GP14 Midland Bell Circuit at Chelmarsh Sailing Club

Ken Westwood & Jennie Orton during the Chelmarsh GP14 open © CSC

A chilly northerly breeze

On Sunday 13th October, the GP14 Midland Bell circuit travelled to its most westerly venue, in beautiful Shropshire as autumn took hold over the most of the UK. The cool northerly breeze varied in strength, from a Beaufort 2 to 4, 20 boats were on the water as the OD, John Dickinson got the fleet started for race 1, six locals joining the fourteen visiting crews, making a particularly strong fleet.

The fleet were too keen at the first time of asking, the startline just too short for everyone to think they could get a good start. At the second attempt however, the dash to the first mark was underway. First to show their colours were Matt Thursfield & Nic Booth who popped their new Goacher kite up and made their break for freedom down the run as the chasing pack screamed "protest" and "seven-twenty" at the port tack chancers. Matt & Nic held onto the lead for half the race until Sam Blocksidge & Ed Bradburn squeezed past after a halyard issue on the lead boat. However with the beats as they were, shiftful, Matt & Nic regained the lead and took the gun, Sam & Ed dropping down to 4th behind the chasing Watson & Hunter partnership and Senior/White pairing.

After an amazing lunch, served by Dave Vesty and his team, the fleet were soon off; a longer startline and first beat allowed the fleet to spread out a little more by the time the kites were launched. It was the second and third places from Race 1, Sam Watson and Mike Senior, who fought over this race, the course the same as previous, good beats, good angled downwind legs to test the gybing skills of the crews. Mike Senior, sailing with his HDs, began to build a substantial lead over the rest of the fleet, taking the gun ahead of Sam Watson. Third in this race were early pace setters in the race, Richard Instone & Jim Toothill.

With one race to go, any of three boats had the Chelmarsh trophy in their grasp; whoever won the last race would be making the "I would like to thank..." speech. Thursfield & Booth made their shot for glory, creating the first wake for the first half a lap. Mark Fleming & Seonaid Young took the lead on the run, although they were quickly chased down by Mike Senior & Chris White who now had their hands on the event win. They sailed away to a comfortable lead, however "Elite Sails/Ginger" sailors Sam Watson & Andy Hunter had ghosted their way into second and were close enough for any lapse in concentration from the leaders to be punished. Shortened course was signalled by the Race Officer, only the long beat up the reservoir to go. Mike and Chris went left, stayed left, in fact they banged left. Sam & Andy tacked inside, got a starboard lift in a strong gust, the same lift that trapped Senior on the left side of the course. 100 yards to go, Watson crossed and crash-tacked onto Senior, covering until the gun went to signal the line had been crossed. So throughout the race all three boats who could've won the event, had it in their palms. Sam & Andy were in the lead for the shortest amount of the race, the critical last few yards.

Sam's victory speech summarised a "cracking" day – great racing, excellent food, really good camaraderie throughout the fleet at a wonderful venue for sailing. The next event for the GP14s is up at Bass on the 19th/20th October for the End-of-seasons, the Midland Bell comes to a close at Manor Park the following Sunday.

Overall Results: