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GP14 Northern Championship at Budworth Sailing Club

by Paul Gray 7 Jun 06:43 BST 3-4 June 2023
GP14 Northern Championship at Budworth © Paul Gray

Over the weekend of the 3rd & 4th June, Budworth SC hosted this year's GP14 Championship event that had been long awaited as pre-entry had attracted 41 boats from across the country to take part in some high-quality competitive fleet racing, with 4 youth boats and 6 female helms across entrants as young as 8 up to 74 years and equal mix of skills and experience at open events.

The sun shone the whole weekend and with an ideal easterly breeze direction of 6-8 knots meant that those sailors with excellent light wind skills would be able to make good gains in the fleet and choosing a course to make to most of the pressure that did arrive, even more critical over the planned 7 race series.

Saturday morning saw all competitors arrive safely and get their boats on the water in time for a race briefing by PRO Jon Chapman at 10.45 with the first race warning at 11.45 and right on que, the breeze lifted nicely to create ideal conditions for what would be a busy start line. Sure enough, there were many who pushed it too much and a general recall ensued, but of the second time of asking race 1 got under way and was won by David and Lynn Lawson from Bassenthwaite SC.

Race 2 was to start back-to-back, but the wind decided it was time for lunch, so who can argue with nature? The Galley was fully manned and super organised for those who pre-ordered to get their bodies refuelled and raring to go for the now 3 back-to-back races planned for the afternoon.

So, of the second time of asking the wind complied with a good breeze and Race 2 started without incident as competitors erred on the side of caution to get away cleanly. This time it was Jack and John Telford from Bassenthwaite SC who won with Bassenthwaite was showing the strength of its fleet in the four boats that had travelled.

Race 3 started incurred yet another general recall as many boats vied for ideal positions and the line was reset for an updated course to account for change in wind direction, now from ESE. This race was won by Adam McGovern and Elanor Wheeldon from Hollingworth SC.

Race 4 started promptly and this time the wind has dropped to just 2 knots meaning it slow start that required the most delicate of touches and movement to get off the line and find the pressure on the course. Matt Mee and Chris Robinson from Red Wharf Bay/ B&FYC proved to be the experts here and won by a clear margin.

That concluded the first day of racing and now there were over 80 sailors and families along for the weekend, making it more than 100 mouths to feed with the famous Budworth BBQ in quick time along with some home made cheese and chocolate cakes. All quaffed down with beer, wine and spirits from the Bar listening to the live jazz band who played for over 2 hours and captured the chilled upbeat mood perfectly as the sunset golden over the mere. One of the band members was Nina Martin who also crewed with her father for 3 of the races during the day! The fun continued well into the night with drinking games and a now infamous 'beer puppeteer'....

Sunday brought more sunshine and clear blue skies with similar wind conditions and with three races left, the Championship was delicately posed with the four winning boats on Saturday firmly in the running.

Race 5 was won by David Exley and Russ Cormack from Budworth SC to help shake up the rankings and Race 6 was won by Adam McGovern who was pushing Matt Mee and David Lawson for top spot. With the Championship posed with just 4 points between first to third it was time for lunch and a chance to prepare for the final race and for a nostalgic group photo of all the competitors and support staff.

Race 7 saw Matt Mee and Chris Robinson make the most of the breeze to claim the win of the final race and with it became the Overall Champions and also winners of the Budworth Open too, huge congratulations to them. Their prizes and trophies were presented by Bill Kenyon, Rear Commodore of Budworth SC and both thanked all competitors for making it a memorable event.

The weekend saw competitive action throughout the fleet from gold to bronze, all of whom pushed their skills to the limit and gained valuable water time for the upcoming nationals in August.

Other noted winners were Nick Hornsby and Robert Morsley for winning the silver fleet and to Finley Waterhouse and Sasha Leach who won both Bronze fleet and highest placed Junior hem with 10th overall - definitely names to watch for the future.

Special thanks to event sponsor Goacher Sails and congratulations to Adam Chaplin as the lucky winner of the raffle for a new spinnaker.

Paul Gray, GP14 Fleet Captain at Budworth SC also thanked the PRO team professionally lead by Jon Chapman and Galley team by Alison Hubbard, without these army of volunteers none can enjoy a successful and safe event so all could travel home tired, but with smiles from a fantastic weekend of GP14 racing.

