National 12 Gul Series 2016
by Sophie Richards 28 Nov 2016 07:24 GMT
28 November 2016
With 8 events hosted by different clubs across the country and generous sponsorship, the National 12 GUL Series is going from strength to strength. Here's an overview of the year's events.
Burghfield Sailing Club - GUL Series 1
The series got off to a flying start on 19th March for the sprint championships hosted by Burghfield Sailing Club. Exclusive drone footage captures some of the most exciting moments of the day and is available on the National 12 Facebook page. The racing was hotly contested with 4 different race winners and locals Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne coming out on top over the 9 races.
Salcombe Yacht Club - GUL Series 2
The second event of the year involved sunshine, ice cream and beach games! There was of course spectacular as well as tense sailing to be had with conditions ranging from a tricky light northerly to blustery south westerly over the weekend. Tom and Robert Stewart mastered the range of conditions to win the event, with Neil and Freya Lillywhite winning the Admiral's Cup fleet.
Royal Harwich Yacht Club - GUL Series 3
The third round of the 2016 GUL Series was at Royal Harwich Yacht Club on 21st / 22nd May. 17 sailors came to join in the fun, with boats ranging from Tom Lee's wooden DCB to Nigel Waller's Uffa King! All sailors enjoyed the strong breeze and John Meadowcroft, crewed by his son, Ollie, won all three races.
Sunderland Yacht Club - GUL Series 4
Sunderland Yacht Club made its first appearance on the GUL Series this year. With warm hospitality from the club and exciting racing, Jeremy and Luke Hartley won the event, followed by Mark and Anna Simpson who were also the first non-foilers.
Brightlingsea Sailing Club - GUL Series 5
With four events and four different event winners all was to play for in terms of the GUL Series at the National Championships.
Races 1 & 2: After the disappointment of racing being cancelled on the opening day of Burton Week, day two delivered in spades with two great races in bright sunshine and a westerly breeze which was gusting up into the high twenties at the start of racing John Meadowcroft sailing with son Ollie in D B Cooper, put in a superbly consistent performance to win both races in impressive style. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne were in second place after the two races, five points behind the leader thanks to a third in race one and a fourth in race two.
Race 3 - The Burton Cup: 2016 marks the 80th anniversary of the launching of the first National 12 and the 75th time the class has raced for the prestigious Sir William Burton Cup. The boats left the launching ramp in a strong westerly that was periodically gusting up over twenty knots which made a spectacular race. It was Tom and Robert Stewart who pulled through to claim the race win and add their names to one of British yachting's best known trophies, followed by the Meadowcrofts who took second with Kevin Iles and Andrea Downham third.
Races 4 & 5: After the strong winds of the preceding days it was all change for the last day with a lovely light breeze and flat seas. John and Ollie Meadowcroft's day got off to a disastrous start with a 21st which immediately became their discard. Up at the front of the fleet Tom and Robert Stewart won the race with Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne second. As they lined up for what was to be the final race John and Ollie Meadowcroft and Tom and Robert Stewart were now neck and neck on nine points apiece. It was to be a nail biting conclusion to the regatta, but with the wind down John and Ollie Meadowcroft just couldn't seem to get the same traction they'd had in the breeze. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne meanwhile where on the top of their game, taking the final race from Tom and Robert Stewart. Once the final calculations were made Tom and Robert Stewart were confirmed as the 2016 GUL National Twelve Burton Week winners by a four point margin from Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne with John and Ollie Meadowcroft taking the final step on the podium.
Solway Yacht Club - GUL Series 6
Set on the beautiful Solway Firth, the sixth event of the year was also the National 12 Scottish Championships. Sailors fought against tide and light winds with Philip David and Elaine Ross coming out on top. The event boasted a number of different designs taking part including a Proctor Mark 6 and a Proctor Mark 9.
Stokes Bay Sailing Club GUL Series 7
The second new destination on the series this year was Stokes Bay and it didn't disappoint offering a brisk southerly breeze. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne were convincing winners, leaving them on a par with Tom and Robert Stewart ahead of the final event at Northampton.
Northampton Sailing Club - GUL Series 8
Ending the year with a bang, sailors enjoyed the warm hospitality and fireworks display at Northampton Sailing Club on 5th November. Twenty one National 12s were welcomed at this final event and were met by glorious sunshine and a breeze gusting force 3 to 5. The wind was blowing over the side of Pitsford Lake making for some large shifts, big holes and testing conditions for the fleet with the occasional swim to test the water temperature. In the first race Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne made their way through the pack and challenged Kevin and Lindsey Iles on the final lap to take the lead. In the second race it was the turn of the Meadowcrofts to show the way up the first beat, they managed to avoid the big holes that randomly becalmed many parts of the fleet. As with the previous race Camm & Ballantyne slowly worked their way through the fleet to take line honours.
For the final Gul series race John Ibbotson & Rachel Smith showed the fleet the best way up the first beat along with the Meadowcrofts. Ibbotson & Smith stretched their lead on the second lap but again it was Camm & Ballantyne who were to take line honours as they worked their way through the fleet into the lead to take the final Gul series event and clinch the overall 2016 Gul series with just one point between them and Tom & Robbie Stewart who took second in the series.
GUL Series Results 2016 Overall Results: (top three)
1. Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne
2. Tom Stewart and Robert Stewart
3. John Meadowcroft and Ollie/Dan Meadowcroft
Admirals Cup 1st Place: Neal Lillywhite and Freya Lillywhite
Family 1st Place: Tom Stewart and Robert Stewart
Non-Foiler 1st Place: Nigel White and Chris White
For full event reports and results please visit the National 12 website, www.national12.org
The National 12 Owners' Association would like to thank GUL for their continued support of the class – we are already looking forward to the 2017 series!