RS400 fleet at Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) 2025

Alistair and Helen Norris win the Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) © William Carruthers

A wet forecast didn't deter the 12 RS400s from travelling to the north lakes for the final round of the 2025 Trident UK Northern tour at Bassenthwaite SC for their annual Great Northern Asymmetrical Challenge.

With an uncertain forecast all week there were mixed opinions on whether we would sail on either of the days, with 1 - 3 knots expected on Saturday and a slightly better 3 - 8 knots on the Sunday.

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers

Launching proved more difficult than normal with the lake being high it was more one at a time than normal. Race 1 started with a shifty first beat, the consistently inconsistent duo of Alastair Rimmer and Ethan Dawson (Bassenthwaite sailing club) making the most out of the left-hand side of the course rounding in first with Oli Groves and Esther Parkhurst (Beaver SC) in hot pursuit.

True to the Bassenthwaite reputation, the leaders found in a hole enabling Oli and Esther, Sam and Martin, John Reekie and Andy Tunnicliffe and Dave Exley and Jude Allen to overtake, finishing the first race in that order.

It was at this point we found out that Hamish and Martin Spencer, who crossed the line in 4th place, were a little too eager and joined Ben Murrell and Olivia Leonard with an OCS.

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers

After starting race 2 and abandoning it, the race officer (Andy Smith), with an impossible job, was able to reset the course for the second time albeit in very little wind. It was inevitably difficult keeping out of the way of the 4 VX ones all weekend, as the unlucky few that were not able to gybe off at the spreader mark found out. With Oli and Esther, John and Andy, and Dave and Jude stuck on the wrong side of 2 VX's, the rest of the fleet were able to capitalise on the wind filling in, from almost 90 degrees from the forecast direction. With Alastair, Sam and Hamish in a drag race with each other to the end.

The last race of day 1 had more of the same shifty light conditions with the race officer and mark layers having a very busy afternoon. With a slightly more consistent direction the fleet drifted around the course with Oli and Esther getting it right more often than not and consolidating a lead, they left the rest of the fleet wrestling for anything we could. With John and Andy in second and Alastair and Ethan in third. Overnight having 2 boats tied on 4 points (Alastair and Sam) and another on 5 (John and Andy) showed just how close the fleet was.

With live entertainment in the bar on Saturday night there was plenty of talk about how much everyone enjoyed the Bass shifts and how they couldn't wait to do it all again tomorrow.

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers

An earlier start on the Sunday was optimistic with the lake resembling a mirror, racing was postponed for over an hour. The good news was the heavy rain has stopped and the sun was shining. Launching around 11:15 there was talk about trying to get in 5 races back-to-back if the wind played ball.

Races 1 and 2 were won again by Oli and Esther with second and third being contested by a variety of people with Neil and Archie Campbell using their local knowledge to secure a better result for themselves after the young Archie's swim the previous day cut their sailing short.

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers

Race 6 had the one and only general recall of the weekend. Oli and Esther showing the fleet how to sail in the shifts closely followed by Hamish and Martin in second and Mark Somerville with Joe Roberts coming in third. It turns out Mark needs 6 races to remember how to get around a race course!

What ended up being the last race of the weekend started with Oli and Esther rounding in first, connecting the puffs of breeze and sailing away from the fleet. Second and third went too low after rounding the windward mark, the wind filled in from the left and with the familiar theme for the weekend, the people with their heads out of the boat were able to capitalise and chase Oli and Esther. With Dave and Jude finishing second, and Hamish and Martin in close third meaning they finished on equal points.

Thank you to Bassenthwaite for hosting such a great event.

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers

RS400 Results:

Trident UK Great North Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) - photo © William Carruthers