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