Burnham Week 2025 - Day 6

by Petru Balau 29 Aug 23:01 AEST 23-30 August 2025

Sunshine and strong winds made the fleets muster all their technical skills on the 6th day of Burnham Week 2025.

The only start from the Pile House line was the combined start for the classes 1 & 2 and 5 and saw the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club 707, helmed by Alex Hill, position themselves strategically behind the much larger Slingshot and ride the wave to round the first mark first.

The class 1 & 2 race was eventually won by Dan Wastage' Santa Evita, ahead of Nicholas Plank' Slingshot, the two boats being separated by only 1 point going into the last day of the Mid Week racing.

The class 5 was won by Alex Hill's chartered RCYC 707, whimsically named 707-2, followed by Richard Taylor's Rondo, with Phil Collard's Cobra in third, which allowed Cobra to keep their position at the top of the results table.

Starting from the Burnham Sailing Club line, the rest of the fleets enjoyed tight racing, for some in planing conditions, for some in sinking conditions, up the river, with laps around Cliff and Canewdon.

Mark Wade's Avalanche won the International Dragons race, ahead of Ian Gray's Still Crazy, with the two boats being separated by 3 points in the overall results.

The 16 strong Squibs race was won by Micky Wright and Alex Porteous, Spoof, adding yet another bullet to their regatta haul, followed by Raymond Apthorp and Ian Simmons, with 5 points separating the two boats in the overall results.

David Smith's Wizard took the win in the East Coast One Design race to consolidate their place at the top of the overnight results, with Rufus Whiteford's Gigi coming in second.

Despite stronger winds than the previous day, the Royal Burnham One Design fleet went out in strong numbers, with James Dallimore's Whimbrel taking the win, followed by Stephen Herring's Red Jacket. Despite a not so great race, Ciara Murphy's Quartz still has high hopes for a top 3 finish in the Midweek overall or even a win.

In the Royal Corinthian One Design race, the then leader of the race, Justin Waples' Cormorant got hit by a very unfortunate gust and suffered an underwater experience. Showing great composure, the helm, along with the two crew, Steve and Lizzie Rands, quickly lowered the sails and with help from the media boat, who towed the boat towards the west shore, in a sheltered position to wait for the RCYC Launch, equipped with a pump.

With the boat refloated and the flotsam recovered by two of the competing boats, Barry Lewis' Corindelle and Martin Makey's Corinna, which abandoned their race to provide assistance if required, and more importantly with the phones recovered, the high spirits returned on the boat and the orange t-shirts wearing trio sailed her back to the club moorings, with the only damage being the loss of a sail bag.

The race was eventually won by Paul Buckley's Coryphee, with Clive and Graeme Page's Corpo Santo, with the two boats being separated by 1 point in the overnight results.

The racing continues on Friday, with the cruisers heading up the river from the BSC line, while the rest of the fleets return to the Pile House line, under the tutelage of Team Phoebe, with the Trophy Day just one day away.

Full results at www.burnhamweek.com/results-2025