Marblehead Nationals Form Guide - Try picking your podium this year

Marbleheads in flight © Roger Stollery

The 2014 UK Marblehead Nationals will be held on Weecher Resevoir, Keighley this coming weekend, May 17-18.

With this year's World Championships sponsored by Magic Marine to be held in Gouda, Netherlands this coming July, the International Marblehead class continues its resurgence in the UK and abroad with prominent skippers from the IOM and newcomers to the sport looking to step up to high performance radio yacht racing. Sporting up to 6 rigs with trends of profiled rotating masts, shroudless tapered carbon rigs, pocket luff mainsails, pre-preg carbon hulls and fins with a wide scope for design freedom, the Marblehead class exhibits all things cutting edge in radio sailing design at 1290 mm in overall length.

This year's Nationals sees an entry list of 34 that reads like a who's who of the UK's best radio yacht skippers, sailing a variety of top class designs from home built through to full production offerings. Added to this we have a contingent of International skippers representing Germany and France looking to knock off the locals. With no less than 14 UK skippers entered for the upcoming Worlds, the event will be used by many as a valuable opportunity to fine tune their machines against the worlds best with the racing sure to be fierce.

As with previous years we once again offer a form guide to help you pick your podium. See how you do this time!

The event website and full list of entries can be found here.

The Contenders

Brad Gibson – Birkenhead
Current World & National Champion will be looking to continue his unbeaten run dating back to 2012. Will be sailing will be sailing his own designed 'Grunge' with some minor tweaks expected for the upcoming Worlds. Will the streak be broken?

Graham Bantock - Chelmsford
Multiple past World, Euro and National Champion. Second at the 2012 Worlds and winner of last weeks French Nationals will be looking for a strong lead in performance to this years Worlds. Will be sailing his own 'Quark' design. Will this be 'Mr Marblehead's' return to the top step?

Peter Stollery - Guildford
Six time National Champion, past World and National IOM class Champion. Will be sailing his father's latest 'Crazy Tube Free' design with whispers of a promising new fin upgrade. Will all be revealed, or is more being left up his sleeve for Gouda?

Martin Roberts - Birkenhead
Past National and World Champion. Making a late entry with an untried Australian 'Goth' design. Will it all fall into place or will Roberts have to rely on his skill and cunning to knock the others of their perch?

Robert Walsh - Fleetwood
Past National Champion and current World IOM Champion. Will not take a backward step and sure to feature when scores are tallied late Sunday. Will be racing the 'Starkers Squared' design that Roberts used to win the 2006 Worlds and placed third with in 2012.

Tony Guerrier – Three Rivers
A skipper making many in the class take notice. As a relative latecomer to the sport moving over from competitive radio flying, 'The GRRRR' has started to string together some fine podium finishes in recent months. Will be racing his new 'Quark' and means business.

Darin Ballington – Manor Park
A recent addition to the class and one to keep an eye on judging by his improved performances over the past 12 months. Will be racing his Bantock 'Rok' design that he has steadily been refining and could ruffle a few feathers at the sharp end.

The Wiley Foxes

Derek Priestly - Fleetwood
Past International A Class World Champion. Experienced skipper who is a master at doing the little things right. Will be racing his trusty 'Starkers Cubed' Creed design and will be in the hunt.

John Cleave - Ryde
Races Marbleheads in his sleep and has forgotten more than many of us will ever know about the class. A shiny new Walliki 'Skalpel' design from Germany will have its first outing and will be one to have a run of form if winds are light.

Roger Stollery – Guildford
Forever tweaking and knutting out solutions in the shed to get the best from his designs over the years. Will be hoping for lighter airs with his swing rigged 'Crazy Tube Free' design or plenty of downwind hard running.

Roy Stevens – Tri Services
Possibly the most experienced travelling series skipper in the fleet. Coming to grips with his new 'Quark' and always has a day of good races in him.

John Taylor - Fleetwood
Long time class skipper who has been around the game long enough to pop in some good results. Will be racing his latest 'Astrix' design.

The Internationals to watch

Nigel Winkley – Germany
Regular visitor to our shores who is expected to feature prominently. Will be racing the German designed 'Skalpel' recently fitted with new rig upgrades. Will he find a decent curry?

Laurent Gerbeaud – France
Placed 5th at the 2012 Worlds. Will be racing his new 'Quark' and using the event as a tune up for this year's Worlds.

The Newcomers

John Smith – Manor Park
Less than a year in the class and already coming to grips with his 'Prime Number'. Rumour has it a last minute swap to a 'Quark' is on the cards?

Agustin Moreno - Chelmsford
Multiple and current RG65 Champion stepping up once again to the 'Big Brother' class. Will be racing his meticulously prepared 'Quark', one of the many he has fitted out in this fleet. May lack time on the water but will give a good account of himself.

Jeremy Collier - Eastbourne
A newcomer to the class who placed well at the recent Guildford Ranking event first time out. One to watch if the wind goes light with his Walliki Skalpel.

Dave Burke - Birkenhead
Another promising skipper from the Birkenhead club. Will be racing a revamped Bantock 'Paradox' design and looking to give a good account of himself, stepping up from the IOM fleet.

Add to this mix a wider host of experienced campaigners, enthusiastic district skippers, newcomers and resident class comedians, this years Nationals looks to be a cracker! Racing will start from 10am each day so why not come along and take a look!

Venue

Weecher Reservoir, Otley Road, Eldwick, West Yorkshire. BD16 3BH. The lake is approximately a quarter mile south west of this postcode location.

More information on the event website and the UK Marblehead Class Website or follow us on Twitter, @MarbleheadUK.

Racing will start from 10am each day so why not come along and take a look at high performance, fast action radio yacht racing!