GP14 Nationals at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club - Overall

Congratulations to Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe who have won the 2010 GP14 National Championship at Abersoch.

Very different conditions greeted the competitors for the final day (August 6) of the Championship – rain, mist, winds of 16 -18 knots from the west, and a significant swell. Fifteen boats decided to stay ashore, but the rest went out to enjoy the most exciting planing and surfing conditions of the week.

First round the mark were Simon Potts & Luke Shaw in 14057 who stayed ahead for the whole of Race 8, to achieve their second win of the championship.

Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe needed to beat Matt Mee & Chris Robinson in order to secure the Championship, so they kept a close eye on 14067 up the first beat of Race 8. However, in the congestion around the windward mark, Matt and Chris got two places up on them, rounding second to their fourth. As they hoisted the spinnaker, Ian and Andy managed to roll over one boat, powered down the reach gaining a good 50 yards on Matt & Chris, forced them high and then overtook and pulled away on the second reach. After that it was a question of controlling the race to make sure they kept second place - which gave them the Championship with a race in hand.

A third place in Race 8 was a good enough result to give Matt Mee and Chris Robinson second place overall. They returned to the beach, but then had sudden doubts about their calculations and hastily went back to join race 9. Shortly after the start they realised they had been right after all and again left the water. However, Simon and Luke put in a protest against them as they considered they had been disadvantaged by them on the start line. The protest was not upheld.

Mike & Liz Senior enjoyed the fast planing and surfing downwind and kept their third place overall, achieving a fourth and fifth in the final races. They were sailing 13417, with sails by Speed Sails; the other three top boats used Goacher sails.

The Silver Fleet was won by Ian Sinclair & Alan Jones, who fought off a major challenge from James Goodfellow and Richard Cornes, who improved their results throughout the week. In third place were Ed Bradburn & Chris White from South Staffs SC (which, incidentally, fielded far more entries than any other club).

Andy Wadsworth and Helen Allen from BTYC Welsh Harp led the Bronze Fleet in both final races, but earlier good results by Dave Burrows & Kate Billinge from Winsford Flash SC made them the overall winners, with Graham Hutchinson & Andy Bury from Bolton SC in third place.

Andy Tunnicliffe won the Crew’s Race organised on the Lay Day, sponsored by Allen Brothers with some generous prizes. Eleven boats enjoyed great winds and brilliant sunshine.

The championship winners were in GP No 14021, made by Northern Irish boat builder, Alistair Duffin; in second place was No 14067, the most recent epoxy resin boat made by Winder and the third boat was also a wooden boat, No 13417, made several years ago by talented young amateur builder, Graham Nelson. The oldest boat at the championship (with floorboards!) was fifty-year-old Sea Willow, No 4615, sailed into 48th place by Stephen Parry and Phillip Green from York Railway Institute. It goes to show that the GP14 is a true one-design class.

The Class, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year also attracts competitors of all ages – the youngest sailor at the Nationals was 14, the oldest in his seventies, and the championship was remarkable for the number of young entries, which is an excellent sign for the future. The sailors came from all over the UK and there were also entries from Ireland and from Sri Lanka (where the GP14 2011 World Championship will be taking place next February).

Many thanks for the skill and hard work of Malcolm Blackburn and his race team and all those at South Caernarvonshire YC who helped the Association put on a great championship.

Overall Results:
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