Overall Results:

PosFleetBoat NameSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Pts
1stGoldGoacher Sails14023Matt MeeChris RobinsonRed Wharf Bay / B&FYC‑652132114
2ndGoldLayla14064David LawsonLynn LawsonBassenthwalte Sailing Club1‑65425320
3rdGoldBetsy14145Adam McGovernEleanor WheeldonHollingworth Lake Sailing Club/SSSC4216‑101721
4thGoldWet Dream 214132Sam WatsonMatt BirksNantwich / North Staffs Sailing Club‑1147543427
5thGoldUnzipped III14140Bill KenyonMathew WilliamsBudworth Sailing Club236764‑928
6thGoldChunk Chunker14240Dave ExleyRussell CormackBudworth Sailing Club9‑10310110235
7thGoldRoses on my Plano14217Mark PlattTom PlattBolton Sailing Club39‑162561035
8thGoldHerbert14261Jack TelfordJohn TelfordBassenthwaite Sailing Club121‑13388840
9thSilverEvil Edna14063NICHOLAS HomsbyRobert MorsleyHollingworth Lake Sailing Club57‑12877640
10thSilverBea Hapi1372Hugh DevereuxGareth Staple‑ JonesBudworth Sailing Club81541612‑221267
11thBronzeLow Flyer13966Finley WaterhouseSasha LeachBudworth Sailing Club‑2518891391168
12thSilverBajan14187Julie WaddingtonChris WaddingtonBolton Sailing Club10209111111(DNF)72
13thSilverFlying Carpet II13611Sharon FreelandPaul FreelandLLandegfedd Lake Sailing Club15121413914‑1977
14thSilver1387513875Simon JoyceSteve JoyceBudworth Sailing Club141315‑271919585
15thSilver1361713617James AlexanderJoe MillsBudworth Sailing Club71910‑2220171891
16thBronze1407214072Darrell SleepCharles SaundersStaunton Harold SC17112012‑23132093
17thSilverGinger Nut14206Alan JonesSue WatsonBassenthwaite Sailing Club1616181814‑231597
18thSilverThird Time Lucky14251Christopher HeamCaroline CawoodBudworth Sailing Club‑248191716162399
19thGold1402514025Gary HowlandBen DuttonBudworth Sailing Club211411231715‑29101
20thSilver1396013960Val BellKen BellBassenthwaite Sailing Club202117142218‑28112
21stBronzeFlying1414069Hugh SmallmanDeborah LoveBudworth Sailing Club1925‑3015182016113
22ndSilver1411214112David MorrisDaniel HambletonBudworth Sailing Club26232319‑272514130
23rdBronzeMonty14021Hender BlewettJosh RyznarDerwent Reservior Sailing Club1824213124‑3721139
24thBronze1372113721Ross BairdMatthew BairdBudworth Sailing Club2229252915‑3024144
25thBronzeYin & Yang #214208Simon HenshallNigel WaterhouseBudworth Sailing Club28222721‑312722147
26thBronze1405714057Ann PennyCat GinglesDerwent Reservoir Sailing Club13302633‑382127150
27thBronze1422714227Robert SkellyChris MayDerwent Reservoir Sailing Club(DNC)322226323113156
28thBronze1421014210Tom LentonJames HughesBudworth Sailing Club2727282526‑3632165
29thBronze1367013670Rosanna JoyceSian BairdBudworth Sailing Club23172420(DNC)DNCDNC168
30thBronze1381713817David BeesleyCaroline EdwardsBudworth Sailing Club29313228‑352633179
31stBronzeThe Black Valais13489Paddy LambtonLiam DempseyBolton Sailing Club31263130‑333330181
32ndBronzeYin & Yang13959Montri BrusselersChristopher PennyBudworth Sailing Club353433242532‑37183
33rdBronzeCow14615Dave ButlerMichael RoyleWelton Sailing club(DNC)DNCDNCDNC211225184
34thBronzePlane Red13753Mike MartinNina MartinBudworth Sailing Club342836(DNS)303431193
35thBronzeGunga Din13883Paul GrayDavidBudworth3033‑3532283535193
36thBronzeMallory13777Charlotte CritchleyKenneth CritchleyBudworth Sailing Club(DNC)DNCDNCDNC292817200
37thBronze1423014230Adam ChaplinChris LambBlackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club3336293537‑3936206
38thBronzeSea Willow4615Stephen ParryOliver GabbitasYork SC Please note that as per agreement(DNC)DNCDNCDNC342426210
39thBronze1373213732Chris GillAngus GillBudworth Sailing Club32(DNC)DNCDNS362934215
40thBronzeOLL13874Pavan TekurAkira TekurBudworth Sailing Club37353434‑393838216
41stBronzeHigh and Dry13487Sean Maudsley‑ BartonFlora Maudsley BartonBudworth Sailing Club3637(DNS)DNSDNCDNCDNC241

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