2018 Gul GP14 World Championship almost sold out with 4 months to go

Launching area at Mount's Bay © Michelle Evans

Following the announcement of the Platinum Fleet a couple of weeks ago places have started selling fast for the 2018 Gul GP14 World Championship. The event is set to sell out in the next couple of weeks with only 5 places left out of the 130 allocation. After this a reserve list will open with 5 places on it should a boat drop out.

There are currently 47 Gold Fleet sailors entered so the quality of the competition will tough as Worlds Chair Gill Beddow explains:

"We are very fortunate to already have some big names from outside the Class signed up such as Nick Craig, Toby Lewis, Matt Burge and Tom Gillard. Those names added to the GP14 stalwart Championship winners such as Ian Dobson, Neil Marsden, Shane MacCarthy, Andy Davis, Mike Senior we felt we had at least 15 boats that were capable of winning the event so we decided to introduce a Platinum Fleet which seems to have been a really popular decision with the sailors, and makes our event that little bit more unique.

"How it will work is competitors will still enter under the usual Gold, Silver and Bronze fleet allocations and then during the event a Platinum fleet will be established by taking the overall leading fifteen boats in the Championship after 5 races have been completed. This means that for the final overall prizes there will be prizes for the top six boats (who we would anticipate would be from the Platinum Fleet but don't have to be) and then the top three from each of the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets.

"The fact that we are almost sold out with 4 months left to go shows how excited people are about this Worlds which is fantastic for the Class. It also makes it easier for us to plan ahead and try and include as much in the entry fee as possible on the social side and, of course, we have 31 sponsors and more in the pipeline so there will also be plenty of prizes and goody bags for the sailors. There will also be more coverage than ever of the event with live boat tracking available to watch online thanks to a partnership with Sailing Southwest who will supply a GPS tracker for every boat that wants to use one."

Mount's Bay Sailing Club - photo © Michelle Evans

Visit the event website for more information about the event or to secure one of the remaining few places: www.gp14.org/events/2018-gp14-world-championship Once the entry list is full please contact the GP14 office to enquire about a reserve place: 01204 590325.

Clothing for the event launched this week and the shop is now open here: www.leavershoodies.com/shop/gp14

Full sponsor list:

Gul (Title Sponsor of the Event)
Craftinsure (Goody Bag and Event Prize Sponsor)
Harken (Event Prize and Drone Sponsor)
Amco Drilling (Social Sponsor)
Primal Supplements (Social and Goody Bag Sponsor)
Gurasu (Trophy and Closing Ceremony Sponsor)
Skerries Sailing Club (Irish Night)

Exe Sails (Race Day and Spot Prize Sponsor)
Impact Marine (Race Day Sponsor)
North Sails (Race Day and Spot Prize Sponsor)
Optimum Watches (Spot Prize Sponsor)
Selden (Spot Prize Sponsor)
Typhoon Covers (Spot Prize Sponsor)

Creation Covers (Champagne Race Sponsor)
Duffin (Event Prize Sponsor)
Gibson Sails (Daily Prize Sponsor)
Paintcraft (Event Prize Sponsor)
Yachting Sunnies (Daily Prize Sponsor)
Yachts and Yachting Magazine (Goody Bag and Daily Prize Sponsor)

Ann Penny (Trophy Sponsor)
Elite Sails (Goody Bag Sponsor)
English Braid (Goody Bag Sponsor)
Gingerboats (Goody Bag Sponsor)
Goachers (Goody Bag Sponsor)
P&B (Goody Bag Sponsor)
SP Boats (Goody Bag Sponsor)
HD Sails (Post-Race Drinks Sponsor)
Winder (Post-Race Drinks Sponsor)
West System Resin (Buddy Group Sponsor)
Dinghy Tec (Buddy Group Sponsor)
Tracace/Sailing South West (Buddy Group Sponsor)