GP14 Northern Bell and Scorpion Open at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club

Hollingworth Lake SC held its annual Northern Bell series GP14 Open on Sunday and invited Scorpion sailors to join the racing with a separate start. Although the Club does not have any Scorpions, it has one member who is well known in that fleet as a crew, so all boats were visitors enjoying a change of scene.

With a good day's forecast boats set out, little noticing a dark cloud in the west. The Scorpions got away at the start and some 5 minutes later the GP14s started as the rogue cloud became blacker and the wind increased. The Scorpions were on the downwind leg by now, while the GPs were battered by the wind and hail that followed on the first beat and continued on the first downwind leg. The younger (and fitter) sailors coped readily. Andy McKee and Chris Massey stormed away in the Scorpions, and Adam McGovern and Chris Robinson took the GP lead. These two boats were to take the honours for the day. As the sun returned, the wind became more variable and shifty.

After a good lunch, two races were sailed back-to-back. At first, the wind became more north westerly, then it strengthened to give excellent racing conditions. There was no change to the lead in either fleet but the second and third places were contested. In the final race, Steve Walker and Jerry Hannabuss in the Scorpions got the best of the start and never surrendered the lead to Andy McKee. In the GPs, Martin Brennan and Richard Long had the lead for much of the race, gradually succumbing to Adam McGovern on the last lap.

Overall Results: