Monkstown Bay Sailing Club B14 World Champions Chris Bateman and Lucy Loughton took second overall in the weekend's B14 at the UK's Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy at Ullswater Sailing Club in Cumbria.
The two-day, all-class handicap dinghy and keelboat race is held in early July at Ullswater Yacht Club in England. Now in its 63rd edition (5–6 July 2025), this “Holy Grail” of dinghy racing regularly attracts the maximum 230-boat fleet—from single-handers and skiffs to sportsboats and small keelers—all racing nonstop around the full 14-mile (9-mile) course across Ullswater under the Lake District skyline.
Launched in 1963 to honour Lord Norman Birkett’s famous speech blocking reservoir plans that would have destroyed public access to the lake, the race has evolved into a festival of sailing and social buzz—complete with mass coaching starts, live music in marquees, onsite camping and food stalls.
Saturday's race was held in moderate to strong southwest winds. Representing MBSC, the Cork Harbour duo found the conditions to be very much to their liking. Chris and Lucy stretched their legs and won the race by four minutes on corrected time.
Sunday's breeze was from the northwest and was very light and shifty. The conditions were a bit trickier for the skiffs, with the short tacking necessary on the upwind leg causing them to struggle somewhat. Well placed at the time, Chris and Lucy hit an unmarked rock at speed. Needing to partially capsize the boat to get clear, they discovered that the boat was badly damaged. Carrying on, they managed to make back some ground on the downwind leg home. They finished fifth on corrected time, leaving them in second place overall.
The 2025 Lord Birkett race has further Munster connections with the overall winner being a Cork Harbour National 18 dinghy sailed by the Isle of Man's Michael Wilson, of Cape 31 fame, and crewed by Phil Hardisty and GB Olympic 49er Gold Medalist, Stuart Bithell, no less.
Results are here
