Burnham Week 2018 - Day 4
by Sally Harbott 29 Aug 2018 12:18 BST
25 August - 1 September 2018
The fourth day of the week-long regatta had much lighter winds, and the courses reflected this well. The cruisers went out as far as Inner Crouch, the day boats up the Roach. The wind was shifting with a more consistent South South westerly breeze later on.
The Dragons started first and headed off down river on a shy spinnaker reach. The IRC class were next fleet off. Digger Harden and Pete Jackson's J80 Glorious Fools helmed by Flynn Davis got the best start flying his larger blue spinnaker. Next to cross the start line was Double Trouble flew their purple and orange asymmetric kite. Lucy Lee started with her code zero and Mantra flew her AP up to start. All boats took the North Shore, following the Dragons who were heading to Greenward before going up the Roach, where as the IRC fleet heading down towards Holliwell.
Class 5 followed and Ant Law in Tifano moved into this class for the midweek series. Grace and Danger, the SJ27 owned by Andrew Courts and Stephen Gosling enjoyed the light conditions, finishing up with the higher rated Maxi 1000, Eclipse.
Four boats were in Class 6 and John Saunders in his Elan 31 Jeannie took the lead and finished 12 minutes ahead of the next boat. Richard Moore in Ophelia had moved from Class 5 to 6 for the midweek, and Spangle were still in Class, joined by Sanderling, owned by John Waterhouse. Jeannie won by six minutes from Ophelia, with Spangle third, and Sanderling some way off in fourth.
The Elite fleet again was led and dominated by Paul Risk in his boat Legs Eleven.
The Squibs still had a good fleet and enjoyed a good reaching start heading to the North Shore as everyone else had before rounding Greenward to head up the Roach.
The PRO Edwin Buckley took Phoebe up the Roach and shortened the day boats as the wind dropped, ensuring the they could finish before the tide turned and the ebb took off. Havana Papa the second committee vessel finished the rest of the fleet at the Pile House line.
Glorious Fools won Class 1 by around 18 minutes from Double Trouble, with Mantra a way off in third, and Lucy Lee fourth. In Class 5, Grace and Danger were first 11 minutes ahead on corrected time of Ant Law's Tifano, the International Folkboat.
Clive Page in Page Boy was first in the Dragon class, with Beauty and the Beast in second and Chip Cole's Anarchy third.
The Squibs saw Paul Gray win in Mickey Wright's Spoof, with Malcolm Hutchins' Lady Penelope second and Ian Brand in Easy was third.
Will Dallimore took the win in the Royal Burnham One Designs again today, making it four out of four, and David Smith in Amanda second, with Aquamarine third.
Ian Simons helming Corella won the Royal Corinthian One Design Class with Justin Waples in Cormorant in second.
Thursday and Friday have racing up and down the river, with the day boats starting at the Burnham Sailing Club on Thursday with the Cruisers starting from there on Friday. All information, pictures and full results are available on www.burnhamweek.com