Burnham Week 2008 - Day 8
by Mel Lewis 1 Sep 2008 14:43 BST
23-30 August 2008
Burnham Week drew to a close on the most perfect sailing day when even the sun decided to come out for the final Saturday and the Town Cup.
The 10 Class 1 boats competing for the Town Cup had their warning signal at 10am and Oystercatcher, Holding Pattern and Heartbeat III of Burnham all got good starts. It was a foul tide beat out of the river and a foul tide leg home. Although the sun was out, visibility was poor only up to about 1 mile most of the time. The boats were back around mid afternoon in what was a relatively short race. The first boat back was Oystercatcher looking magnificent under spinnaker racing hard to the finish but amongst the tight moorings on the north shore of the Crouch – not for the faint hearted in such a large boat, but proving that every effort was being made to win the magnificent Town Cup. The spectators saw her spinnaker rip within 50 yards of the finish line and could not quite understand what had happened. In the event apparently Oystercatcher had just clipped the windex on a moored squib mast and so owner and helm Richard Matthews promptly retired in accordance with the racing instructions. It was a dramatic finish to the race which was won by a deserving Heartbeat III Jason and Judy (EAORA chairman) Payne James of the RBYC 1.45 mins ahead of Holding Pattern Matthew Vincent on corrected time. Phantom, Robin and Rachel Gozzet, were third and Jaguar Adrian Lower (who has had a successful year on the South coast) fourth.
Class 2 were the next away for the Commodore’s cup which was won by Amazon Tony and Chuffy Merewether from Ace of Hearts, Ian Hart. second and Encore Paul Trueman third. All the other boats were racing for the their final Saturday cups – except the RBODs who include all eight races in their week’s points. There was a decent breeze which got all the boats down to their first mark against a foul tide. All the classes went out towards the mouth of the river – the RBODs turned at Eleco on the south shore a little west of Inner Crouch as their long keels make the short tacking required against a strong tide a long and arduous process. Red Jacket, Tim Herring lead from the start to win the final cup of the week, not enough to take the week’s points from Quartz Steve Adams, who counted 6 wins in her total.
The final Saturday is also the Junior Regatta Day held at the Burnham Sailing Club which had music and a carnival atmosphere in the welcome sunshine. Under the race management of John Hardy 31 young sailors took part. There were two fleets of optimists with the race fleet won by Jake Braybrook, second James Hutton-Penman (on equal points) and third Kathryn Hutton-Penman. In the regatta fleet Isabella Minks was the winner with Jamie Aldridge second and Thomas Braybrook third. The Endeavour trophy in the Optimitst class went to Flin Davies and Matthew Braybrook.
The Handicap class was won by Josh Aldridge sailing a Tera, second was Tom Adams in his laser radial who was 1st laser. Second laser was Ella Bown. 1st Topper was Robbie Hooper who was third overall, second topper was Sarah Roberts. Ist Feva was Fleur Page and Henriette Brand with Tom Corigan and Isobel Turbin second. The Endeavour trophy in the handicap class went to Arthur Brown who was sailing a Topper. Each class raced six races within view of the clubhouse which made interesting viewing for the spectators.
Altogether it was a terrific week of sailing. No days were lost and the racing went more smoothly than in recent years. Class captains were actively listened to as the race management strived to accommodate different classes desires and make the week as happy and competitive as possible. The saddest point of the week was to hear that Jo Barker, longtime race officer of the week and recently back in charge of the trophies, fell off her bike and badly broke her leg.
The prize-giving, now held at the Crouch Yacht Club, was packed with an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd who had enjoyed a tiring but enjoyable week’s racing. The prizes for the first weekend had already been presented on the Bank Holiday Monday at the Royal Corinthian YC but still there were nigh on 60 trophies of all manner and shape to be presented large and diverse number of winners which confirms the competitiveness of the racing. Firstly amongst the mixed class cups, should be mentioned Harry Croker who, now into his 80s won the Peter Jennings Trophy for the most meritorious IRC best performance Saturday – Friday. He also won the JCC Shield for the midweek points in class 3, the Rose bowl for winning the Tuesday race in Class 3 and the Eric Birch Trophy for runner up week’s points class 3. Fellow class 3 rival Russ Smith on Zipper shared the Premium Liferaft Bell for best performance of classes 1,2 and 3 Saturday to Friday with Ian Hart of Ace of Hearts III, each receiving a bottle of whisky too. Zipper, Russ Smith also won the Claxton Jug for class 3 Wednesday race, JCC Salver for runner up midweek points, the European Ferries Cup for the final Saturday and the Roach Trophy for the week’s points in class. This year mischievous minds presented an extra trophy to vice chairman of EAORA, Ian Hart, long time and respected sailor of the Crouch YC, who was given an oar in recognition of his running entirely out of diesel to get him home at one stage in the week! He also won the Gaydon Cup for Class 2 mid-week points, the Bournemouth Centenary cup for the Wednesday race and the Skee-Tex Trophy class 2 week’s points.
