Burnham Week has followed the lead of other major UK regattas and announced a title sponsor for this year's event.

Southend-based industrial cleaning company, Prime Clean, was this week named as the east coast regatta's first title sponsor for four years.

Insurance giant Skandia Life is the title sponsor of Cowes Week, Ford Motor Company back Cork Week and the Woolwich Building Society are the driving force behind the burgeoning Ramsgate Week.

For Burnham, it is a radical change of policy after the decision in 1996 not to appoint a title sponsor.

Since then, organisers, the Joint Clubs Committee (JCC) decided to spread sponsorship, which proved highly successful, and will continue.

Last summer, Burnham Week attracted 13 mini sponsors, five more than the previous year, with JCC chairman Doug Baldwin admitting he had had enquiries from several companies which were too late to include in the 1998 event.

It is hoped that many of those who supported whe week last year and those who missed out in 1998, will be involved in this year's event, which will be held from August 28 to September 4.

Until they changed their sponsorship format, Burnham Week enjoyed title backing from Marlow Ropes, Brent Walker, Burnham Yacht Harbour, Yachtline Insurance and Premium Liferaft Services.

After four years without a major sponsor, Baldwin welcomes the changes.

He said: ''Altering the essential format of a regatta with as much heritage as ours is an important decision and we have worked hard to ensure competitors and sponsors will appreciate the changes we have made.

''We are confident that Prime Clean Burnham Week 99 will be a great success and will prepare the way for an even more exciting 2000 event''.

And David Lenz, vice-chairman of the JCC, said: ''As a committee, our responsibility is to run the most professional sailing regatta we can. We succeed in doing this but realise that there are areas where specialist help can show great return''.

To make the regatta more appealing to competitors, this year's Burnham Week will offer a non-racing events day on the Tuesday, which will include parties, discos and balls organised by the individual clubs.

One of this year's highlights will be a talk by international solo yachtsman Josh Hall, who will speak at one of dinners about his single-handed exploits in the Around Alone Race.

Britain's oldest yacht club, the Royal Thames Yacht Club, who sponsored a day at Burnham Week last year, have increased their interest in the week to three days.

They will organise races on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, in addition to a special race from Ramsgate to Burnham on the Sunday.

The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club are hosting the Eastern Area Hunter 707 class championships over the May Bank Holiday weekend. It is the first of five area events sponsored by Gloag's Gin.

There is a strong class of 707s at Burnham and a fleet of around 15 boats are expected to compete in this weekend's event, a perfect warm-up to the national championships on the Hamble in July and the first-ever European Championships in Germany later this summer.

Stone Sailing Club and Maldon Yacht Club, who both celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, will be holding celebratory Snipe Open regattas this summer.

In addition, the Stone burgee will be taken to the New York Yacht Club while the Maldon burgee will be flying at several continental Snipe, the first of which will be this weekend at the prestigious Snipe Channel Challenge Trophy at Le Havre.

Results: - Crouch YC Hydd Gwynn Trophy: 1 Mr Bojangles (E Breavington) and Mr Bridger (P Jackson & S Chapman), equal, 3 Shoot the Bar (C Mills).

Overall: 1 Mr Bojangles, 2 Shoot the Bar, 3 Crazy Horse (F Curtis).

RCYC/RBYC Saturday Squib: Flame (D Horner). Etchells: Her Outdoors (R Melville). Dragon: Bebel (unknown). Sunday Squib: Trophoblast (C Goodfellow). Etchells: Her Outdoors. Dragon: Bebel.

Burnham SC Wednesday Evening series - IRC: Twist & Shout (P & N Elmore). Local handicap: Dehlight (J Butler). Squib Vindex (A Reynolds).

EAORA Pattinson Cup (West Mersea to Burnham): 1Ace of Hearts (I Hart).

Marconi SC Spring Points - Race 7, Solo: 1 J Salmon, 2 R Smith, 3 S Ash.

Handicap: 1 S Monks, 2 K Williams, 3 L Hurrelll. Dart 15: 1 J Ball, 2 P Tovey. Med Cat: 1 P Ellis, 2 J Yorston, 3 E Davies.

Fast Cat: 1 B Piggott, 2 Longhurst, 3 H Rogers. Solo: 1 R Smith, 2 J Salmon, 3 S Ash.

Handicap: 1 S Monks, 2 L Hurrell, 3 K Williams. Dart 15: 1 P Tovey 2, J Ball, 3B Spencer. Med Cat: 1 J Yorston, 2 P Ellis, 3 B Grimshaw. Fast Cat: 1P Harrison, 2 P Longhurst, 3 M Wallace.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.