Gold star for Michael Wilson's National 18 at the 63rd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy
by Andy Rice 15 Jul 07:53 NZST
5-6 July 2025
Stu Bithell joined Phil Hardisty and skipper Michael Wilson to win the 63rd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy © Tim Olin /
www.olinphoto.co.uk
It took an Olympic gold medallist to help win this year's edition of the northern classic handicap race in the Lake District, the 63rd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Magic Marine.
The Tokyo 2020 49er Olympic Champion Stu Bithell joined Phil Hardisty and skipper Michael Wilson to help propel the three-man National 18 Ultra to victory over a 230-boat assortment of different classes competing on a beautiful but sometimes treacherous Ullswater Lake in Cumbria.
Gusts and Lulls, and Flat Calms
Taking place over the first weekend of July, competition for the Trophy takes place across two long-distance races, one on the Saturday, one on Sunday. The build-up to the weekend was extremely windy and even Saturday morning was gusting hard, making sailors wonder what conditions to set up their boats for.
By start time, however, the breeze had mostly eased away, save for the odd gust blowing down - with little warning - from the surrounding green hills. With 230 craft of different shapes and sizes spanning the width of the lake along the start line opposite Ullswater Yacht Club, space was extremely limited and the battle fierce for a front-row start.
No wonder it took five general recalls, first under the Blue Peter and latterly under the black flag before the fleet finally got under way for Saturday's race, heading towards the south-west corner of the lake. One of the casualties caught out by the black flag were last year's overall winners, the International 14 sailed by Adam Ovington and Stu Keegan.
Dire Straits
Getting through the narrow straits soon after the start was a critical juncture in the full-lap circuit of the seven-mile long Ullswater Lake.
Rob Richardson, runner-up in the past two class Musto Skiff World Championships and representing Royal Windermere Yacht Club, read the start and the conditions well, getting out into the front pack early in his tricky trapeze boat. A phenomenal performance too by the reigning B14 World Champions from Ireland, Chris Bateman and Lucy Loughton, who managed to manoeuvre their 14ft planing skiff into a strong position despite the predominantly light and non-planing conditions that might have suited them even better.
Wilson's National 18 was in the mix too, the Isle of Man Yacht Club entry maintaining good momentum through the ever-changing lulls, gusts and flat patches to vie for the front spots. Best of the sportsboat entries was the K6 of Richard Harvey sailing with Kate Franklin and Emma Bennison. After taking almost two hours for the leading pack to complete a full circuit of the lake, the Carsington K6 crew would eventually finish fourth on handicap, behind the National 18 in third, Richard's Musto Skiff in second, with Bateman and Loughton taking the win by almost four minutes on corrected time.
Beer & Burgers
After sailors came ashore, the queue for the burger van got longer and the beer tent started filling up. War stories and white lies from a wacky day were liberally shared over a few or more drinks before the fleet retired for the night to their tents, camper vans or B&Bs.
It looked like lighter conditions for Sunday morning and a switch in the wind direction meant the start would launch the fleet the opposite way from Saturday. Fewer general recalls this time as the fleet launched on to a tight port reach towards the north-eastern corner of Ullswater.
The first turning mark, and subsequent spacer mark, were an absolute log jam for all but the first few who got around in clean air and on the long march south-west. With little wind in the north-eastern corner, it was a drift-off to see who could break out into some kind of discernible breeze. The gaps in the fleet were already enormous.
Irish on the Rocks
Somehow for the second day in a row, the National 18 Ultra and the B14 fought their way clear. But then, disaster for Bateman and Loughton whose lack of local knowledge led them to hit a submerged rock and their B14 was stranded for a good minute or so before they got going again. That could have proven to be the difference between winning or losing overall. On corrected time the National 18 won Sunday's race whereas the B14 finished fifth, putting them two points behind Wilson's win and placing them second overall.
Two points further back, for third place, was the VX One sailed by Ullswater locals, Jono Shelley and Graham Priestley, just displacing 505 stars Nathan Batchelor and Richard Anderton from the podium. Richardson took his Musto Skiff to fifth overall after a lacklustre start to Sunday's race, finishing ahead of a gaggle of VX Ones. Young Ben Pascoe, crewed by his dad and last year's Musto Skiff World Champion Sam, helmed his 2000 to ninth overall, one place ahead of former 14 World Champion Martin Jones crewed by Harry Kennedy. Both these teams, like many others, had travelled from as far as the south coast of England. The 'Birkett' is becoming established as one of those must-do events of the season.
Results of the Lord Birkett Trophy
Fitting Tribute
Granddaughter of Lord Birkett, Victoria Cliff-Hodges, visited Ullswater Yacht Club for the weekend of racing and festivities. Without Lord Birkett's momentous intervention in the House of Lords, to keep Ullswater Lake as a place of leisure rather than a working reservoir, 63 editions of this Memorial Trophy would never have taken place. "Events like this are exactly why he fought hard to protect the lake," she said. "He would have been proud to see so many enjoying the lake today."
Michael Wilson was delighted to have won the trophy alongside his friends Phil Hardisty and Stu Bithell. "I love this event, it just gets better and better every year," said Wilson, who got married on the opposite side of the lake from Ullswater Yacht Club. Normally he's racing keelboats in the Solent on the glamorous one-design Cape 31 circuit, but for Wilson, the venue and the event hold a special attraction that keeps on bringing him back to the Birkett. "This is a stunning place, a fantastic race, and the Lord Birkett is the only handicap event I do in the year, and I'll keep on doing it too. Thanks to everyone and the volunteers in particular for making this such a great event."
A Brief History
The Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy, sponsored by Magic Marine, is an iconic long-distance event which was established by Ullswater Yacht Club in honour of Lord Norman Birkett who died in 1962, two days after making a successful speech in the House of Lords preventing Ullswater from becoming a reservoir which would have restricted public access. The Lord Birkett has become more than just a race but a festival of sailing, attracting entries in a wide range of different dinghies, keelboats and cruisers from all over the country.
The Lord Birkett was supported by Magic Marine who are making a big push into UK dinghy racing.
What is the Sailjuice Challenge?
Following on from 16 successful seasons of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series, the aim of the Sailjuice Challenge is to provide good handicap racing across a series throughout the year, including the busy summer months. The organisers of the Sailjuice Challenge are working with existing events to help bring additional publicity and increase participation.
Enter the next event in the series, the Dalgety Challenge
More events are coming up in the Sailjuice Challenge this summer. For further information about how to get involved, either as a participating Class or a host Sailing Club,
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