GP14 Inland Championships at Ullswater Yacht Club

Matt Mee and Chris Robinson win the Silver fleet at the GP14 Inlands © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

John Telford/ Andy Smith win overall at the GP14 Inlands © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

Ullswater Yacht Club hosted the GP14 Inland Championships over the Bank Holiday Weekend. Races one and two were held in light and variable northerly wind conditions.

Matt Mee and Chris Robinson from Hollingworth Lake showed their cards early by hitting the front in race one propelling themselves into reckoning for the championship. They were followed home by John Telford and Andy Smith sailing for Bassenthwaite SC and this pair proceeded to win the second race in extremely difficult shifting conditions, this time from Mike Senior and Graham Nelson from Bolton SC.

Sunday morning was completely windless and at this stage several of the fleet decided enough was enough, by the afternoon, however, the wind had filled and the fleet took to the water for a long session of three back to back races with numerous recalls and black flags playing their part in the overall standings.

Richard Instone and James Goodfellow from Chase SC faired much better in the stronger winds to take race three from Mike Senior who was beginning to put together a really tidy series with a further second place. Race four brought Telford and Smith back to the front although Graham Flynn and Frank Nickless crossed the lined ahead but already in the knowledge that they had been black-flagged. In Sundays final race it was Dave Young crewed by Liz Pugh from South Staffs SC who picked their way through the shifts to win from David and Lynn Lawson from Bass.

By Sunday night Telford and Smith were clearly ahead in the standings. Behind them a group of five boats were within a few points of each other, this Championship was far from over as the fleet took to the water again early on Bank Holiday Monday morning for the final races in a strengthening south westerly, which was strong enough to cause several capsizes. As race six finally got underway in the third attempt Instone pulled out a commanding lead by half way up the first beat allowing him to cover all the options and insuring that Mike Senior stayed behind him all the way to the end. Telford and Smith crossed the line third doing enough to secure the overall title without sailing in the last race.

It was clear that Instone and Senior were desperate to ensure good positions on the final start line and both were over anxious and were disqualified for being over the line at the start leaving the way clear for Ian Platt and Chris Jolly to take their first win of the weekend and with it the runner up position in the Championship from Justin Jones and Chris Anderson of South Staffs SC who took third.

Matt Mee and Chris Robinson in ninth overall won the silver fleet whilst Tony Jukes and Adrian Smith of Chelmarsh SC in twenty-seventh position overall won the bronze fleet.

Overall Results:

1st Lady prize - Lynn Lawson - Bassenthwaite SC
1st Youth Helm - Mike Senior - Bolton SC
1st Youth Crew - Liz Pugh - South Staffs SC
1st Masters Helm - Ian Platt - Bolton SC
1st Masters Crew - Alan Jones - South Staffs SC
1st Grand Master - Graham Knox - Hollingworth Lake SC
1st Team - Bassenthwaite SC