GP14 National Championships 2010
Posted on August 11th 2010, by Craig HewettFour Budworth GP14s entered the National Championships this year. A 6-day event hosted by South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club (SCYC), and sailed some 3-4km offshore in Cardigan Bay. 60 boats entered in total from Sailing Clubs across the UK, and even Sri Lanka. Fleets from Budworth, Bolton and South Staff were particularly well represented.With light winds early in the week fortunes were mixed. After a storming start in the practice race on Day 1 Craig & Gemma Hewett posted a 20th place, only to be over the line in the first proper race receiving a depressing DSQ that set the standard for the rest of the week. However John Waind with crew Jean Shaw and Ray & Jackie Bailey kept Budworth honours high with 13th and 16th respectively in the first race, finishing ahead of Bill Kenyon & Ben Ditchburn.
Budworth Sailors’ fortunes improved dramatically over days 2 & 3 as they got used to the light winds, choppy waters and underlying tides. In the 5th Race Bill and Ben were first to the windward mark and led the race for the first lap before eventually being overhauled by Simon Potts crewed by Budworth’s own Luke Shaw. John Waind and Jean Shaw finished 13th in the same race, and Ray & Jackie also posted a very creditable 17th in the following Race 6.
Later in the week, the breeze picked up, as did the swell and chop, and tidal flow became more pronounced presenting further challenges to an already tiring Budworth Team. Capsizes and occasional penalties tempered the good results, but the Budworth fleet returned home tired but satisfied with a valiant campaign and memories of a great social and sailing event.
1st 14021 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe Burwain & RWYC
4th 14057 Simon Potts & Luke Shaw Chase & Budworth
16th 13900 Bill Kenyon & Ben Ditchburn Budworth
29th 13721 John Waind & Jean Shaw Budworth
38th 13874 Ray & Jackie Bailey Budworth
46th 13760 Craig & Gemma Hewett Budworth
Full results and commentary on each days sailing are available at the GP14 website www.gp14.co.uk


