Barton Regatta 2024 at the Norfolk Punt Club
by Dick Roe 30 Aug 05:52 UTC
24-26 August 2024
Barton Regatta 2024 © Trish Barnes
August bank holiday weekend saw competitors returning again to Barton Broad and the Norfolk Punt Club for the historic Barton Regatta.
In spite of dire weather towards the end of the previous week the three-day event attracted entries from over one hundred and fifty boats. Multiple classes were racing for 30 trophies with 55 race starts over the weekend. As usual the edges of the broad were populated with anchored rafts of competitors and spectators motor boats, sailing craft, tenders, canoes and paddle boards. For those without a boat with a bed there was camping available ashore at Barton Adventure Centre. A regular free water taxi providing access out to the club pontoons on the broad from Barton Turf Staithe, where copious amounts of tea and cake were available to competitors and spectators.
Racing got under way on the Saturday with the first of the three-day series races for the 16 Norfolk Punts racing. After the solitary display of sailing by the punts the days programme of racing proper got under way in earnest with starts for Allcomers then Juniors followed by more racing for Punts, Allcomers and Juniors. Then it was the turn of the Keelboats to take to the water with starts for Yare and Bure one designs and then Broads one designs/Yeomans, finishing off with a Combined Allcomers race. Once the Broad was clear it was time for the River Cruiser class to take their turn racing around the broad with the large fleet divided into 4 starts. Conditions throughout the day can only be described as testing for both the competitors and race team with a light westerly breeze varying in both strength and direction, accompanied by light to occasionally heavy rain. The inevitable postponements to allow for course adjustments resulted in the loss of the final keelboat race series scheduled for the day, but all fleets got on the water and had some racing.
Saturday evening saw everyone head ashore for the regatta party held in the boat shed at Cox's Boatyard, with a variety of catering provided by 'Cawstons' butchers and the 'Neatishead White Horse' public house who also provided the bar. The evening's musical entertainment being supplied by covers band 'Cutting The Mustard'.
Sunday's racing got under way bright and early with the Crews' race series and what a difference a day makes, with a brisk south westerly breeze and bright sunshine. Racing continued throughout the day with further race starts for all the fleets as the breeze gradually built until conditions became quite challenging during the lunchtime series for Punts, Allcomers Dinghies and Juniors. Multiple capsizes across the broad kept the safety boat crews busy for some time before conditions moderated a little. The program then continued with further racing for the Keelboats and River Cruisers before the climax of the day a Pursuit Race which all bar the Junior fleet could enter. As the breeze was still quite strong the Water Frolic planned to take place on Sunday evening was postponed till the following day, but the 'Bring Your Own BBQ' on the club pontoons in the middle of the broad went ahead as planned. Pudding was provided by a visit to the Broad by the 'Ice Cream Float' ice cream boat.
The concluding races of the two-day and three-day race series got under way early on Monday, the last day of the regatta, with the concluding Crews race. All the fleets then had further races to conclude their race series, in pleasant sunshine and a moderate south westerly breeze. Some of the rowing races from the postponed 'Water Frolic' were then held and the regatta raffle was drawn while the trophies and prizes were readied for presentation. Full details of the regatta trophies winners can be found below.
As ever the Regatta committee and competitors would like to thank all the volunteers and members of the community who helped make the event possible, The Norfolk Punt Club, Barton Turf Adventure Centre, Barton Turf Parish Council, The Peel Family, Snowflakes Sailing Club, The Nancy Oldfield Trust, The Seafarers Trust, Coxs Boatyard, Cutting The Mustard, Jeckles Upholstery and Covers, Simpsons Boatyard, Neatishead White Horse, Cawstons Butchers, The Ice Cream Float and all raffle prize donors.
Regatta Trophies were won by the following:
Regatta Series Trophies
Presidents Cup for crew who do not usually helm, 'Peregrine' Laura Aitken
Forbes Cup for Norfolk Punts, 'Swallow 2' Emma Daniels
Dinghy Trophy for Allcomers A excluding punts, 'Kelpie' Sam Woodcock
Balholm Salver for Allcomers B, 'Dinghy Skipper' Martin Thompson
De Quincy Salver for Junior Allcomers, 'Padfoot' Zoe Barnes
Domino Trophy for Fast River Cruiser Class yachts, 'Whisper' Johnnie Kerridge
Pollitt Trophy for Slow River Cruiser Class yachts, 'Harrier' Jack Copping
Nancy Oldfield Trust trophy for Allcomers A exclude punts, 'Laser 179851' Edward Wildman
Seafarers UK for Allcomers B, 'Marmoress' Sue Funnell
Sundog Challenge Cup for Norfolk Punts, 'Razorbill' Richard Parker
Junior Members Cup for Norfolk Punts, 'Swallow 2' Amelia Daniels
Lycaena Trophy for Yare and Bure One Designs, 'Fritillary' Will Pank
Puffin Trophy for Broads One Designs, 'Peregrine' Laura Aitken
Ali Moore Trophy for Yeomans, 'Anaoh' R. Pettitt
Waxwing Trophy for Combined Allcomers, 'Kelpie' Sam Woodcock
Single Race Trophies
Alec Simpson Trophy for Fast Allcomers, 'Kelpie' Sam Woodcock
Junior Challenge Cup for Junior Allcomers, 'Spectre' Kit Bentall
Barton Broad Challenge Cup for Slow Allcomers, 'Laser 179851' Edward Wildman
Sally Webster Trophy for Junior Allcomers, 'Kelpie' Sam Woodcock
Pursuit Race Trophies
Moore Challenge Cup for the overall winner, 'Laser 175688' Edward Clifford
Anne Mackintosh Cup for Yare and Bure One Designs, 'Iris' Malcolm Kemp
Barton Silver Cup for Broads One Designs, 'Merlin' Richard Whitefoot
Loynes Challenge Cup for Allcomers, 'Laser 175688' Edward Clifford
Rogue Tankard for River Cruiser Class yachts, 'Harrier' Jack Copping
Ant Challenge Cup for boats wintered on the river Ant, 'Woodpecker' Freddie Scott
Punt Challenge Cup for Norfolk Punts, 'Woodpecker' Freddie Scott
Wherry Cup for Yeomans, 'Turnstone' Alastair Drew
Water Frolic Trophies
Open rowing, Jack Aitken
Other Trophies
Ramuz Trophy for Best Dressed yacht, 'Bewitched' Colin Chettleburgh