62nd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy
by Ullswater Yacht Club 19 Jul 05:33 NZST
6-7 July 2024
Over its 62 years, the Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy run by Ullswater Yacht Club, has evolved into a 3 day festival of sailing, centred on an unique pair of all class handicap races in breath-taking scenery, for dinghies, keelboats and yachts up to 25ft 6inches LOA.
This year's event held over the first weekend of July, was both sponsored by Magic Marine, and promoted fund raising for the Great North Air Ambulance Service charity.
With over 200 camping and motorhome pitches available on-site, the majority of competitors and supporters arrived on Friday and before any racing, the party got under way with live bands in the beer tent.
Earlier forecasts had suggested a repetition of 2023's epic strong winds. However, Saturday greeted the more than 200 competitors and fully booked spectator steamer with a moderate wind and sunny but unseasonably cool, conditions.
Despite the start line extending over the entire width of the lake the fleet only managed to contain its eagerness to get away after two general recalls and a start under the black flag.
Conditions soon changed. A shower cloud rolling off the mountains accompanied by the white horses and rain, greeted the fleet as it passed the Lord Birkett memorial plaque off Howtown. While the wind and rain eased after a while, the long upwind leg to Norfolk Island remained a challenge.
2023 winners Matty and James Lyons in a 49er, were first to round Norfolk Island. They sped away on the flat out 7 mile downwind leg to Pooley Bridge, pursued by a pack of Musto Skiffs, VX Ones, the International 14 of Adam >Ovington and Stewart Keegan and the RS800 of James Penty and Eddie Grayson.
After the downwind mark at Pooley Bridge and one mile upwind to the finish at Ullswater Yacht Club, the Lyons brothers were the first home in 1 hour 20 minutes. They were followed 10 minutes later by the International 14, closely tailed by the RS800 and 2022 winner Dylan Noble in a Musto Skiff. On handicap, Dylan won the race, with the VX One of Jono Shelly and Graham Priestley taking second place. James Penty and Eddie Grayson were third.
On Saturday evening England was kind enough to organise a football match to entertain a packed Clubhouse, before the beer tent and bands once again fired up until late into the night.
A good result in the Birkett is all about consistency in a large fleet and often variable conditions. This was demonstrated well on Sunday with only 3 boats including the overall winner and second overall, scoring two top ten finishes.
Race Officer Sean Brookes wisely set a windward mark and a spreader mark just off Aira Point, about a mile short of Norfolk Island, to accommodate Sunday's significantly lighter breeze. After a general recall, Sean went straight into a black flag start and everyone got away.
Again conditions changed as the fleet passed the Birkett Crag to enter the lake's middle leg. The wind eased and started to swing to the south east, before building again to about 10-12 kts. Lester Noble and Mark Simpson skilfully worked the shifts on the lake's eastern shore, making up a lot of ground to lead the fleet around the windward mark.
However on the return to the Club Adam Ovington and Stuart Keegan stamped their authority on the fleet by finishing in 1 hour 40 minutes, 3 minutes ahead of the 49er of Matty and James Lyons. Mike Matthews in a Musto Skiff was third across the line 15 minutes later. The race's finish was accompanied with a fly past by the Great North Air Ambulance that happened to be its way back to its nearby base.
But as the following pack approached the finish the wind died, followed by shorts gusts before the breeze kicked in again. The both opened up the handicap results and led to some very tight finishes within classes. As one competitor put it: "It was like a Tour de France stage, where the first two hours were just to set up the final bunch sprint to the line"
Nonetheless, Adam Ovington and Stuart Keegan also won Sundays' race on handicap with the RS400s of Chis Pickles and Matt Sharman, and Hamish Gledhill and Ross Southwell, taking second and third places.
Their win on Sunday and seventh place on Saturday secured the overall win for Adam Ovington and Stuart Keegan by 3 points from Jono Shelly and Graham Priestley, with Chis Pickles and Matt Sharman finishing third overall.
This event is held each year in memory of Lord Birkett, who died two days after making a successful speech in the House of Lords which prevented Ullswater from becoming a reservoir. The Club was delighted to have Victoria Cliff Hodges, Lord Birkett's granddaughter present the Birkett Trophy together with the event's other sliver and glassware. The top five finishers and junior winners among others, also received Magic Marine vouchers totalling £1,000 presented by George Kingsnorth of Magic Marine.
The 63rd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy to be held on 5th and 6th July 2025.
Top 10 Results: (Full results can be found at www.ullswaterycbirkett.org)
Best Placed UYC under 21 helm and under 18 Helm : Olivia Dembinski, ILCA 4, Ullswater YC
Best Placed under 18 visiting helm : Thomas Whitehead, RS Feva, Filey SC
| Pos | Class | Helm | Crew | Club | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Int 14 | Adam Ovington | Stuart Keegan | Tynemouth SC | 8 |
| 2nd | VX One | Jono Shelley | Graham Priestley | Ullswater YC | 11 |
| 3rd | RS400 | Chris Pickles | Matt Sharmam | Bassenthwaite SC | 13 |
| 4th | RS400 | Hamish Gledhill | Ross Southwell | Bassenthwaite SC | 16 |
| 5th | RS400 | Alisitair Coates | Steve Tylecote | Leigh & Lowton SC | 18 |
| 6th | VX One | Jon Willars | Artur Dembinski | Ullswater YC | 19.5 |
| 7th | 59er | Paul Allen | Grace Allen | Bassenthwaite SC | 27 |
| 8th | RS400 | Dave Exley | Joe Roberts | Leigh & Lowton SC | 28 |
| 9th | Osprey | Phil Meakins | Richard Anderton | Warsash SC | 31 |
| 10th | VX One | Tony Lewis | Andrew Cutting | Ullswater YC | 33 |