Long time Burnham Week supporter Brian Browne in Moondancer won the Nellie Dean Trophy for best performance Saturday to Friday in Class 5&6. He also won the Pat Gray Shield for week’s points class 6 the Robber Shield for the midweek points, the Ropper IIIE for the Tuesday race and Dangerous Moonlight Cup for the Friday race. The Hunter Tray for the class runner up went to Amazon Tony & Chuffy Merewether. The final Saturday race in class 6, the Sigma 22 Salver was won by Seven Isles A Abbott.
Best newcomer went to Bernadette England sailing Beyond Reason in class 6, she also won the Marlow Ropes trophy as runner up week’s points in class.
One of the oldest and fastest sailors on the Crouch, Bob Melville, now in his nineties, was as fast as ever in his RCOD Corinna winning the Bar Yacht Club trophy for the last Saturday and the Jubilee Challenge Cup for the week’s points although Corpo SantoJohn Heathfield, class captain of the RCODs, won the HVL Hall challenge cup for the midweek points and the Charles Williams cup as runner up in the week’s points.
Spangle, David Hill in Class 5 went home with several pots – the Tolhurst Trophy for the midweek points, the Freddie Last Trophy for the Tuesday race, the Baldwin Bucket for the Wednesday race and the Boucher Cup for the week’s points. The Ella Borothy Cup as runner up for the week’s points went to Carolanti Roalland & Allen. Stella, Polaris, Ed Maggs and Frances won the Penrose Fitzgerald Cup for the final Saturday. Frank Cutis in Jump the Gun was runner up in the midweek points winning the Level Rating Telescope.
Class 2 Tuesday race for the Sigma 22 trophy went to Encore Paul Trueman, and the runner up midweek points for the Sabin Challenge cup went to Double Trouble Duncan Haley. who also won runn up weeks pints the BYC Cruiser Challenge cup.
The Squib fleet, celebrating their 40th anniversary had decent numbers on every start line and enjoyed very competitive racing. Alex Shanahan in Crackers, with crew Tom Coyle won the Wednesday race, Fairway Trophy. Lady Penelope, Malcolm Hutchings won the midweek points for the Paul Tucker Tiller and the Sonny Cole Salver for the Week’s points. Trophoblast Chris Goodfellow won the Randy Robber trophy as runner up in the mid week points and Robert Coyle in Humphrey won the Founders Trohpy as runner up in the week’s points. The Burnham Week Bowl for the final Saturday was won by Electra Paul Buckley.
The Dragon mid week points Valhalla Cup was won by Martin Makey in Ganador who also won the Sidney Sabin Cup for the week’s points. Runner up week’s oints for the Kaiserlicher Cup went to Amok Cliver Morgan and Hand of Fortune Mike Holmes won the Daily Telegraph Cup for the final Saturday.
The Hunter 707 week’s points for the Beagle Chalice went to Riotus Roy Harris, with his son, Toby as helm and young crew on board. Beaver Hunter Paul Gray won the Patricia Bowl for the final Saturday.
The RS Elites had raced over the Bank Holiday and then gone straight into their Nationals. Outlaw, Ant Law and Philip Tolhurst were the winners of the Princess Caroline Bowl for the weekend and No Riff Farr Guy Trench and David Warren won the Lakedale Marine Trophy for the final Saturday.
The RBOD class mid week Wilson Sanderson Memorial trophy was won by Quarts Steve and Jo Adams as was the Ralph Herring Cream Jug for the week’s points. Nicola Hastwell, Vice Class Captain won the Bert Clark Memorial trophy for Handicap weeks points and Red Jacket Tim and Cathy Herring won the Lard’s Cup for the final Saturday.
Mary Reynolds, granddaughter of designer Norman Dallimore presented the Airlie Trophy to David Evans of Hullabaloo who won the Airlie Trophy for first Saturday race for non-Houghton Cup entrants. Airlie was the original boat which Norman Dallimore owned and raced. Full results are on the Burnham Week website.
The town council put on a magnificent firework display which lit up the still river with its moored boats – a back drop like no other and well worth a stroll along the quay.