Sue Pelling Journalist
Yachting | Lifestyle | Racing
Dragon racing on the River Crouch – photo Roger Mant
Burnham Week Ltd (BWL) is delighted to announce Burnham Week 2021 is now open for entry writes Sue Pelling.
This premier east coast regatta (28 August-4 September) at Burnham-on-Crouch traditionally takes place to include the August Bank Holid...
Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis fought back in today’s breezy conditions to secure the overall win of the Investec-sponsored Endeavour Trophy, for the sixth time and a record fifth time in a row, writes Sue Pelling.
[caption id="attachment_1444" align="alignleft" width="596"] Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis c...
Olympian Luke Patience, and Mary Henderson (470) stole the show on the opening day of the Investec-sponsored Endeavour Trophy, with three wins in the bag writes Sue Pelling.
Light winds and a strong tidal stream resulted in challenging conditions for the 30-strong fleet of champion sailors but...
3So popular is this weekend’s Investec-sponsored Endeavour Trophy (11-13 October), there is now a waiting list to take part writes Sue Pelling.
Despite the doom and gloom of the weather forecast threatening to put a damper on the 59th Endeavour Trophy at Burnham-on-Crouch, there are still a f...
Photo Sue Pelling
With just one month to go until the Investec-sponsored Endeavour Trophy (11-13 October), entry has almost reached its 30-place limit writes Sue Pelling.
For the first time in many years response to the annual Endeavour Trophy invitation dinghy champion of champions’ event has...
Photo – Paul Wyeth Photo – Paul Wyeth
No records broken this year but complex, light conditions proved ideal for local hot shot Jo Richards and team, who stole the show by winning the Gold Roman Bowl on the smallest boat in the fleet writes Sue Pelling.
Beating 1,210 other boats in extreme lig...
Although probably one of the most challenging on record in terms of weather, Cowes Week 2019 turned out to be one of most successful in the history of the event with 100s of teams enjoying super-fast, exciting racing all week.
Thankfully for the inaugural charity King’s Cup event on the Thursday b...
Photo – Roger Mant
With the wind projected to gust more than 40 kts on Sunday, the race committee at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham-on-Crouch, has made the sensible decision to postpone the Keelboat Endeavour Trophy writes Sue Pelling.
This inaugural event to determine the UK keelboa...
For the second year running Digger Harden, sailing his well-tuned, 11-year-old J/80 Glorious Fools with local team mates, has won the Town Cup at Burnham Week writes Sue Pelling.
In the big race finale yesterday (1 September), Harden, Doug Duce, Flynn Davies (21), Holly Dabson (20) and Tom A...
photo Roger Mant
The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham-on-Crouch (RCYC), and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) announce the launch of the Keelboat Endeavour Trophy writes Sue Pelling.
The aim of this new event, scheduled to take place on 22-23 September 2018, is to establish the UK keelbo...
Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis win Champion of Champions’ event with a race to spare
Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (15 October, 2017): Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis today added another three wins to their already impressive haul of first places from yesterday to win the 2017 Endeavour Troph...
Endeavour Trophy Opener
Red hot racing on opening day leaves reigning champs just one point ahead
Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (14 October, 2017): With three wins in the bag after today’s Endeavour Trophy opening five races, Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis (reigning Endeavour champio...
A total of 30 national champions ready for battle at Burnham-on-Crouch
Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (13 October, 2017): A total of 30 entries have signed up to the dinghy champion of champions’ event, the Endeavour Trophy, this weekend (13-15 October).
Not only is this one of t...
14-year-old Ben Hutton-Penman set to face top competition on home turf
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (14 September, 2017): Ben Hutton-Penman from the Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch, sailing with Lucy Hewitson, has won the RS Feva national championship and with it a ticket to his home club's ann...
Tough sailing as Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis win 2016 Endeavour Trophy
Overall winners Ben Saxton (left) and Toby Lewis with the solid silver Endeavour Trophy – © Roger Mant
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (9 October, 2016): Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis (Nacra 17) once again won the Endeavour Championship...
Champion of Champions gets underway at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Burnham-on-Crouch
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (7 October, 2016): The Endeavour Trophy started today with competitors attending the on-shore training briefing followed by multiple short training races throughout the afternoon....
Always a good competitive fleet – photo Josh Cooper
The singlehanded Supernova dinghy is currently enjoying a flourish of interest as the Class celebrates its 20th anniversary year. With entry to the 2016 National championship in Llandudno (1-3 July) already at its 120-boat safety limit, and with...
15Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis representing the Merlin Rocket class are the winners of the 2015 Endeavour Championship after winning all eight races.
This is the first time in the history of the 55-year event that anyone has managed to achieve such an outstanding result.
The super-fast duo annihil...
14Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis representing the Merlin Rocket class (pictured right) are the overnight leaders of Endeavour Championship following a clean sweep of wins in today’s first four races.
Ben Saxton, racing with 2014 Endeavour Championship crew Toby Lewis, revelled in the fresh easterly br...
32The three-day Endeavour Championship to establish the UK’s dinghy champion of champions kicked off earlier today with the Calltracks-sponsored training session at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham-on-Crouch.
The RS200, making its debut as the new Endeavour class appears to be favourable...
Photo – Peter Marshall.
Preparations are well underway for the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series (16-24 January 2016), which celebrates it 80th anniversary in 2016. Next year also marks 50 years of independence for Barbados, so big celebratory plans are already in place for that too.
Thanks...
RP 150828 DRAGGC 1404 Day 6 of the Dragon Gold Cup 2015 Day 6 of the Dragon Gold Cup 2015 Day 6 of the Dragon Gold Cup 2015Petticrows Ltd – builder of world class one-design racing yachts – added another Dragon Gold Cup win to its already impressive haul of 13 previous wins, and also took the...
Glorious sailing conditions for the start of Burnham Week 2015 – photo Graeme Sweeney/JCC
A total of 130 teams basked in glorious summer conditions on Saturday for the opening weekend of racing at Burnham Week 2015.
Although the winds were generally light throughout the Bank Holiday Weekend seri...
Breaking with tradition and opening up the entry to allow more classes to take part in Burnham Week’s signature event – The Town Cup on the final Saturday – has sparked interest, which indicates more entries are lining up to take part in 2015 writes Sue Pelling.
With the entry now opened up, mor...
A wide crew-weight range makes the RS200 a good choice. Photo – LPB Aerial Imagery
The RS200 has replaced the Topper Argo as the Endeavour Championship boat for the 2015 event to be held 9-11 October at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, writes Sue Pelling.
The generous support of Topper Sailboa...
Leigh McMillan and Team The Wave, Muscat celebrate their win in Cardiff
After another day of adrenaline-fueled Extreme 40 racing in winds that topped well over 25kts in the gusts, defending champion Leigh McMillan and his team on The Wave, Muscat put in another solid performance to claim overall...
Unnamed11The Omani sailing teams reveled in the glorious breezy conditions on Cardiff Bay on day three of the Extreme Sailing Series. Having started the day with a first race win and then a second place, Stevie Morrison and team on Oman Air were put out of contention when a winch pulled out of th...
The Wave, Muscat
Stevie Morrison’s Oman Air had a stunning opening day in Cardiff nipping at the heels of stable mate The Wave, Muscat right from the start. They showed consistent performance throughout the day and secured one outright win and four seconds.
Leigh McMillan’s The Wave, Muscat...
Squib fleet enjoys close racing during light air day on the River Crouch – photo Julio Graham
Exciting changes that include opening up the entry of the Town Cup to all IRC/SER yachts rated 0.890 and above helps to re-establish Burnham Week as one of the prime sailing events on the east coast....
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (Sunday 2 November, 2014): Piping their nearest rivals to the post in the final race of the series was just enough for Matt Burge and Toby Lewis representing the Osprey class to secure the 2014 Topper Sailboats-supported Endeavour Championship.
Matt Burge (right) and Toby...
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (Saturday 1 November, 2014): Matt Burge and Toby Lewis representing the Osprey class are the overnight leaders of the Topper Sailboats-supported Endeavour Championship after six races.
Sailing the new Rob White-designed Topper Argo, the 20-strong fleet was treated to supe...
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (Friday 31 October, 2014): A total of 20 dinghy champion teams arrived at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club this morning for the opening of the 2014 three-day Topper Sailboats-supported Endeavour Championship (31 October – 2 November).
Competitors prepare for the start of t...
BW1 30 8 14 1Tony and Chuffy Merewether and their crew aboard their Jeanneau Sunfast 3200 Amazon won the 2014 Town Cup, one of Burnham Week’s most celebrated awards.
Following a week of intense racing in generally challenging conditions, Burnham Week 2014 ended on a good note, in beautiful suns...
Burnham-on-Crouch, UK (25 August, 2014): A total of 125 teams in 14 classes ranging from IRC Class 1 boats, to multihulls, keelboats and dinghies, enjoyed sparkling conditions for the opening weekend of Burnham Week 2014.
