Club goes back in time to celebrate the 60th Birkett
by Sue Giles 15 Jun 2022 02:53 PDT
2-3 July 2022
The Ullswater foreshore in 1963 © Robin Steavenson
Ullswater Yacht Club is going back in time to celebrate its biggest event of the year, the 60th Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy on July 2 and 3.
The club has been looking at the history of the iconic event with memories and old photographs and has produced a special celebration booklet to be given to competitors and supporters.
The long distance event was established in 1963 honour of Lord Norman Birkett who died two days after making a successful speech in the House of Lords which prevented Ullswater from becoming a reservoir. Every year since then (except 2020), the club has held the prestigious two-day round-the-island race in memory of the 'Saviour of Ullswater.'
To mark the 60th Birkett, as well as the 60th anniversary of the death of Lord Birkett, the booklet looks at how and why the event was established in the early days of Ullswater Yacht Club.
Sue Giles, who researched and wrote it said: "The story of the Birkett is also the story of the development of dinghy sailing from the 1960s to the 21st century. Boats in the first races were all wood, mainly with wooden masts and many were home built. But the challenge and magic of the event is the same as it ever was."
Sue pieced together details from local newspaper reports of the day and personal recollections of the sailors who were there. They included the memories of three times winner Howard Steavenson, whose father Robin was the winner of the first Birkett in 1963.
Robin was also a keen photographer and some of his stunning colour pictures of Ullswater from 1963 and 1964 are in the booklet, a marked contrast to the 'normal' black and white photographs of the day. In 1964 the wind was so light for the race that Robin took his camera on his International 14 with him.
One of the most spectacular sailing events in the North, the Birkett has won Cumbria Tourism's Event of the Year Award and was rated number eight in the top 50 'must do' sailing regattas by Yachts & Yachting magazine. On Saturday, they race down the lake, a distance of about seven miles, past Kailpot Crag and the plaque to the memory of Lord Birkett, round an island at the southern end, and back. Then they do it all again on Sunday - with both races to count.
Entries are filling up fast, the limit is 230 boats and the closing date is midnight on Sunday, June 26th, 2022. Booking for entry, camping/campervan places and catering is via the special Birkett website www.ullswaterycbirkett.org For queries email:
The club is delighted to have Waitings, the civil engineering contractors and plant hire experts based near Penrith, as main sponsors. Also supporting the event are Ullswater 'Steamers' and Hire & Supplies of Dumfries, sponsors of the Birkett history booklet.
Non-racers can get a piece of the on-the-water action on a special three-hour Birkett Cruise organised by Ullswater 'Steamers'. Passengers on the exclusive charter will board at Pooley Bridge Pier at 12noon on Saturday, July 2, and the steamer will stand by off the UYC clubhouse so that they can experience the drama of the 1pm mass start by 230 boats on a line which stretches the full width of the lake. A UYC member will give a commentary as the steamer follows the fleet.
Book for the Birkett Cruise direct with the steamer company at www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk tel 01768 482229.