Burnham Week 2024 Day 4
by Petru Balau 28 Aug 13:30 UTC
24-31 August 2024
Sunshine and gentle southerly winds set the stage for very close racing for the day boats.
The southerly wind direction gave the Race Officer a bit of a headache in setting the course for the three classes of cruisers, with a triangle shaped course being picked, around Ron Pipe, Clarks and the Crouch cardinal mark.
Class 1 and 2 race was won by Phil Collard's Cobra, their 4th win of the week, followed by Digger Harden's Sorcerer.
The class 5, local handicap with spinnakers, saw Richard Taylor's Rondo take the win, with a group of Corinthian Otters sailing on a Royal Corinthian Yacht Club 707, Angus Beale on helming duty and Amelia Hague, Nathan Flynn, Amy Sheppard, Callum Clarke and Arthur Sturmer crewing, taking the second.
Matters were a bit lively in the class 6 after some of the Bank Holiday faster classes competitors decided to ditch the spinnakers and join the more leisurely racing, with no less than 8 boats entered for the Mid Week.
The race was eventually won by Richard Moore's Ophelia, followed by Philip Harbott's Mantra and John Saunders' Jeannie.
The day boats had an easier time with the course, the lower draft allowing them to go up the Roach even at low tide, yet one of the squibs, of yellow hull, managed to dig a considerable trench in the Branklet spit.
Racing wise, the Dragons went first, with Peter Marchant's Beauty and the Beast clawing the win after spending most of the race in last place, followed by Mark Wade's Avalanche and David Warner's Dublin Bay.
The Squibs, with their fleet slightly reduced in numbers from the Bank Holiday, went next and Nemesis 806, Ray Apthorp and Ian Simons, took the win in front of National Champions Spoof 811, Micky Wright and Alex Porteous, in second and Malcolm and Jackie Hutchings, Lady Penelope in third.
Special mention needs to be made for Mia, eleven years old, helming What's the Story 779 and crewed by her mother and father, who not only might be the youngest Squib helm during Burnham Week, but finished in 4th place, ahead of some of the river legends.
The Royal Corinthian One Design day started with a bit of a pickle for Clive and Graeme Page's Corpo Santo, which experienced an underwater moment when the "set up a new burgee up the mast" maneuver went a tad wrong, yet, due to the swift action from the Rice and Cole launch, they made it to the start.
With 8 boats at the start, the RCOD race was won by Justin Waples' Cormorant, followed by Martin Makey's Corinna and Nick Bacon's Corella.
Stephen Herring's Red Jacket added another bullet to their name in the Royal Burnham One Design regatta, being followed by James Dallimore's Whimbrel and Peter Shaw's White Rose.
The East Coast One Design race, with seven out of eight boats starting, saw Beccs Polden's Delphine take the win ahead of the local boat Wizard, helmed by David Smith and the ECOD Association's Rhythm, helmed by Dan Halley.
The river is still buzzing with activity, with the Squibs and the ECOD, two classes that can trace their origins to Burnham-on-Crouch, taking the spotlight.
Results are available at www.burnhamweek.com/results-2024