length of the lake round an island, and back, in memory of the 'Saviour of Ullswater.' It regularly attracts an entry of more than 200 and has become a 'must-do' national event. This year club officials were delighted when the entries just kept on coming in, turning it into a record-breaker.
The line was set right across the lake from the clubhouse and the race got under way after a general recall and a black-flag start. Archie Massey in the International 14 soon took the lead followed by the 49er of Matty and James Lyons of UYC. The wind freshened down the first leg, then dropped and became flukey round the first corner where the fleet had to pass between a buoy and the plaque to Lord Birkett on Kailpot Crag. The strong unpredictable gusts caught many of the dinghy racers by surprise, leading to several capsizes.
The International 14 maintained the lead to Wall Holm, an island at the Glenridding end of the lake and on a storming downwind spinnaker leg back to a buoy at the Pooley Bridge end then round to the finishing line at the clubhouse. The 14 won on handicap, followed by the Lyons' 49er in second and Paul Brotherton in a 505 third.
Sunday brought a race officer's nightmare, flat calm, then winds coming from all directions. But by start time, the breeze had settled to a South-westerly, and the fleet got away at the first start. The winds were lighter and more fickle and again they were difficult round the corner past the Birkett plaque where some of the fleet even put spinnakers up on the 'windward' leg.
This time the 49er of six-times Birkett champion Lester Noble, crewed by John McAfee was first round the island and they held their lead back to the finishing line. But the International 14 was far enough ahead to win on handicap and take the Birkett silver salver as well as a special prize of bed and breakfast for two at the prestigious Sharrow Bay Hotel which is next to UYC.
Overall Results: (top ten)
1. Archie Massey and Andy Shaw, Int 14, Itchenor SC, 2pts
2. Paul Brotherton and Chris Grube, 505, Glossop SC, 7pts
3. Paul and Jude Allen, RS400, Leigh & Lowton SC, 15pts
4. Lester Noble and John McAfee, 49er, UYC, 15pts
5. Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman, RS400, Delph SC, 18pts
6. Jonathan Modral-Gibbons and Alistair Coates, Tempest, Leigh & Lowton SC, 24pts
7. Matty and James Lyons, 49er, UYC, 25pts
8. Ben Schooling, Musto Skiff, UYC, 25pts
9. Mike Saul and Faye Caswell, RS200, Yorkshire Dales SC, 25pts
10. Nathan Batchelor and Andy Wetherspoon, 505, Tynemouth SC, 25pts
Full results at www.ullswateryachtclub.org
Class prizes:
Musto Skiff: Ben Schooling, Datchett SC, 8th
RS 400: Paul and Jude Allen, Leigh & Lowton SC, 3rd
Fireball: Lucy Boreham and Richard Anderton, Chichester YC, 12th
Flying Fifteen: Simon Longstaff and John Denwood, Bassenthwaite SC, 17th
GP 14: Alan Jones and Sue Watson, Bassenthwaite SC, 52nd
Laser: Tom Neilson, UYC, 71st
RS 200: Mike Saul and Faye Caswell, Yorkshire Dales SC, 9th
VX One: Anne & Julz Noble and Tom Giles, UYC, 31st
Albacore: Judy and Paul Armstrong, Scaling Dam SC, 18th
Cruiser: Mike Wilson-Smith and Matt Bolden-Smith, Hunter Europa, UYC, 72nd
Ullswater 'Steamers' Trophy (53rd boat past Birkett plaque on Saturday): Viola and Michael Scott, Osprey, Kielder Water SC
Dalemain Trophy (Visiting club with most entries): Scaling Dam SC
Under-18 Trophy (Best UYC Under 18): Jayne Golden, RS200
Mike Barnard Trophy (Best UYC Under 21): Tom Neilson, Laser
Barclays Bank Trophy (Best place UYC): Lester Noble and John McAfee, 49er
Tortoise Trophy (Lowest placed boat sailing both races): Roland Trim, Cherub, Thornbury-on-Chew
For more sailing in wonderful surroundings and with great hospitality join us at: Ullswater Regatta - August 15 & 16; Ullswater Week - August 17 - 21; Ullswater RS Event - September 5 & 6. Details on www.ullswateryachtclub.org.