GP14 Midland Bell event 2025 at Staunton Harold Sailing Club
by Charles Saunders 14 May 09:38 BST
10 May 2025
GP14 Midland Bell at Staunton Harold © Grahame Newton
Bright sunshine and a shifty wind - "mainly Easterly" - greeted four eager teams for the Midland Bell event at Staunton Harold. Two teams from Trimpley (Lesley & Sue and Keith and Ben) and one from Nantwich (Pete & Dawn) and one home boat (borrowed) with a scratch pairing (Nigel and Charles) made up the fleet.
The wind started in an ENE direction and gradually clocked round almost to South by the time of the last race. Winds off the heavily wooded South Eastern shore at Staunton make for difficult course setting and sailing conditions, which would play their part in determining the outcome of the event.
Race officer Grahame Newton got the fleet away cleanly with a course that carefully avoided any marks close to the windward shore. Nigel & Charles went left, the others to the right - at the windward mark Nigel & Charles had a short lead which they managed to hold onto to the end of the race though Pete & Dawn kept the pressure on to finish second, with Lesley & Sue in third. The wind was shifty with the odd complete lull and and a few serious gusts - just enough to get a GP planing once or twice.
A lovely lunch of quiches, salad and cake fuelled us up for the afternoon's entertainment, which was shared with the scheduled Saturday club races. There were also SUP boarders on the water as well as an Adult Learn to Sail course and Junior training, but there's plenty of room on our water. Earlier in the morning the Cornish Rowers had been out in their Gigs too.
The wind had now moved round such that the windward mark had to be close to the windward shore. This proved tricky - Nigel & Charles arrived first but with less than a boat length lead - Pete & Dawn rounded, caught a nice gust, surged into the lead and couldn't be caught, finishing first. Nigel & Charles, second. Lesley & Sue third again.
All to play for in Race 3 then - another course, wind almost Southerly by now. Nigel & Charles got a good start and couldn't be caught, despite strenuous efforts from Pete & Dawn. At the back of the fleet Keith and Ben finally gave Lesley & Sue a run for their money, just pipping them to take third.
At the prize-giving, Charles thanked the Race Officer and his team, the Galley and Safety crew and his helm, it had certainly been an interesting day on the water and very much enjoyed by the participants.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Net |
|---|
| 1 | 14072 | Nigel Pepperdine | Charles Saunders | SHSC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 14294 | Pete Thoms | Dawn Frost | Nantwich | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 13780 | Lesley Freeman | Sue Webb | Trimpley | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 4 | 13263 | Keith Budden | Ben Roberts | Trimpley | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 |