Kickstart Your Burnham Week 2024: Day 1 Excitement and Activities
Burnham Week 2024 – Day 1 Highlights
24-31 August 2024
As anticipated, the forecasted rain arrived, prompting Race Officers Ant Law for the dinghies and Edwin Buckley for other fleets to postpone the start of the day’s races by 2 hours to allow the wind to settle.
This decision was well-received, especially as several competitors were still recovering from the pre-regatta festivities at the three organizing clubs.
The dinghies were the first to launch, heading towards the Burnham Sailing Club, which served as their headquarters for the Bank Holiday Weekend. Here, the Race Officer set an hourglass-shaped course for three races.
James Hutton-Penman leads the overnight standings after securing three wins, followed by Nathan Flynn in second place, with a 4th and two 2nds, and Duncan De Boltz in third with three 3rd place finishes.
The RS Tera fleet, consisting of six boats, saw George Panos clinch three wins, leading overnight, with Fergus Anderson and Harry Bew following in second and third, respectively.
In the Fast Handicap category, Flynn and Niamh Davies aboard a Merlin Rocket topped the leaderboard, with Dylan Collingbourne and Faye Pringle on an RS200 in second and Jo Tribe and Marcus Collingbourne on another RS200 in third.
The Trafalgar Day Race, part of the Nelson Cup series organized by the Burnham on Crouch Coastal Rowing Club, featured 10 boats. The local entry Wren won the race, followed by Mutiny from Four Oars Rowing Club and Rozinante from Benfleet Yacht Club.
In the RS Elites fleet, the first race supervised by Edwin Buckley and Team Phoebe saw Richard Bavin’s Serious Moonlight take the win, accompanied by Bill Blank’s Blind Squirrel in second and Roger Martin’s Excalibur in third.
Among the Squibs, last year’s national champions Jono Brown and Chris Agar on Hawk Tuah 142 secured victory on the final leg, with Ray Apthorp and Ian Simons on Nemesis 806 in second and Chris and Gillian Jordan on Croc 855 in third.
The Sandhoppers race was won by David Johnson and Penelope Allard on Blue Jacket 154, ahead of Susan and William Daly on Sand Star 159 and Bill Wright and Craig Beech on Undine 25.
The Multihulls took on the longest course, with Nick Wood’s Origami finishing first, followed by Nigel Stevens’ Triassic, the previous year’s winner, and Andrew Scurr’s Wandering Glider in third.
In the Class 1 cruisers heading to Inner Crouch, the race was won by Cobra, helmed by Phil Collard, followed by Paul Trueman on Exile in second, Jack Mills’ Outlaw in third, and Digger Harden on Sorcerer in fourth.
The Class 5 race, featuring 10 boats, was won by John Saunders in Jeannie, with Richard Taylor in Rondo taking second and Philip Harbott in Mantra finishing third.
In the class 6 race without spinnakers, Lucy Lee’s boat, helmed by Ian Keam-George, took first place, followed by Mick Hill’s Ningaloo in second and Danielle Southey’s Jodeanni in third.
The International Dragon fleet showcased impressive skill, with five boats participating. Mark Wade with crew Amanda Wade and Nigel Cole won on Avalanche 722, while Peter Marchant and crew finished second on Beauty and the Beast 746, and Ian Gray’s team took third on Still Crazy 827.
The Ospreys, a two-person, single trapeze planing dinghy class, started at the Pile House and saw a decisive victory by Roger and James Blake, with Robert Shaw and Ian Little in second and Basher Marshall and Jonathan Osgood in third.
The Phantoms class featured 10 boats, with Richard Nurse taking first place, followed by Titch and Bill Taylor.
A total of 24 local East Coast One Design day boats capped off the racing day across three classes. The Royal Corinthian One Design boats were first to hit the water, with Justin Waples, crewed by Steve Rands and Vicky Brookes on Cormorant, securing victory.
The Royal Burnham One Design race won by Stephen Herring’s Red Jacket, crewed by Mel Lewis, David Harris, and Ralph Herring, while Angela Shephard helmed Aquamarine to second and Chris and Tom Corrigan’s Pharalope finished third.
The East Coast One Designs fleet, with only 10 boats built, showcased impressive competitiveness, with Dan Halley taking the win on Rhythm, followed by Ian Wilson on Widgeon in second and Beccs Polden and Charlie Moore on Delphine in third.
With variances in the weather forecast for Sunday, the upcoming races promise excitement and competitiveness.
Results are available at www.burnhamweek.com/results-2024
Oliver Hayes, a seasoned sailor and marine journalist from Southampton, has a profound love for the sea that has shaped his career. Holding a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of Portsmouth, Oliver is celebrated for his compelling and insightful storytelling. His work vividly captures the excitement of sailing and the rich maritime heritage of the United Kingdom, making him a respected figure in the sailing community. When not writing, Oliver enjoys exploring the British Isles’ diverse coastlines and participating in local regattas, always on the lookout for his next nautical adventure.