Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Jeremy Davey and Martin Huett lead the fleet in the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham © Paul Sanwell / OPP

34 Boats arrived in glorious sunshine at Grafham Water Sailing Club for the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championships on 28th/29th May. The fleet included boats from Dublin and County Antrim who made the journey across the Irish Sea (great effort guys!) and from up and down the country to race at one of the best inland venues in the UK.

The boats ranged from the beautiful and exquisitely maintained "617" and "817" to the pretty much brand new "4102". As a qualifying event for the World championships next year in Fremantle, enthusiasm was running high with the whole fleet launched early and ready for the first start.

The forecast for Saturday was light, northerly breezes and as the fleet assembled in the starting area at the west end of the reservoir, the wind was settling at 7-10 knots. Although the sailing instructions gave options for three different courses, OODs Nigel Denchfield and Phil Bevan had already advised during the briefing that windward-leeward would be the default option for lighter breeze.

The start of Race 4 in the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Keen to lay down an early marker, Ian Pinnell & Ian Cadwallader led the fleet at the first windward mark of race 1 and despite some snakes and ladders managed to secure their first bullet from Draycote pair Simon Patterson & Simon Thompson.

Race 2 saw another Draycote pairing at the front of the fleet, this time Jeremy Davy & Martin Huett picking their way through the shifts and patches of breeze to take the second race from Justin Waples & Jackie McKellar in second and Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado third.

By race 3, the OOD began to lose patience with the fleet's over-enthusiastic starting habits and promptly produced the black flag after the first recall. Four boats were sent ashore for early pasta before the fleet finally got away at the fourth attempt. Pinnell & Cadwallader made the most of the strongest wind conditions of the day to take their second race win, getting past Charles & Charlie Apthorp at the end of the last beat with GP14 maestros Andy Tunnicliffe & Andy Smith completing the top three.

(Interesting fact from the Race Officer - one boat he never spotted on the start line before the gun was Ian Pinnell/Ian Cadwallader's.... mmmmmm... might be something in that!)

Charles and Charlie Apthorp finished 6th overall in the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Sunday's forecast was for a slightly stronger 8-15 knots and a similar northerly direction. And in fact it was blowing 20 knots straight out of north as the fleet launched. First out of the blocks were Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado with Shane MacCarthy & Adam Froggart second and the ever consistent Pinnell & Cadwallader third.

Race 5 produced yet another different race winner - Burghfield Sailing Club's Ian Linder & Kevin Sweetman sailing off into the distance with the Apthorps holding off MacCarthy & Froggart for second.

A fifth place for Pinnell & Cadwallader was enough for them to secure the title with a race to spare and never ones to turn down an opportunity for an early finish, they headed ashore to rehearse their speeches and do their makeup. Meanwhile back out on course the wind was getting tricky to read. Huge shifts and big pressure differences were producing massive gains and losses throughout the fleet. Lovering & Alvarado seemed to have it mastered though, winning the final race from Hamish McKay & Adam Lawson.

Crucially this second race win for the Hayling Island duo was enough for them to secure overall on countback from Jeremy Davy & Martin Huet who had to settle for third overall on this occasion.

The classic boats had great racing on day one, but with the strong northerlies the two older boats decided not to launch, Mark Greer and Andrew Connellan from Middle Nene taking the overall win.

Mark Greer and Andrew Connellan sailed their classic in the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

In the Silvers, Jordan Aspin and Jason Benn in 3130 took the top spot.

Quote of the day from one of the competitors between races: "Loving the Flying 15....fantastic racing"

Huge thanks to everyone involved who made the event happen including the Race Officers Nigel Denchfield, Phil Bevan and their whole team, and also the sometimes unsung heroes like Andy the Coxswain who got all 34 FFs on and off the water in double quick time.

Prizes were kindly sponsored by Gill and winning helm Ian Pinnell thanked Grafham Water Sailing Club, the race team and all the onshore helpers for a really enjoyable weekends racing.

More photographs of the event can be viewed at 8573832.tifmember.com

Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader (left) win the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Overall Results:

Voucher winners in the Gill Flying Fifteen Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP