Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship 2025 at Tenby Sailing Club - Day 1

Thanks to Vanessa Devereaux for planning and organising the 2025 GP14 National Championships as it kicked of in style at beautiful Tenby. The welcome from the Sailing Club volunteers was amazing as they guided the fleet through the narrow streets and the oblivious tourists who were more focused on their ice creams and the gorgeous coloured buildings than the GPs being towed through.

Floris was the talk on Saturday while rigging and the decision to increase the number of races for Sunday was welcomed by all. So Sunday was Practice race, Race 1 and Race 2.

To summarise the racing in a few points:
1. Super sunny and very warm
2. Super shifty
3. Super close racing
4. Super fun

Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © Richard Craig / www.SailPics.co.uk

So the 'new boys on the block' with their borrowed boat won the day with two bullets. Harry and Oliver from Poole/Southampton soon got to grips with the GP and picked out the shifts with some intelligent upwind tactics.

Behind the two super fast youngsters were GP veterans with the 'magic still very much there' was Joel and John from Southport and Mateo and Keith from Ireland.

However, the battle during the races was throughout the fleet with all of the top ten showing good speed and lots of changing of positions as the testing shifts arrived.

Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © Richard Craig / www.SailPics.co.uk

As always, there are 'championships' within a National championships with friendly competitiveness in the Bronze, Silver and Gold fleets. Day one has shown some impressive results with Dale and Matthew Knowles from Bolton leading the Bronze fleet and punching into the top ten and scoring a fifth in Race 2.

Leading the Silver fleet is Matthew and Fin from Budworth currently fifth overall and would have been higher if Matthew had not decided to rugby tackle the final mark in Race 1.

The fleet enjoyed Tenby SC warm hospitality at the Commodore's reception on Sunday evening and prize-giving with Race 1 sponsored by Impact Marine and Race 2 by Rooster.

Curly Morric following Fergus Barnham - Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © Richard Craig / www.SailPics.co.uk

Race bibs were issued for the next day of sailing which will be Tuesday, as Race officer Nigel Denchfield and Floris decided that the fleet should stay ashore on Monday.

Race Bibs:

1st place - Harry and Oli
2nd place - Joel and John
3rd place - Mateo and Kieth
Leading Juniors - Matthew and Fin
Leading Ladies - Lucy and Charlie
Leading mixed - Ali and Russ

Oli Hayle and Harry Shaw score two bullets - Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © GP14 Class

Floris has now been and gone and the sun is out again for a beautiful afternoon on the beach in Super Tenby.

Results after day 1:

Curly Morris and Meg Tyrrell - Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © GP14 Class

Keith and Mateo Louden - Ripe Craftinsure GP14 National Championship at Tenby day 1 - photo © GP14 Class