GP14 Venetian Trophy at Welsh Harp Sailing Club

Overall winners Maurice & Romek lead the way from Keith & Hannah during the GP14 Venetian Trophy at Welsh Harp © Samina @bubs_photography

Maurice and Romek receive the 2024 Travellers Trophy during the GP14 Venetian Trophy at Welsh Harp © Joy Walter @WHSC

GP14 Southern Travellers kick off in style at Welsh Harp with help from P&B

There is a huge breadth of sailing offered in the GP14 Southern Travellers Series with events run in sea, river and reservoir locations, across Southern England and Wales. The series is bookended by the two open meetings in central London, under Wembley Stadium's arch, at Welsh Harp Sailing Club. The first of these, The Venetian, kicked off the season on Saturday 26th April.

With a forecast of light to medium Easterly winds mutterings at the briefing were about expected variability on the one kilometre beat along the reservoir and so it was to prove. There were nineteen entries to the event with the normal Harp welcome of friendly banter, breakfast rolls and cups of tea! There were visitors from Frensham Pond, Papercourt, Paignton and Hunts and former GP14 sailor and legend Roger Walton delivered a short and brutally concise briefing.

With patches of blue sky opening up and catching out those dressed for winter sailing the first race got away with Maurice Cleal and Romek Kowalewski leading from the pin end as the first of the shifts became apparent. Old rivals Steve Cooper and Liz Guest chased hard as the fleet slalomed up the full length of the pond with the wind. Also in the mix were Sue Tomkins and Roger Jeffs, Paul Trubridge and Matt Hall from Frensham and new GP14 sailors John Curran and Mark Greenstreet. The downwind legs were challenging with a constant danger of blanketing close to the edges, but Maurice and Romek extended away to win by some distance from Steve and Liz.

Race two followed immediately and with the wind veering slightly starters at the committee boat end had the advantage up the first beat with Ricardo Chacon and Guy Harden leading for a short while before Maurice and Romek came through for a tight win from Steve and Liz and a battling Keith Street and Hannah Liptrott.

Lunch was to the normal high Welsh Harp standard with a choice of curry and casserole with extra sausages for those who wanted them! Before getting back on the water David Innes from the GP14 Association presented the prizes from the 2024 Travellers series with the Travellers Trophy going to Maurice and Romek and the Jaldi Cup for new travellers going to Tony Perkins and John McGuinness from Frensham.

Races 3 and 4 followed back-to-back with more Walton slalom courses leading to some very exciting mark roundings. The beats became more variable, and it seemed to favour teams staying in the middle of the water in race 3 Maurice and Romek again led from Keith and Hannah and Steve and Liz with David Innes and John McGuinness coming through the fleet to take fourth from Richard Lord and Hannah Rose. With the cup won Maurice and Romek were given a fright in race 4 by popular local duo Jamie Isles and Caro Mitchell sailing 12659, a mark 1 and the oldest boat in the fleet. A fantastic prize-giving was held by Commodore Liz Guest with customary Welsh Harp mugs and a wide range of prizes from sponsor P&B.

Commodore Liz Guest presents Maurice and Romek their prizes, modelling their P&B beanies during the GP14 Venetian Trophy at Welsh Harp - photo © Luke Howard @WHSC

The next event in the GP14 Southern Travellers series is at the stunning Llandeggfedd Reservoir on weekend 17th / 18th May. Bookings and further details of the GP14 Southern Travellers Series can be found on gp14.org.

Overall Results:

Wembley Stadium in the background during the GP14 Venetian Trophy at Welsh Harp - photo © Samina @bubs_photography