GP14 National Championships at Largs Sailing Club - Day 2

by Matt Thursfield 12 Aug 2013 21:19 BST 11-16 August 2013

Well the forecast was wrong – simples. No way was that lighter winds than yesterday out on the Firth of Clyde. As the fleet made their way out to the racing area, there were ominous signs that the wind was going to increase; huge cloudbursts to the north of the sailing area suggested similar conditions were going to be experienced by the 46 strong fleet, as well as the odd fleck or two of white water that was starting to become pronounced on the choppy waves that were coming from the west as the boats made their way out from the lee of Great Cumbrae Island.

Race 2, sponsored by Ginger Boats. By the time that last of the launchers had got to the racing area, the OOD had had the postponement pennant flying for a good ten minutes – whether he will be as generous on Tuesday will be interesting to see. A pin end bias in the by now gusting 5 breeze saw the fleet get away without too much hassle, only Flag X being raised suggesting the fleet did not want to wait around for yet another recall in the building swell. Who was over?? I didn't see anyone go back. Up there with the big boys in this race were Steve Graham & Lee Tennant, nailing the start and keeping pace with the usual suspects, Ian Dobson and Tom Gillard. The reach down to the wingmark on the first triangle was poptastic sailing, the angle set by the mark layers perfect for making the most of the swell and breeze that seemed to be building. For the first time on the sea, I was able to see the downwind speed of Ian & Andy – it's a sight you've got to see to believe; by the end of the two kite legs, they'd taken over 200 yds on Sarah & I. Needless to say, they went on to win that race, Tom Gillard crewed by Tim Hartley taking second from Steve & Lee in third, holding off Mike & Liz Senior. Leading the Silvers home were again Ed Dutton & Rich Hales collecting their second 10th of the regatta, Brian Willis & Davis McFarland top Bronze with their second 17th of the week.

A twenty minute pause to allow all to catch their breath & recarbohydrate themselves and the second race of the day, again sponsored by GingerBoats, was underway. The pin-end had been dropped resulting in a busier committee boat end but a clear start for all. This tactic of the OD's to get us to want to get away clean was working! Again at the windward mark it was Dobson, Gillard, MacCarthy & Senior all arriving together, all getting their kites up for the screaming reach towards the south. Again Sarah & I were there to watch them sail away from us after pretty much pegging them up the beat. How they make so much ground off wind is quite magical!

It was at the end of the run that Dobson & Tunnicliffe had their first wobble of the event – literally. Approaching the leeward mark at the end of the run, Gillard & Hartley came in at a tighter angle creating a gybe duel in the by now force 5. Dobson almost followed Colin Midgley's deathroll antics from yesterday, just about keeping it upright. Gillard though had dropped his kite early and was able to make a clean rounding, whilst Tunnicliffe was taking his royal blue kite down as his helm was starting the beat.

It was the Seniors who next caused grief for the current event leaders, this time at the windward mark. Dobson had just undercooked his layline approach, leading to some sharp tacks well inside the three boat lengths. Both MacCarthy and Senior nailed him, leading to penalty turns dropping Dobson to fourth. He was on a mission, knowing Gillard was sailing away to victory it was paramount that Dobson clawed his way back to at least third. With their downwind speed, it was certainly achievable, the results will show that they took that third place behind Gillard/Hartley and the Seniors.

Lead Silver were once again Ed & Rich although they had their first result in the high teens, behind lead Bronze on the water of Willis/McFarland. With three races gone a quick review of the fleet allocations may ultimately change the disk holders as the regatta goes in to its third day. The forecast for Tuesday looks lighter; however I've been here before!

The photos for day 2 are courtesy of www.sailpics.co.uk. These again will be available for purchase during the week at Largs. Can I also reiterate the fleets thanks to the sponsors of this week's event Gul Watersports, Boon, Creation Covers, HD, GingerBoats, Goachers, English Braid, Allen Brothers and Tunnocks.

Results after Day 2: (three races)

Pos	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	14023	Gold	Ian Dobson	Andy Tunnicliffe	BSC/RWYC	1	1	3	5
2nd	14110	Gold	Tom Gillard	Tim Hartley	Sheffield Viking SC/Northampton	2	2	1	5
3rd	14132	Gold	Mike Senior	Liz Senior	South Staffs Sailing Club	5	4	2	11
4th	14061	Gold	Shane MacCarthy	Andy Thompson	Greystones SC	3	9	4	16
5th	14118	Gold	Richard Instone	Jim Toothill	Blithfield SC	4	5	10	19
6th	14112	Gold	Matt Thursfield	Sarah Allen	RYA	9	6	5	20
7th	14034	Gold	Adam Parry	Phil Hodgkins	Toulouse Rock	7	7	8	22
8th	14103	Gold	Stephen Graham	Lee Tennant	Burwain SC	12	3	12	27
9th	13946	Gold	Dave Young	Nicola Booth	SSSC/Blithfield	6	14	7	27
10th	13710	Gold	Sam Watson	Andy Hunter	NBCSC/SSSC	11	15	6	32
11th	13417	Gold	Chris White	Richard Booth	South Staffs Sailing Club	8	11	15	34
12th	14082	Gold	Sam Blocksidge	Connie Hicklin	South Staffs Sailing Club	13	8	13	34
13th	13933	Gold	Gary Deighan	Dale Knowles	Bolton SC	14	12	11	37
14th	14018	Silver	Ed Dutton	Richard Hales	South Staffs Sailing Club	10	10	19	39
15th	13838	Gold	Justin Smith	Sarah Collingwood	Derwent Reservoir SC	16	13	14	43
16th	14077	Gold	Curly Morris	Laura MacFarlane	East Antrim BC/Newtonards SC	18	18	9	45
17th	14097	Gold	Adam McGovern	Seonaid Young	Derwent Reservoir SC	15	19	16	50
18th	14127	Bronze	Brian Willis	David McFarland	CAYC	17	17	17	51
19th	1411	Silver	Colin Midgley	Emily Cole‑Evans	Derwent Reservoir SC	21	16	22	59
20th	13124	Silver	Donald Giles	Matt Lanigan	Castle Semple SC	19	21	21	61
21st	14003	Silver	Toby Taylor	Paula Fisher	Bartley SC/ SCYC	23	28	20	71
22nd	14080	Silver	Nigel Gallagher	Gareth Gallagher	LFYC/MBC	25	24	24	73
23rd	13478	Bronze	Angus Winchester	Colin Quint	Castle Semple SC	24	30	28	82
24th	14135	Gold	Paul Owen	Steve Parker	South Staffs Sailing Club	DNC	20	18	85
25th	14014	Bronze	Andy Wadsworth	John Hasler	BTYC Sailsports	29	31	27	87
26th	13911	Silver	Dave Burrows	Kate Billinge	Winsford Flash SC	26	33	33	92
27th	13736	Bronze	Arthur Logan	Iain Hardy	Castle Semple SC	35	27	31	93
28th	13929	Bronze	Angus Campbell	Gary Lewis	Arran YC	BFD	22	26	95
29th	14000	Silver	Paul O'Neill	Duncan Greenhalgh	Castle Semple SC	BFD	25	23	95
30th	14088	Bronze	Duncan Fraser	Gail Fraser	Ceylon Motor YC	27	34	34	95
31st	13859	Silver	Derek Fleming	Matthew Bates	South Staffs Sailing Club	33	32	32	97
32nd	14119	Bronze	Rob Hicklin	Mark Fleming	South Staffs Sailing Club	22	29	DNF	98
33rd	13460	Bronze	Peter Collings	Ali Morrish	Castle Semple SC	28	41	29	98
34th	13237	Bronze	Sam MacDougal	Sophia Miles	Hollingsworth Lake SC	DNF	23	30	100
35th	13705	Bronze	Nick Brandon	Adrain Wheaton	South Staffs Sailing Club	32	35	35	102
36th	13727	Bronze	Tim Davies	Mark Collingwood	Chelmarsh SC	30	26	DNF	103
37th	13421	Bronze	Helen Allen	Tom Szakola	BTYC Sailsports	34	39	36	109
38th	14057	Bronze	Ann Penny	Malcom Bowman	Derwent Reservoir SC	36	38	38	112
39th	14051	Silver	Chris Beddow	Chris Cooke	South Staffs Sailing Club	20	DNC	DNC	114
40th	14090	Bronze	Richard Tomlimson	Alexander Tomlinson	Oxford SC	BFD	42	25	114
41st	13778	Bronze	Megan Hicklin	Hayley Ramadhar	South Staffs Sailing Club	31	40	DNC	118
42nd	13439	Bronze	Lucy Walter	Colin Campbell	Bexhill SC	BFD	37	37	121
43rd	13893	Bronze	Pete Fairhurst	Steve Fairhurst	South Staffs Sailing Club	BFD	43	39	129
44th	13880	Bronze	Mandy Mitchell	John Close	Winsford Flash SC	DNF	36	DNF	130
45th	13164	Bronze	Timothy Bird	Megan Bird	Winsford Flash SC	BFD	44	DNF	138
46th	14028	Bronze	John Edge	Kate Edge	South Staffs Sailing Club	DNC	DNC	DNC	141

More information at scottishsailinginstitute.com/events/gp14-national-championships-2013