National 12 Gul Series at Burghfield Sailing Club

National 12 Gul Series at Burghfield © Jeremy Carey

National 12 Gul Series at Burghfield © Jeremy Carey

The 2015 National 12 Gul Series kicked off at Burghfield SC on 28th March with one day of 'Sprint' races. 10 races held, each over one lap, with winds gusting well over 20mph, this was an excellent early season test for the 13 crews entered.

A squall before the first race sent many back to shore and it was only six boats that contested all of the morning races. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne dominated winning four out of five, with Nick Copsey and Katy Meadowcroft often snapping at their heels and picking up one race win for their troubles. Geoff Camm started the day with 5 year old son Henry calling the shots up front. After a good few swims Henry swapped places with mum Amelia and this largely put an end to the swimming.

After lunch everyone was tempted back out, but Camm and Ballantyne still dominated, again winning 4 from 5. Copsey and Meadowcroft took a string of seconds and another race win. Jeremy and Luke Hartley were fast downwind, and kept coming through the fleet but rarely in good enough positions at the first mark in order to capitalise on this speed. Overall Camm and Ballantyne came out winners with Copsey and Meadowcroft second and the Hartleys third.

National 12 Gul Series at Burghfield - photo © Jeremy Carey

In the Admirals Cup division for older boats Neal Lillywhite and Ollie Meadowcroft came out on top, ahead of Alan Beaton and Helen Barry.

At the prizegiving, additional Gul awards were made to Rosie White, who crewed by mum Chris finished each race with a combined crew weight of 15 stone! A very excited Henry Camm picked up a Gul voucher which he can invest in some new kit – an essential if your dad likes to take you swimming. Angus Beyts travelled down from Scotland with a vintage boat to join in the fun. The conditions were not to his liking but he too got a spot prize as a stand in crew for John Meadowcroft in the afternoon sailing.

The meeting was also notable for the Tom Lee's home built boat N3545 being launched. A fantastic effort over the last two winters, built in strip cedar to the Dead Cat Bounce design. Not really the conditions to test things out racing, so Tom and Jenefer just decided to keep out the way and have a blast around.

All in all an excellent start to the 2015 season. And a format that everyone attending would like to do again. Soon.

Photo Galleries:

• Jeremy Carey
• Alex Irwin / sportography.tv

Overall Results: