GKO RS Feva Grand Prix at Royal Torbay Yacht Club

Rob & Emma Loveridge (right) & Owen Bowerman & Charlie Darling (left) during the RS Feva GKO GP © Roddy Bowerman

Royal Torbay set up the most incredible finale to the seasons GKO Grand Prix circuit. Saturday was almost med-like with 12kt up to periods of 19kts in race 2 and back down to 14 kts by the end.

Sunday was more Brit-like – sunny spells but a thumping 22kts average at the start rising to a sustained 24kts with dash more thrown in during the gusts. For the less experienced it was a baptism of fire, for the experienced it became attritional with only 18 finishers. Those who got their kites up – most at some stage or other needed medical attention to have the excess adrenaline drained off.

Owen Bowerman/Charlie Darling (HISC) took pole position after Saturday's racing but it wasn’t entirely one sided. It was a narrow lead over Rob & Emma Loveridge (Draycote) in 2nd and the Mateos – Pilati and Saccarola from Venice – yes, Italy (there were 2 boats from Venice and 1 from Lake Iseo –the next one west of Garda, competing!). Ruth & Tess Allan (Emsworth) weren’t getting dropped off the pace to easily either and the superb Torquay Toreadors were breathing down everyone else’s necks. Sunday was set for a shootout – and so it was.

The forecast for was for plenty of adrenaline from the SW. It was wrong – there was more than plenty! Owen Bowerman/Charlie Darling showed that they had mastered a bit of a breeze but sadly I think that it was black flag that did for them in the first of the days races. Only 2 were possible as it turned out. Rob & Emma Loveridge got to both first windward marks in the leading group and then lit the bay up. At appropriate moments they kept the bow up and just shot away. Superb kite work blasted them into the lead which they didn’t relinquish in either of the day’s races.

Ruth & Tess Allan surely got teamwork and performance of the day (ignoring the rather speedy Loveridges here just for effect) – having broken a shroud they got a team of 6 parents working in perfect harmony to get them afloat again less time than it takes a lamb to shake its tail. Two and a half minutes late for the start but still pinged in at 11th. Cool. Adam & Lisa Kay (Warsash) showed superb control when all around them were water sampling to claim 2nd in the denouement. Jovian Short/James Barlow led the trio of Torquay Toreadors home after a superbly consistent series in 6th overall whilst the other 2 in the top ten were the marvelously inconsistent (18,1,13,3,41 – see what I mean!) but brilliant Morgan Peach/Herbie Harford in 9th whilst in 8th were rockstar Ben Binmore and guest rockstar Will Acres.

The Matteos had a torrid final day but still nailed 4th down whilst the irrepressible Emily Peters/Alice Masterman secured 7th (2nd HISC in top 10) whilst Hugo Tucker/Tim Collino were good value in the breeze for 10th (2nd Emsworth).

Spot prizes went to birthday girls (Sarah Hussey), the only 7 year old in the fleet, the newest pairing from N Wales to come to a GP (Becca Morris & Ed Shelley – a gentle warm up prior to getting serious!). This event was the last of the GKO GP Circuit ( the series runs Sept to Sept ). In a tie break situation it was decided that the trophy would be shared & so the sibling teams of Ruth & Tess Allan alond with Rob & Emma Loveridge share the GKO Circuit title.

Adrian Peach and the marvellous members of the Royal Torbay deserve enormous credit for what they have done over the last 2 years and this w/e in particular. Thank you. And of course to GKO for the generous support in straightened times. Thank you all.

Overall Results: