SB20s at the “Glastonbury of Sailing” - the 63rd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy
- Jul 10
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 11
The 63rd edition of the Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy, hosted by Ullswater Yacht Club and sponsored by Magic Marine, took place on 5–6 July with over 230 boats descending on England’s most celebrated lake race. Known affectionately as “The Glastonbury of Sailing,” the Birkett offers more than just racing — it’s a spectacular festival of sail set against the dramatic Cumbrian landscape, with mass starts, narrow beats, social buzz, and a crowd of campervans making it a favourite on the UK circuit. It currently ranks 8th in Yachts & Yachting’s Top 50 ‘must do’ sailing events.
Sailed in the memory of Lord Norman Birkett, whose 1962 House of Lords speech helped protect Ullswater from becoming a reservoir, the event has grown to legendary status. Each year, sailors contest (or simply savour) two handicap races that stretch the full 14-mile length of the lake - one on Saturday and one on Sunday - in a glorious celebration of everything grassroots sailing stands for.
Overall Podium and SB20 Results
The 2025 Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy was won by the National 18 Ultra helmed by Michael Wilson with crew Phil Hardisty and Stuart Bithell (Isle of Man Yacht Club). They finished two points ahead of Chris Bateman and Lucy Loughton in the B14, with Jono Shelley and Graham Priestley (VX One, Ullswater Yacht Club) completing the overall podium in 3rd.
Richard Anderton, a regular crew on SB20 boat PB Twenty II, sailed a 505 with Nathan Batchelor (Tynemouth Sailing Club) and finished 4th overall - just missing out on the podium - tied on points with the 3rd placed VX One.
“It’s a great event and I love it,” - said Richard. “You don’t get to sail against that number of boats in such a setting anywhere else. It’s unique! Nobody can expect to sail well; it’s lake sailing - there are hills and mountains all around and there’s always an element of luck. The social side is just as big a draw - bands, beers and catching up with friends.”
For the SB20 Class, this year marked a milestone - seven boats have entered, the highest number in recent years and enough to award a class prize.
Top 3 SB20s:
Neilson Brothers (3086) - James Neilson, Tom Neilson, Ben Sayer and Izzy Sharpe (Ullswater Yacht Club)
Mutts Nutts (3095) - Mark Brammer, David Wilkinson and Adam Cleasby (Ullswater Yacht Club)
Game of Thrones (3305) - Rob Gascoigne, Adam Savage and Steve Restall (Elton Sailing Club)
"It was fantastic to have an increased number of SB20s again on the lake for this regatta," - said Mark Brammer. "There will be the SB20 Inland Champs & Ullswater Open this September and we are hoping to see up to 10 boats. The Lord Birkett Trophy allowed us to race a bit more against each other in the one-design format and we are looking forward to welcoming more boats here to come and race in our stunning environment."
Day 1: A chaotic start and shifting breezes
With the full width of the lake forming the start line, nearly half a mile across, Day 1 start was always going to be spectacular. Add in the arrival of a packed Ullswater ‘Steamer’, full of spectators lining up to watch the action and you had a scene worthy of a Turner painting.
“There were five general recalls before we finally got away,” - said Phil Tilley, who travelled from South Wales to compete. “It was classic lake sailing - wind up and down, a few drifters, then some gusts. Just a real mix. You could have a bad start and still fight back, but only if you picked your way smartly through the fleet.”
Images onboard Tan Gwylt from Phil Tilley
The SB20s were often neck-and-neck, with the Neilson Brothers leading both races - though never by much. “They were very quick, but you could see them getting nervous in the shifty conditions,” - said Phil. “You could never guarantee that you were in the lead. Anything could happen.”
Day 2: Spinnakers up and tight mark roundings
Sunday’s race began with a reaching leg, forcing quick kite hoists and tight manoeuvring.
“We had to hoist the kite straight off the line and make it fly quickly, even though it was a tight reach,” - explained Phil. “Then we got to the first mark and it was chaos - light breeze and a wall of boats converging. We managed to get past Mark Brammer there, but he got us back on the long downwind.”
Despite variable breeze between 4 and 15 knots and swirling gusts from surrounding hills, spirits remained high. “We were one of the bigger boats on the course, and it was a great challenge weaving through everything from Fevas to cruisers,” - said Phil. “The mix of boats and the age range was brilliant - we saw teenagers racing and sailors in their late seventies.”
Known for its social scene as much as its racing, the Lord Birkett Trophy draws sailors from all over the UK. This year’s SB20 contingent included entries from South Wales, North Wales, Essex, the North East and North West — proving its appeal far beyond Cumbria.
“The beer tent was packed, there was live music and lots of campervans. It's a great catch-up for the sailing community,” - Phil added.
The SB20 Class looks forward to building on this momentum. “It was nice to have enough boats to race properly within our class. We haven’t had that at the Birkett for a long time,” - Phil said. “We hope to grow the numbers in the area.”
Photo gallery - below (image credits Tim Olin and Paul Hargreaves)
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