GP14 Midland Bell Series at Trimpley Sailing Club

A breezy, gusty day greeted the sailors at the GP14 Midland Bell Open at Trimpley Sailing Club on 11th June 2017. With the wind coming from all directions, the Race Officer did his best to set a course with a beat from the start but alas, it was not to be. In fact the sailors suffered winds which gave them a run, reach and beat on every leg at some stage of the race.

However Phil Quarry with his son Daniel, aged 11, tackled the shifts well and took an early lead. Simon Fletcher and crew John Cookson managed to catch them and overhaul them on occasions but they eventually secured an easy win, lapping many of the fleet in the process. Fletcher and Cookson were the only boat to fly their spinnaker but it acted as a brake as much as a additional power and as the wind picked during the day a sensible decision was made to keep it in the bag. Drifting backwards onto the bottom mark, (it's only Trimpley where you could do that twice!). Andy Allan and crew Elaine Bethell overtook them to take second place whiile Fletcher and Cookson were doing circles.

The second race was a repeat of the first with Phil Quarry and Daniel easily taking first place with Fletcher and Cookson in second. Allan and Bethell had more problems in this race and Keith Budden with crew Ben Roberts beat them to third place.

The third race was completed in swirling winds and vicious gusts that capsized a number of boats eventually resulting in 3 retirements. Fletcher and Cookson took a win allowing their third place to be discarded and securing a 2nd Place overall with Allan and Bethell taking third place.