GP14 Youth Success

Day 1

Race 1 started on time at midday. Connie Hicklin/Rich Booth got the best start of the lot and rounded the mark third behind Will Hawkins/Sam Thomson and Sam Blocksidge/Andy Hunter after a shifty first beat. As the first lap took place there was a huge split in the fleet, with four boats breaking from the rest of the fleet. The squally conditions soon kicked in and a couple of boats were caught out on the next lap with their spinnakers up, subsequently capsizing at the gybe mark. Peter Mackin and Ella Ditchfield were amongst the teams to be caught out. with their mast firmly stuck on the bottom, they eventually retired. There was plenty of entertainment and Eleanor Davies and Rory McKenzie were certainly trying to win prizes for falling out of the boat. While all this was going on, the Coppinger duo were quietly making their way up the fleet, coming from 5th in the race. When the race was shortened 45 minutes in Sam and Andy took the win, followed by the Coppingers in 2nd place after a great fight back, and Connie and Rich in 3rd. Megan and Hayley came home a very credible 5th after capsizing on the second lap and falling a long way behind. Admittedly, they were helped by a few retirements but full marks for perseverance!

The second race presented a change of course. Race 2 took a similar pattern with Sam/Andy and Connie/Rich rounding the windward mark 1st and 2nd respectively. Eleanor/Rory rounded 3rd with the GP14 Association boat sailed by Peter Mackin and Ella Ditchfield hot on their tail. Only Sam/Andy broke away from the fleet while a lot of positions were changing hands and a lot of swims were taking place, making for exciting spectating. Again, Eleanor and Rory had problems. This time Rory decided to fall out upwind after another nasty shift. By this point you started to wonder whether this would be their day… Sam and Andy took the gun, followed by Peter and Ella in the Association boat. Connie and Rich were showing consistency by finishing in 3rd place. The competitors were very glad when lunch arrived and they could rest their legs and have a chat about what went wrong or right!

Race 3 was due to start at 3.15pm, but a postponement was made as the wind got up and waves (yes waves!) were witnessed on South Staffs. This lasted 10 minutes, however, and the racing was under way by 3.35pm. Don’t get me wrong – it was squally, but not as bad as the sailors thought. Again, Will Hawkins and Sam Thomson nailed the pin end with a great start and the rest of the fleet behaving and staying behind the line and Pete and Ella having to gybe out at the pin end with seconds  to go; just a little too keen! The same old story applied in this race as Sam and Andy rounded first. However, it looked as if Eleanor and Rory had got their act together as they rounded 2nd with Connie/Rich, Will/Sam and Meg/Hayley hot on their tail. The gybe mark was in more breeze now as the wind shifted and started to increase, causing more issues than in previous races. Connie and Rich popped the kite whilst in 2nd place, but didn’t quite hold it at the gybe mark and ended up death-rolling. As Sam and Andy disappeared into the distance with some fantastic sailing there was a real scrap for 2nd. Again, Eleanor/Rory got a huge backer and ended up gybing on the beat, which allowed Meg, Peter and Will to break away. Meg and Hayley had dropped back from the Association boat and Will/Sam but the Coppinger duo were approaching but the battle for 2nd and 3rd looked to be between Will and Peter, or so we thought. Will and Sam looked to have got the better of Pete and Ella as they went right up the last beat, only to capsize as both boats were caught in a very powerful gust! Pete and Ella barely scraped through the squall and took second place, with the Coppinger duo coming in 3rd. Eleanor and Rory had recovered to overtake Meg and Hayley up the last beat. Both Eleanor and Rory had stayed in the boat the whole race – was this to be a miracle? No, just short of the line a smaller header hit and Rory fell out again! They were, however, far enough in front to recover and come in for 4th, with Meg and Hayley 6 seconds behind in 5th.

Day 2

The wind was forecast slightly lighter then yesterday, but there was a constant force 5 gusting 6/7 at times during the first two races. Race 4 started, and Sam Blocksidge/Andy Hunter rounded the windward mark in first place, challenged by Connie Hicklin/Rich Booth and others. However over the first couple of laps they pulled out a gap that proved to be decisive as they finished the race first. There were a few boats that didn’t risk the spinnaker as the wind was strong. However, those that did were rewarded most of the time. There was a scrap for 2nd, however, and Connie/Rich held off both Peter/Ella and Eleanor/Rory to finish with some great sailing of their own. The separate battles up and down the fleet were brilliant and with only two or three capsizes in the strong winds.

The wind didn’t let up for Race 5. It was hard for the sailors as the race was back to back with Race 4. However, it brought a nice change, with Peter and Ella the first round the windward mark in the Association boat closely followed by Sam and Andy. At the 3rd mark they swiftly snatched back the lead as Peter and Ella struggled with a poor kite hoist, but they did not get a way as quickly as before. Connie and Will were both showing great pace as they closed up to the front pairing with Megan/Hayley not far behind. Sam/Andy took lifts and gusts at the right time and gradually pulled away. As Connie and Rich chased down the leaders they capsized just shy of number 2 with the spinnaker up. This was the end of their challenge for this race but persevered and carried on to come home 9th. Will/Sam held their own and completed the race, finishing in a credible 3rd place with Pete and Ella 2nd.

Race 6 took place after lunch and the wind was still a Force 4 gusting 5, but dropped throughout the race, much to the relief of the sailors. Sam and Andy had a comfortable lead going around the windward mark with Eleanor and Connie in a real scrap for 2nd place; both also competing for the first female helm. The Association boat was sitting and waiting to pounce on any potential opportunity between the two female helms and got its reward when Eleanor/Rory appeared to have a few kite issues. Connie/Rich had pulled away, but the wind filled in from behind and brought both Peter and Eleanor with it. Peter decided to make a final split and the last mark and eventually made a big gain up the final beat on both Eleanor and Connie. Passing comfortably clear ahead of Eleanor and just shy of Connie; he and Ella finished 3rd. And Connie/Rich held their own and came home 2nd in the race with Eleanor 4th.

Overall winners were Sam Blocksidge and Andy Hunter with a perfect run of 6 wins. Second was Bolton’s own Peter and Ella discarding their initial DNF and counting 2,2,3,2,3. Peter was also the first under 18 helm and Ella was the first female crew. A great achievement for both Peter and Ella and also for Bolton Sailing Club.