Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy at Ullswater Yacht Club
by Sue Giles 8 Jul 2013 08:48 BST
6-7 July 2013
David Exley won the Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy at Ullswater Yacht Club for the third time on July 6 & 7 on a weekend which showed Lakeland sailing at its very best.
With an eighth in the Saturday race and a second on Sunday, David, in an RS400 and his crew Nigel Hall, from Leigh and Lowton Sailing Club took the trophy with Richard Stenhouse from Rutland SC in a Musto Skiff second and Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman from RYA/Delph SC third.
On a gloriously sunny weekend, the 215 entries enjoyed what commodore John Spivey described at the prizegiving as a 'festival of sailing' – wonderful competition on the water amid beautiful scenery and wonderful hospitality on shore.
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 and back, in memory of the 'Saviour of Ullswater.'. They sail past Kailpot Crag, which bears a plaque in his memory and more than seven miles to Glenridding at the other end of the lake in the shadow of Birkett Fell.
Saturday brought ideal Birkett conditions, sun and a brisk South-westerly wind. Race officer Neil Thompson and his team set a course to Wall Holm, the second of the three islands at Glenridding and then back to the Pooley Bridge end before finishing at the clubhouse.
With a start line across the full width of the lake, the fleet got away at the first attempt and a spectacularly fast foiling Moth sailed by Olympic coach and sailing superstar Paul Brotherton soon took the lead, followed by local rising stars Matty and James Lyons in a 49er, then Birkett legend and six-times winner Lester Noble, also in a 49er.
Seventy passengers on board the Ullswater 'Steamer' the Western Belle got a superb view of the racing at close quarters as it took up position next to the start line and then followed the fleet.
The Moth was easily the first boat around Wall Holm followed by the 49ers which took advantage of the downwind leg with their spinnakers. Although the Moth crossed the finishing line first, on handicap the Lyons brothers were the overnight leaders.
Sunday brought bright sunshine, but every race officer's nightmare - a flat calm. The race was delayed for 30 minutes while a very light Northerly wind kicked in and a shorter course was set to the Pooley Bridge end and then to a buoy placed half way down the lake.
The competitors got away at the first attempt and slowly made their way down the lake.
The 49ers took a good lead on the run past the clubhouse with Lester Noble crewed by John McAfee in front this time, maintaining his lead to the finish.
With a shortened course, all the competitors managed it back to the finishing line in reasonable time.
On handicap last year's winners Judy and Paul Armstrong of Scaling Dam Sailing Club in an Albacore took first place but David Exley's second place was enough for him to clinch the trophy. David joined an elite group of three-times winners, taking the trophy in 2003, 2008 and now in 2013, the 51st Birkett.
The full results are online at www.ullswateryachtclub.org – events/ racing results/ open events.
For more sailing in wonderful surroundings and with great hospitality join us at: Fleet Weekend - August 10 & 11; Holiday Week - August 12-16; Ullswater Regatta- August 24-26. Details on the club website.
Overall Winners:
1. David Exley and Nigel Hall, RS400, Leigh & Lowton SC, 10pts
2. Richard Stenhouse, Musto Skiff, Rutland SC, 17pts
3. Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman, RS400, RYA/Delph SC, 17pts
4. Lucy Boreham and Richard Anderton, 18pts
5. Dylan Noble, Musto Skiff, UYC, 20pts
Class prizes:
Open Canoe: Mark Aplin, Overwater Boats, 97th
RS200: Louise McKeand and Emmas Jenkins, Sheffield Viking, 28th
Cruiser: Brian Moreton and Team, J70, UYC, 7th
Fireball: Lucy Boreham and Richard Anderton, 4th
F15: David Sykes and Justin Richards, UYC, 65th
Laser: Anthony Dawson, UYC, 32nd
Merlin Rocket: Christopher Haworth and Jonathan Bullen, Blackpool & Fleetwood, 19th
Musto Skiff: Richard Stenhouse, Rutland SC, 2nd
RS400: David Exley and Nigel Hall, RS400, Leigh & Lowton SC, 1st
RS800 Ed Whitehead and Richard Whitely, Parkstone YC, 13th
Streaker: Mark Pearce, Burwain SC, 56th
Ullswater 'Steamers' Trophy (51st boat past Birkett plaque on Saturday): Anne Noble and Chris Brooks, 29er, UYC
Dalemain Trophy (Visiting club with most entries): Scaling Dam SC
Hustler Schools Trophy (Best UYC Under 18): Jack Neilson, Feva
Barclays Bank Trophy (Best place UYC): Dylan Noble, Musto Skiff
Tortoise Trophy (Lowest placed boat sailing both races): Graham Cooke, Open Canoe