GP14 Northern Area Championship & Mirror Open at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club

Andy & Lily Smith during the GP14 Northern Area Championship & Mirror Open at Bassenthwaite © William Carruthers

GP14 Northern Area Championship & Mirror Open at Bassenthwaite © William Carruthers

What a restart to Open Meeting sailing after eighteen months of twiddling our thumbs! A weekend of racing for the GP14s and Mirrors. There were twelve and seventeen entries respectively in the two classes. The Lake looked positively crowded!

Although the weather had been wet and wild prior to the weekend, the first of the race days was reasonably sunny and warm. The only trouble was the wind - or lack of it! There was around an hour's postponement between the race briefing and the start of the first of Saturday's races.

This started in a light westerly. The first fleet away were the GP's and what happened? Two general recalls! At the eventual start, Bass' Dave Lawson with Joe Roberts crewing had the prime position and led by a length at the windward mark. They extended their lead and were first over the finish line ahead of Adam McGovern / Eleanor Davies from Hollingworth Lake SC.

In the Mirror fleet Bass; sailing secretary, Phil Smith with young son Oliver crewing led from Graham & Sebastian Vials (Derwent Reservoir SC) and Andy & Lily Smith (Bass). The Vials took the lead but then headed for the wrong off wind mark. Andy Smith followed his lead leaving Phil & Oliver Smith to take a comfortable win.

Race 2 had more flukey winds which affected both fleets but, for the leading group of GPs not as much as a mark rounding incident mid-course. A back marker in the Mirror fleet rightly claimed Room and the two lead GPs decided to round outside it. However, McGovern who was third GP cut inside without contacting either boat or mark - so no barging - and he continued to lead to the finish and secure the win. Patrick Hamilton / James Dewhurst (Burwain SC) finished second.

Then there was the effect of the shifts on the Mirrors. In one of the oldest boats competing Bass' Rear Commodore Naomi Smith with little daughter Lucy aboard got a flyer off the line and extended their lead on successive legs to take an impressive win.

Sunday was, as forecast, wetter and considerably windier. In Race 3 it was a southerly with the surrounding fells providing some protection from the gusts. Lawson / Roberts took the GP win from McGovern / Davies. In the Mirrors it was Andy & Lily Smith ahead of Northampton SC's Rob &Elizabeth Cook. Race 4 was held prior to a break and, on this occasion, the lead positions in the GPs were reversed. The Mirror win went to the Vials from the Smiths.

By this point the wind strength had increased by at least one further notch. Katia Smith / Hannah Preston (Bass) capsized their Mirror and, with considerable effort, just managed to keep it afloat and return to the Club's jetty.

GP14 Northern Area Championship & Mirror Open at Bassenthwaite - photo © William Carruthers

Many competitors decided there and then that they wouldn't launch again for the final race but the trophies in each fleet were still up for grabs so there were four GP starters and five mirror crews. In the former fleet Bass' John & Jack Telford were in contention at the windward mark but it was McGovern / Davies who then pulled away finishing one place ahead of Lawson / Roberts to take the GP14 Northern Area Championship meeting by a single point demoting Lawson / Roberts to second place.

GP14 Northern Area Championship & Mirror Open at Bassenthwaite - photo © William Carruthers

In the Mirrors it was just as intense with the Vial, Cook and Smith all in contention dependent on their final race result. Graham Vials decided against starting and when Andy Smith & Lily pulled out a significant lead over Rob Cook & Elizabeth the Mirror Fleet win and the winners' awards were theirs. Matthew Somerville / Poppy Christie took the Under 17 award Mirror award.

Overall Results: