Burnham Week 2020 cancelled - Plans in place for premier east coast regatta next season
by Sue Pelling 14 Jul 2020 11:51 UTC
29 August - 5 September 2020
Royal Burnham One-Design action-packed downwind start © Roger Mant
Burnham Week Ltd (BWL), the organisers of Burnham Week, confirms Burnham Week 2020 will not take place this year owing to ongoing Covid-19 virus restrictions writes Sue Pelling.
Plans for this annual, premier east coast regatta (scheduled to take place at the end of August this year) under the auspices of Royal Corinthian YC, Royal Burnham YC, and Burnham SC, are now in full swing for next year (28 August-4 September 2021).
The organisers had hoped the national and global measures in place earlier in the year to help manage the spread of the Covid-19 virus would have eased enough to allow this late season regatta to run as 'normal' as possible. However, with social gathering restrictions that would affect the spirit of the event still currently in place, BWL made a decision to put the event on hold until 2021.
Commenting on the situation Edwin Buckley - PRO - said as well as affecting the usual nature of this event, it is about the Burnham clubs' social responsibility to help curtail the spread of the virus.
"Although we were determined to hold off with the decision as long as possible, we were always concerned about how we could run the event as normal yet as safe as possible. Anyone who has ever attended Burnham Week will know it is all about social interaction. As well as the racing, Burnham Week is renowned for its fun party atmosphere with functions such as cocktail parties, class dinners, dances and prize-givings running at all three Burnham clubs throughout the week.
"It is no great surprise therefore that with guidelines still in place it would be impossible to regulate, particularly in close-quarter crewing situations while racing."
Given the fact that Burnham Week is held late in the season, the decision not to run Burnham Week 2020 was held off for as long as possible. Annie Reid - Chair of BWL- said it was a tough judgment but she is confident it was the right route to take. "Although everything was in place ready to run the event this year, the committee reached the decision based on Government and the Royal Yachting Association's directives.
"We would like to thank everyone for the patience they have shown in waiting while we looked into the possibilities of running the event, and we now need to focus ahead and plan that great regatta Burnham Week 2021."
Please keep visiting the event website www.burnhamweek.com to stay updated on progress for Burnham Week 2021.