Although the winds were particularly light on Sunday with challenging condi...
Emma Baker and Sam Prime sailed Rhapsody on Blue, a boat that cost £1,500, into third place on day one of Cowes Week – photo Rick Tomlinson/CWL.
An overall win of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week for the second year in a row has further endorsed the Squib’s reputation as one of the most succes...
Entry is now open for Burnham Week (23-30 August) – one of the east coast’s premier regattas – which incorporates the prestigious Town Cup for big boats on the final Saturday.
This popular family regatta, that offers challenging racing and a festival shoreside spirit, is not only one of major rega...
Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series round-up
Prizegiving party concludes highly successful 2014 event
Bridgetown, Barbados (23 January, 2014): The new format Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series, incorporating a series of coastal races as well as the iconic Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, a...
Bridgetown, Barbados (22 January, 2014): The Mount Gay team aboard the British VO70 Monster Project set a new absolute record in yesterday’s Mount Gay Barbados Race with a time of 4 hours 42 minutes 28 seconds, knocking 21 minutes off the previous record established in 2012 by Idea – Reichel Pu...
Crews enjoy layday Mount Gay Rum distillery visit and polo match
Bridgetown, Barbados (20 January, 2014): While some crews spent the day preparing their yachts for the grand Mount Gay Round Barbados Race tomorrow, the majority of teams took full advantage of their well-deserved lay day.
Crews r...
Winners confirmed in Coastal Series
Bridgetown, Barbados (19 January, 2014): Sailing conditions on the third and final day of Coastal racing at the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series was spot on once again with a good breeze, sparkling sunshine and courses set on the vibrant, turquoise waters o...
Gusts topping 30kts test skills to the limit
Bridgetown, Barbados (18 January, 2014): Day two of the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series produced big winds and big waves, which made for spectacular sailing. The biggest excitement of the day was in the first race for J/24s when gusts up to 30kts...
Bridgetown, Barbados (17 January, 2014): Competitors at the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series (15-23 January) couldn’t have hoped for better conditions for the opening day of the regatta. A warm east-north-east breeze reaching 28kts at times made for an exciting day for all with the potential of...
Quality entry prepares for start
Bridgetown, Barbados (16 January, 2014): With nearly 50 boats entered for the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race Series, 100s of sailors are tonight enjoying the fine Barbadian hospitality on the eve of the first race, which takes place tomorrow.
With 10 boats signed...
Early years
The first recorded race round Barbados was in 1936 when five trading schooners (Sea Fox, Mona Marie, Marion B Wolfe, Lucille Smith and Rhode Island) took up the challenge. Sea Fox (Captain Lou Kennedy) was the overall winner with a time of 10 hours 20 minutes.
The original race was...
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (2 October, 2013): The Endeavour Championship for the Topper Sailboats-supported-Endeavour Trophy is taking place at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham-on-Crouch next week (11-13 October).
The fleet of 25 invited champions and their crews from all around the country...
Craig on method of preparation for a national or world championship?
Most championships are won before the event because preparation is everything. Quality time on the water is the best preparation. Racing against the best people possible, having a few learning objectives each time you sail, and...
Endeavour Trophy update
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (25 September, 2013): Following a year of exceptionally intense competition on the dinghy racing circuit, a fine selection of champions has materialised and will be in Burnham-on-Crouch next month to contest the ultimate dinghy champion of champion...
Royal Cape One-Design beats Stadt 34 on corrected time
Friday January 4, 2013 – Thinus Groenewald’s Royal Cape One-Design – Reaction – has won the 2012 Governor’s Cup – the 1,750-mile bi-annual race from Simon’s Town, South Africa, to the Atlantic island of St Helena, which started on 22 De...
The RYA announced in a press release that the British sailing line-up for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been completed (Wednesday 9 May) with the announcement of sailor selections in the Laser Radial, 49er and 2.4mR events.
Aliso...
PaulLarsen
It was 27 November 2007, Walvis Bay, Namibia. We had overstayed one sponsorship and still hadn’t shown the potential of Sailrocket, in which we were trying to break the 40-knot barrier.
It had never occurred to me that the project might fail, but with...
StokeyWoodall
Having left the army in 1979, I set up Compass Yacht Delivery and was on my first delivery job with Alan Toone on 25 February 1980. I was 27 and the trip was aboard a 41-footer from Mombasa to Malta.
We basically knew nothing. We were soon to learn we were going the wrong way, at...
