New look to open events at Ullswater Yacht Club in 2018
by Sue Giles 23 Jan 11:05 GMT
Flying Fifteen Open at UYC in 2017 © Sue Giles
Ullswater Yacht Club launches into its 60th Anniversary Year with a new look to its sailing programme featuring four new major weekend open events.
Highlight of the year at UYC is the award-winning Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy to be held, as usual, on the first full weekend of July - 7th and 8th in 2018.
And there will be a warm welcome for visiting competitors at four new special open weekends held throughout the sailing season and aimed at specific classes. The competitive year kicks off with the Daffodil Regatta on April 14 and 15, and open to all classes. There'll be daffodils galore at the prizegiving as UYC joins in Ullswater's spring celebrations featuring Wordsworth's famous poem. The Daffodil Regatta is followed by three more weekend events – for Conventional Singlehanders, Cruisers & Keelboats and Asymmetric Classes.
"The aim is to concentrate all our efforts and resources on four big events which will be an attraction for visitors in a wide range of classes and ensure that the weekends are well supported," said UYC racing representative Jon Abbatt. "We welcome inquiries from class associations interested in adding one of our major open weekends to their calendar for 2018."
The Conventional Singlehander Weekend is on May 26 & 27, open to any conventional singlehander. There will be seven races over two days and two courses with up to three starts depending on the numbers. It is a Laser Lakeland Travellers event and other classes expected to take part include Solo, Blaze, Streaker and Aero.
The Cruiser & Keelboat Weekend is on August 25 & 26 and features five races over two days with two courses, one for cruisers and one for keelboats. It is a Tempest and Flying Fifteen Travellers event and other classes expected include VX One and SB 20.
The final special open event of the year is the Asymmetric Weekend on October 20 & 21 with seven races over two days and a fast and slow asymmetric course and up to three starts per course depending on the numbers.
The Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy is UYC's most prestigious event, winning the Cumbria Tourism Event of the Year in 2016 and was voted number eight in the world's top 50 regattas by Yachts & Yachting Magazine. It has become so popular that for the last few years entries have been closed at the 230 limit well before the event. This year entry is online only via SailRacer and organisers expect it to again be oversubscribed so early entry is advised.
Two ACH races cover the length of Cumbria's most beautiful lake with one on Saturday and one on Sunday and ample space for camping and campervans and on-site catering and entertainment all weekend makes the Birkett a true Festival of Sailing.
It will be a busy year at UYC which in 2017 was honoured with the Club of the Year Award twice - by the RYA and by Yachts and Yachting magazine - as it celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2018. The club is holding a celebration Anniversary Weekend for members on June 16 and 17 with activities on and off the water. And on the weekend of September 29 and 30, it shows its commitment to youth sailing by hosting the RYA North West Youth and Junior Championships attracting budding young sailors from all over the region for a weekend of competition.
All the open events offer the usual UYC hospitality with excellent food, camping and campervan parking on site, and great racing in lovely surroundings.
For more details contact Jon Abbatt on tel 07591581073 or visit our website www.ullswateryachtclub.org