Irish Nationals and Masters Championships

Sat 27 - Mon 29 Aug - Skerries Sailing Club

Timmy Corcoran & Brendan Brogan take the 2016 GP14 Irish Championship back to Sligo. 

Skerries club put on a fantastic sailing event - thanks to all invloved and to the main sponsor Bacharach!

Report - Ossian Gerraghty

Photos copyright - Andy Johnson

Skerries Saiing Club which has a long history of hosting excellent GP14 events welcomed the GP14 Class back for the 2016 Championships of Ireland sponsored by Bacharach. The event attracted an entry of 37 boats.

The first day of the event was characterised by medium strength winds. Recently returned from the UK having defended his UK British GP 14 title Shane McCarthy crewed by Damien Bracken led the charge to the first mark followed by Niall Henry and Ossian Geraghty, Sligo Yacht Club. The Gallagher brothers from Lough Foyle powered through Henry /Geraghty and McCarthy/Bracken on the first reach and led to the first race to the finish. In the second race it was the turn of Tim Corcoran and Brendan Brogan, Sligo Yacht Club who took line honours snatching the lead from Hugh Gill and Conor Twohig from Sutton Dingy Club. At the end of the first day of racing it was obvious that consistency over the series would be the deciding factor in the event with many of the top boats collecting double digit point in the first day. Alan Blay and David Johnson Sutton Dingy Club and McCarthy/Bracken were in overall pole position leading into day two of the Championship.

Day two was like dying and going to sailor’s hell. There were light winds with rolling waves and the most awful chop on the water all day. It was very difficult to get the boats moving at all and when you did you couldn’t stir with the risk of stalling. Hugh Gill made it look easy leading this race from start to finish with Timmy Corcoran constantly trying to close the gap without success. The course was switched to Windward/Leeward which made for lots of passing opportunities. Race 4 was finally claimed by Niall Henry after an epic battle with reigning GP14 World Champion Shane McCarthy. After a lot of waiting around and two false starts the Officer of Day Liam Dineen abandoned the third race much to the delight of the weary fleet.

The final day of the Championships began with little to no wind which filled gradually as the morning progressed. After a number of attempts to set a course the wind finally moved south and built throughout the day. There was only four points separating the top five boats so it was all to play for in the last two races. With the building winds, shifts of up to thirty degrees, strong gusts and windward/leeward courses there was a lot of position changes during this race. JP and Caroline McCaldin from Lough Erne Yacht Club won Race five chased closely by Keith Louden and Alan Thompson from Sligo Yacht Club. The last race of the series was similar and the event was won/lost of the last run. It Curly Morris and Laura McFarland's turn at line honours in this final race but Timmy Corcoran who made five places on the final run to finish second to become the National Champions for 2016. This was a splendid way for Timmy to bow out and we wish him good luck in his move to Spain.

In the Silver Fleet a similarly epic battle was taking place and with the final gun there was only 3 points separating the top 3 Silver Finishers;

Silver Fleet

1 Peter Boyle/Stephen Boyle

2 Steven Nelson/Brenda Preston

3 Katie Dwyer/Michelle Rowley

In the Bronze Fleet Youghal sailors Adrian Lee and Edward Coyne sailed a very consistent series beating most of the Silver boats to take the overall Bronze fleet. I suspect these guys need a promotion up to Silver the way they are sailing.

Bronze fleet

1 Adrian Lee/Edward Coyne

2 Brian Andrews/Claire Cromie

3 Steven Preston/Alison Boyd

The next GP14 event is the Autumn Open/Youth Championships which takes place on the 24^th and 25^th of September at Sligo Yacht Club. We look a good turnout. If you know of any Youth sailors who would like to compete please contact Ossian Geraghty, geraghty.ossian@gmail.com to arrange a boat and crew.

GP14 Leinster Championship

Sutton DC July 23-24 - results

Report & Photos Andy Johnston

The 2016 GP14 Leinster Championships were hosted by Sutton Dinghy Club and there was a super representation from Clubs up and down the country. The  strength of the Class comes from the GP14 presence in the likes Moville, Donegal, Donaghadee, Newtownards, East Antrim, East Down, Enniskillen, RSt.GYC,  Blessington, Lough Foyle, Sligo, Greystones, Skerries, Clontarf, Mullingar, Swords and the crews being prepared to travel to events like the Leinsters. This year we also saw boats from the emerging fleets of Youghal in Cork and Cullaun in Co. Clare.

It was fitting that the class should be sharing this event with the Mirror Nationals as many of the current GP14 sailors began their sailing careers in this class and indeed the current GP14 fleet boasts more than its fair share of past Mirror National Champions. A number of the GP14 sailors here at the weekend were in Sutton 30 years ago when the Club last hosted the Mirror Nationals in the week of Hurricane Charley. Indeed Des McMahon (Cullaun) and Libby Tierney (Blessington) vividly remembered a race with 105 starters and only 18 finishers such were the conditions that week. With 3 Olympians and a World Champion in the GP14 Leinster Fleet this weekend in Sutton, the Mirror sailors and their parents were seriously interested in the events progress. 

Light & shifty winds and three different race winners on Day 1 tells only the beginning of the story. The fickle conditions meant each race was full of twists & turns with corresponding tales of woe & good fortune. Race 1 began in moderate conditions but a dramatic right shift half way up the first beat saw boats that had worked the right hand side gain handsomely. Making the most of the windshift were the McGuinness brothers John & Donal who rounded first followed by Blessington sailors Simon Cully & Libby Tierney. John & Donal comfortably held on to win race 1 from Shane MacCarthy & Damian Bracken with local GP14 legend Hugh Gill sailing with Tim Coyne taking 3^rd.  Race 2 saw Keith Louden & Alan Thompson establish a commanding lead before letting victory slip from their grasp at the last moment  by sailing to the wrong finish mark. This let local pair, Alan Blay & David Johnson sneak the win from Ger Owens & Phil Lawton. Shane & Damian were 3^rd with Keith & Alan realising their error and scrambling back to 4^th. In race 3 Keith & Alan’s luck improved.  Ger & Phil were race leaders but as the final beat turned into a fetch initially and then a reach, the leading group of boats became becalmed leaving the rest of the fleet to hoist their spinnakers and sail past. Profiting the most from the fickle breeze, Keith & Alan took the win from Shane & Damian with Ger & Phil doing well in the end to salvage 3^rd place. The fleet sailed ashore to more scones & cake and bar-b-que with a superb Thai Supper later in the evening. Sutton hospitality is a force to be reckoned with! Overnight leaders in the gold fleet were Shane & Damian despite not winning a single race. Sutton pair Katie Dwyer & Michelle Rowley led the silver fleet while Blessington sailors Matthew & Richard Street had sailed very consistently in the tricky conditions to lead the bronze fleet.

The tidal nature of Sutton Creek meant a 13.30 start on Sunday gave the fleet a welcome lie-in. The first race of the day saw Shane & Damian as early race leaders but as the wind died on the last beat, they were overhauled by both local pair Alan & David and Ger & Phil. Alan & David held on for their second win of the weekend with Ger & Phil notching up another 2^nd. Race 5 was to provide another sting in the tail. The wind swung 90 degrees on the second lap, letting boats once again hoist spinnakers on the upwind leg and with numerous casualties and benefitters. Keith & Alan crossed the line ahead of Shane & Damian with Katie & Michelle in third. However Keith & Alan were left cursing their misfortune once again as they crossed the line to silence – an OCS putting paid to their chances of overall event victory. This meant race 5 winners were Shane & Damian with Katie & Michelle hanging on superbly to 2^nd from Ger & Phil in 3^rd.

The wind died and the prospect of a final 6^th race was looking remote when the AP was hoisted a number of times. However, one more twist in the weekend’s weather saw the wind fill in and white horses suddenly appear.  OOD Scorie Walls promptly got Race 6 underway as the wind started to gust above 20 knots.  Shane & Damian established a good lead over the first lap only to capsize at the second windward mark. They were soon joined by Keith & Alan leaving Sutton Dinghy Clubs Alan & Dave to sail on to a third race win and secure 2^nd overall. Shane & Damian recovered to 2^nd which was sufficient to give them overall victory while the McGuinness brothers took 3^rd position & 3^rd place overall. 

In the Silver fleet, local sailors Katie Dwyer & Michelle Rowley have been sailing very quickly in their new boat and were convincing winners from Lawrence Balham & Stephen Nelson. Local youth sailor Peter Boyle continues to impress and with his old fella Stephen crewing , finished 3^rd in the silver fleet. Bronze fleet winners were Greystones sailors Kevin Gillen & Norman Lee, while Jack Buttimer & Adam McDonagh kept the Youghal flag flying with 2^rd overall in the bronze fleet. Fittingly on his return to Sutton, Des McMahon & Pat Biesty, newcomers to the open circuit from Cullaun Sailing Club left with 3rd in bronze fleet.

So to summarise, an event full of twist & turns, conditions to severely test, an OOD team that coped admirably with the GP14 and Mirror fleets and superb racing for competitors from all over the country.

