Burnham Squib Fleet 2024 season preview
by Petru Balau 27 Mar 2024 15:58 GMT
Squibs racing at Burnham © Roger Mant Photography
Despite the weather, there is no shadow of a doubt that the spring is here: the Squibs are back on the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club moorings, ready to take part on the opening weekend of the sailing season, the Cheeseboard race this Friday, followed by the Mike Flint Trophy, over the Easter Weekend.
The Cheeseboard, the traditional opening event of the season, graciously sponsored by Ryce and Cole Boatyard, will take place Friday and will consist of 3 to 4 short races, to be followed by lunch, cheese and copious amounts of port.
With the cobwebs hopefully shaken, the Squibs will compete, over the course of the Easter Weekend, for the Mike Flint Trophy, with no less than 13 boats entered, with 2 races scheduled every day.
Along with the season long Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Morning club races, the fleet is going to be host for a number of events.
The season will continue with the Squib MAYhem, two open events, hosted by Royal Corinthian Yacht Club over the month of May: the Gold Cup and the East Coast Championship.
The Gold Cup, a staple of the Squib Class Association calendar, is set to take place over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend, 4th and 5th of May, with 7 races scheduled over the weekend.
The East Coast Championship will take place over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, on 25th and 26th of May.
The Burnham Squib Fleet is happy to announce a package deal for visitors for the Gold Cup and East Coast Championship: free craning, mooring and storage for the month of May, with more details available on the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club website.
Dan Wastnage, Squib class captain at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, said: "May will be big, we are looking at 40 boats for the Gold Cup and the East Coast Championship.
"It will be MAYhem!".
After a break for the National Championship in Edinburgh, the fleet will take part in the Crouch Yacht Club Squib Trophy over the weekend of 29th and 30th of June, Burnham Sailing Club's Jimmy Starling on 13th and 14th of July and Roger Tolhurst Memorial trophy on 10th and 11th of August.
Burnham Week, the largest regatta on the East Coast, will take place between 24th and 31st of August with the Squib Fleet expected to provide the largest number of entries, yet again.
In the autumn, the fleet is expected to provide some of their boats for the St Mathew Cup, the early inter club team race, disputed between the Burnham clubs, on 1st of September.
John Lewis Memorial will follow, on 19th of October, with the Marco Polo Pursuit Race on 26th of October and Crews Race, on 27th, with the season finale, the Cosens Cup and the Prizegiving Supper, on 2nd of November.