GP14 open meeting at Hampton Sailing Club
by John Bell 20 Oct 2016 11:41 BST
16 October 2016
GP14 open meeting at Hampton © David Gettings
World Champion sailor wins at Hampton
The Hampton GP Open was held on Sunday 16 October. The forecast was for a southerly breeze and rain. However the rain passed through earlier than expected leaving a bright and sunny day.
The first race got under way with some over keen starters recalled. Ian Dobson from Burwain S.C., and crew Gemma Marshall, weren't caught out and they sped off the line leaving everybody else in their wake. Ian kept his lead to the end of race 1 over the pursuing James Ward from Papercourt in Scooby Doo, crewed by Richard Whitehill.
Both visitors flew spinnakers in the reaching conditions and with the wind veering a touch west the tactic proved decisive over the middle order Hampton boats that confined themselves to genoas.
Nonetheless the home fleet provided exciting racing with multiple changes of position, rewarding the boats which spotted wind shifts earliest, or boats that were just lucky to be in the wind's capricious path. This was river sailing after all. For most of the afternoon it was dodgem cars in the middle order between John Hollands & Jane Chambers in Kraken, Derek & Mary May in Takitimu, George & Chris Bell in Upsy Daisy, Charles Anderson & Annie or Livvy Bell in Fair Dinkum and when he wasn't being Super Kev (in the lead), Kevin Anderson & Sue Morley in Red Rampage.
So after a nourishing lunch the second race sprung a bit of a surprise. Kevin Anderson led off the line, confidently pursued by the two visiting helms Ian and James. But Kevin managed to hold the lead to finish first. In this instance Kevin's speed over the water downwind was consistently equal to Ian's boat with a drawing spinnaker, mild proof that skill, local knowledge and a brand new suit of sails can sometimes do the trick. Ian Dobson our visiting GP World Champion in GP14s came in second with James Ward in Scooby Doo always threatening to change the order, coming in third.
This meant that the third race of the Open was now a three way contest between Ian, Kevin and James, with the winner taking all. Alas at the gun Kevin was over the line and recalled. Ian was also a touch too eager but manoeuvred in time to stay behind the line. Somewhat against the run of play, both Ian and Kevin now languished near the back of the fleet with eight laps to go.
It then became a drama to see if the world's best GP14 sailor Ian Dobson, would in the manner of Lewis Hamilton, carve his way through the fleet of lesser mortals and get a podium finish. By the last few laps he had indeed overtaken everyone except James Ward in Scooby Doo; and then it was close tacking and place changing on the penultimate beat.
Coming off the windward mark James was still ahead with spinnaker up and promptly sailed straight into a hole. Coming out of the windward mark in second (but close enough), Ian with his spinnaker pulling well, managed to sail lower and around James. From then on to the leeward mark it was anyone's guess who the wind would favour. Here were two boats helmed and crewed by experts, similarly equipped with flying spinnakers, not often more than ten yards apart, heading for a result.
Touch and go it was, all the way to the leeward mark but Ian remained ahead to round the leeward mark first. He then had only a short fetch to cross the line and win the Hampton Open. Clearly sometimes the race is indeed to the swift. It was an amazingly entertaining drama and the gallery cheered the visitors as they each cleared the finishing line. It was a family affair for third and fourth with Kevin's son Charles Anderson and crew Olivia Bell getting third place and Kevin Anderson crewed by Sue Morley coming fourth.
Top four results:
1st Ian Dobson & Gemma Marshall
2nd James Ward & Richard Whitehill
3rd Kevin Anderson & Sue Morley
4th Charles Anderson & Olivia Bell