Thanks to Sutton Dinghy Club for their exceptional hospitality and for organising an event to remember.

GP14 Ulster Championship EDYC

June 25-26

Report by Donal McGuinness

Photos by Laura McFarland

The members of East Down Yacht Club in Strangford  Lough welcomed  the GP14 fleet  back for the 2016 Ulster Championships on the 25th and 26th June with their enthusiastic and warm hospitality.  This was the fleet’s first return to EDYC since the Club hosted the successful World Championships in 2014.  It was good to be back.  Racing was brisk for the 22 strong teams on the first day with Race Officer Sheela Lewis pleasing every one by getting the full programme of three races and solid Olympic courses. The black flag was pulled out on a few occasions to keep manners on those pushing the line. The wind picked up in strength as the day progressed with the last race sailed in a spirited 20 knots of breeze. 

Shane McCarthy and Damian Bracken put in a devastating performance with three convincing wins followed by the McGuinness brothers with three second places. The thirds were shared equally between Curly Morris and LauraMcFarland, Keith Louden and Alan Thompson and the Gallagher brothers.

The second days racing was a little less frantic with the winds having dropped to a more relaxed 9 knots. That said, the lovely clear waters of the Lough have lots of tricky little tidal secrets that took the day for some but not all to unlock.  With three more races completed, McCarthy and Bracken held on to their first place lead to become Ulster Champions.  Louden and Thompson took second when they won the last race with the McGuinness brothers dropping to third overall.  Steven Nelson and Brenda Preston, who also won race 4 in some style, won the silver fleet. Michael Cox and Josh Porter were second in the silver fleet with Gareth and Richard Gallagher taking third.  The two Derry lads put in an impressive performance all weekend ending up 7th overall.  They were also crowned the Ulster GP Champion Youth winners. The Bronze champions were Youghal youth sailors Adrian Lee and Edward Coyne with Thomas and Paul Sexton from Sligo in second and Robson Ogg and James Ogg from Donaghadee taking third bronze.

Finally an impressive new trophy to mark the achievements of ace crew Andy Thompson from Larne was presented for the first time to winning crew, Damian Bracken. Andy has, over the years, notched up title after title in the GP14 and other classes and it is fitting that the GP class in Ireland recognise his unparalleled achievements. Well done Andy!

Coleraine 24hr race - Team GP14 win!!

18th & 19th June 2016

Photos & report b y Laura McFarland

Team GP14 wins the 2016 Coleraine 24hr race on the River Bann.  The team was made up of Tim Corcoran & Brendan Brogan, Keith Louden & Alan Thompson, Curly Morris & Laura McFarland, James Hockley & Ryan Louden sailing in Alan Thompson’s boat.

Timmy & Brendan got off the line sharply at the 2pm gun. They got 5 laps in 2hrs. Once Keith & Alan took on their shift at 4pm the wind had started to ease off and they only got 2 laps in over their 2hr shift. Curly & Laura took over at 6pm with the wind starting to get patchy in places.  They similarly put in 2 laps in 2hrs.  A few laser sailors were evidently pumping their way around the course and managed to lap all other boats when there was next to no wind.  Rule 42 was blatantly being broken.  On being hailed to cease from the GP14 and other sailors and with no sign of it stopping a protest was duly put in against a number of sailors.  The protest was heard around 1am -  yes that is the way it works in a 24hr race - with the overwhelming evidence on show the protest was upheld and 3 laser teams were docked a full lap each.

James & Ryan took over from Laura & Curly at 8.30pm and unfortunately had keep the boat more under anchor than sailing during their shift as the wind had disappeared and the river was following out to sea.  We were one of the few teams with an anchor.  Some others boats drifted way down stream of the course.  Some caught hold of river buoys and managed to attach themselves.  Once the flood lights were turned the junior boats were brought ashore and wouldn’t sail again until 8am.  

It was a long shift for most of the boats as the changeover area was upstream. James & Ryan were eventually relieved by Keith & Alan just after midnight.  The wind thankfully filled back in again just after midnight and the night shifters sailed fabulously and were managing to lap most boats – legally!!  

The lap penalties were not to be applied until the race finish but by 10am the GP14 team were the dominate team and continued to do so until the 2pm gun.

Coleraine YC presented the award to the team and thanked them for putting on a fantastic spectacle of sailing commenting on the superb boat handling skills of each team in the boat.  They more than welcome back the GP14 sailors and hope that more enter next year.

Purcell Results 

Riocard O Tiarnaigh Challenge 2016 Results 

Double points last race

GP14 Ireland 2016 Dates