The Town Cup
At a meeting of the Burnham Urban District Council in 1926, it was agreed that the Town should purchase a challenge cup to be competed for in Burnham Week. A committee was appointed to oversee the project and consisted of local business men, C.C.Booth, J.A.Cole (grandfather of the last JCC Chairman), G.J.Cranfield, E.W.Sadler and E.Dilliway. To pay for the trophy, funds were raised from the Chamber of Trade, the boatyards, breweries and the foundry.
The first Town Cup race was held in 1927 and since then it has become a major part of the final Saturday of Burnham Week. The winner of the trophy was given a white flag to fly, thus enabling those on the shore to see which was the winning boat, nowadays they are given a winners flag displaying the words ‘Town Cup Winner’ and the year. The trophy was presented by the Chairman of the Town Council, now by the Town Mayor and after being filled with champagne was taken along the waterfront to each of the clubs, a tradition which is still held today. The ever changing design of boats has meant that the Race Committee has had to keep up with the changes and alter the qualification accordingly and with the advances in technology, the results can be seen on the internet almost instantly.
The list of previous winners contains some famous names from the East Coast yachting scene and winning the Town Cup is still a prestigious achievement.
Recent Winners are listed below
2022 Woozle Hunter Alex Thomas
2021 Apex- Robert Leggett Havenport YC
2019 Jackal- Harden, Orram & Schneidau
2018 Glorious Fools – Digger Harden & Peter Jackson BSC
2017 Glorious Fools – Digger Harden & Peter Jackson
2016 Amazon – Tony Merewether CYC
2015 Snatch – Adrian Lower RBYC
2014 Amazon – Tony Merewether CYC
2013 Assarain – Angus Bates RBYC
2012 Inn Spirit – Alan Bartlett CYC
2011 Assarain – Angus Bates RBYC
2010 Fay-J – Stan Fenton CYC
2009 Oystercatcher XXVI – Richard Matthews WMYC
2008 Heartbeat III – J&J Payne-James RBYC
2007 Oystercatcher XXVI – Richard Mathews WMYC
2006 Ding Dong! – R&P Stewart RBYC
2005 The Geek – D Kemp & I Langston CYC
2004 Jump the Gun – Frank Curtis CYC
2003 Ding Dong! – R&P Stewart RBYC
2002 Ding Dong! – R&P Stewart RBYC
2001 Sensor – Warren & Chatterton WMYC
2000 Oystercatcher – Richard Matthews WMYC
1999 Sensor – Warren & Chatterton WMYC
1998 Warlord VI – P Tolhurst RBYC
1997 Independent Bear – C Hobday RBYC
1996 Fiona VII – D Geaves RBYC
1995 Jackdaw – D Walters
1994 Jackdaw – D Walters
1993 Camp Freddie – G Peck
1992 Sensor – Mr & Mrs Chatterton WMYC
1991 Crusader – R Mathews RMYC
1990 Fever – RJ Smith CYC
