GP14 Ireland 2017 Dates

Ulster Championship - Newtownards SC

Sat 17 - Sun 18 June

Mediterranean style sailing on Strangford Lough for the Ulster Championships!

The GP14 Ulster Championship was won by Shane MacCarthy & Damien Bracken.

Overall

1st Shane McCarthy & Damian Bracken    Greystones SC
2nd Alan Blay & David Johnston    Sutton DC
3rd Niall Henry & Ossian Geraghty    Sligo YC

Silver

1st Gareth Gallagher & Richard Gallagher    Moville BC /Lough Foyle YC
2nd Doire Shiels & Andrew Sexton    SSC
3rd Peter Boyle & Stephen Boyle    SDC

Bronze

1st Josh Porter& Catherine    NSC

2nd Geoff Murdoch & Jane Murdoch    NSC
3rd Robson Ogg & James Ogg    Donaghadee SC

Ulster Youth Winners

Gareth Gallagher & Richard Gallagher    Moville BC /Lough Foyle YC

Report by Ossian Geraghty

The GP14 Ulster Championships took place over the weekend. The fleet were welcomed back to Newtownards Sailing Club by Michael Cox who organised an outstanding event. It felt more like Barbados than the Ards peninsula as we had the most glorious sunshine and temperatures in the mid-twenties all weekend.

On Saturday the wind was 10-15 Knots but moved several times during racing by up to 60 degrees at times, causing major headaches for PRO Ruan O’Tiarnaigh, who as we expected rose to the challenge and got three excellent full races sailed. Saturdays racing was dominated by Shane McCarthy crewed by Damien Bracken (Greystones Sailing Club) taking three bullets with the main scrap happening behind for second place.

On Sunday we had two additions to the fleet, JP and Carolyn McCaldin (LEYC/SYC) and Ger Owens crewed by Melanie Morris (RStGYC). Ger & Melanie turned up to embarrass the rest of the fleet with their performance on Sunday, winning all three races. In fact they were that so far ahead the discussion in our boat centered around a scene from Father Ted, “Is that a small boat Ted? No, its just far away”. It is high time Ger/Melanie shared their light weather upwind speed techniques with the rest of the fleet because it can’t be any fun being that far in front.

In race 2 on Sunday the Gallagher brothers from Moville passed six boats from the first Windward mark and sailed through Shane McCarthy/Damien Braken and Alan Blay/David Johnson (SDYC) at the top of the fleet as though they were first stagers. The Gallagher’s are the boat to watch, up and coming stars, promotion to the Gold Fleet being a distinct possibility.

Overall winners of the weekend were McCarthy/Bracken, with Alan Blay/David Johnson second and Niall Henry/Ossian Geraghty (Sligo Yacht Club) in third overall.

No surprise that Gareth and Richard Gallagher took overall honours in the Silver Fleet also winning the Ulsters Youth event. Doire Shiels and Andrew Sexton (Skerries Sailing Club) took second overall in the silver fleet putting in a very consistent set of results over the weekend, with Peter Boyle crewed by General Pinochet, aka dad, in third.

In the Bronze Fleet, Josh Porter & Catherine (Newtownards Sailing Club) had to slug it out Geoff and Jane Murdoch also (NSC) with the Josh & Cat ultimately winning the Bronze Fleet.

A special thanks from the GP14 Class Association of Ireland to Newtownards Sailing Club, especially to organiser in chief, Michael Cox, PRO Ruan O’Tiarnaigh but also to all the volunteers who gave up their time in preparation and during the event, allowing all of us to go mess around in boats.

The next event on the GP14 Calendar is the Leinster Championships which is incorporated into the Dun Laoghaire Regatta, which takes place on 7th-9th July 2017. The GP14 Class Association are looking forward to seeing you all there.

Video & Sailing photos copyright of David Corkill
More of David's photos on flickr

Prize Giving photos copyright of Laura McFarland

Purcell Trophy - Greystones SC

Sat 27 - Sun 28 May

Congratulations to Ger Owens & Mel Morris on their Purcell 2017 win.  It was a hard fought battle between Ger & Mel and Greystones Shane MacCarty sailing with Damien Bracken.  

Report by Alan Thompson

The Purcell Trophey 2017 was hosted by Greystones Sailing Club in their fantastic new harbour and clubhouse.

After an hours wait on sat morning for the mist to clear the 26 strong GP fleet finally launched.

Race 1 got underway with a clean start and no recall (unusual in this fleet). Get Owens & Mel Morris back in business with the win, Shane McCarthy & Damian Bracken taking 2nd with Alan Blay & David Johnston in 3rd.

Race 2 started with the wind starting to build. Shane & Damian took the win with Ger & Mel in 2nd and John & Donal McGuiness in 3rd.

Race 3 started with gusts of winds of 26 knots. Alan & David retired with gear failure. Ger & Mel continued to dominate and brought home their 2nd win for the day. Shane & Damian picked up an OCD so Colman Grimes & Eoin Boyle came home in 2nd with Alistar Duffin & Andy Corkhill in 3rd.

Race 4 started on Sunday morning with lighter winds and sunshine, Ger & Mel once again on form with another win and Alan & David with their boat repaired took 2nd just ahead of Shane & Damian in 3rd.

Race 5 was a closely fought battle between Ger & Mel and Shane & Damian with Ger &Mel winning and Shane & Damian close behind in 2nd. Simon Culley & Libby Tierney pulled off a fantastic move on the downward leg by going close to the shore and took 3rd place.

Race 6 was cancelled as the wind died. So the gold fleet was won by Ger & Mel.

The silver fleet was dominated by the Gallagher brothers, sailing well once again. The bronze fleet was won by Josh Porter & Sina Hartman in their first event.

Gold

1st Ger Owens & Mel Morris RStGYC

Results

Photos :

On the water photos copyright of Monica Schaefer

Prize Giving photos copyright of Laura McFarland

Riocard O’Tiarnaigh Challenge - Sat 29^th & Sun 30^th April 2017

Report: JP McCaldin

The Riocard O’Tiarnaigh Challenge 2017 was hosted by Swords SC on Saturday 29^th & Sunday 30^th April.  17 boats from as far north as Moville and south as Dungarvan, attended despite the challenging forecast which proved to be right.

All boats launched and race one was started on time. Conditions looked fine from shore but once on the race course it was a very different story and most competitors tested the water temperature at least once throughout the day. Bronze, Silver and Gold fleets each sailed in separate flights with 4 boats in the bronze, 5 in silver and 8 in gold. 

Race one was won by Sam Wray & Michael Broaders, Sligo YC, in the bronze fleet from Martin & Vicky Dews, Donahadee SC, Bill & James Johnson, Lough Foyle YC, in the silver and Shane McCarthy & Damian Bracken did a horizon job and showed the gold fleet a clean pair of heels. There was  a lot of place changing with the McGuiness brothers eventually taking 2^nd place and the McCaldins in 3^rd.

Race two was quickly started although some competitors chose to head for the shore.  No finishers in the bronze fleet, the Johnsons again dominated the silver fleet.  In the gold fleet 3 of the top 4 boats capsized within 5 boat lengths of the weather mark, allowing Hugh Gill & Conor Twohig, Sutton DC, to take a clear race win with Keith Louden & Alan Thompson also staying upright to take 2^nd.  The McCaldins recovered from their swim to take 3^rd.

After lunch ashore a depleted fleet reluctantly relaunched to find the conditions even more challenging on the race course.  3 short races were sailed. Two 1sts in the bronze fleet saw Blessington SC’s Matthew Street & Lee McMullan take a single point victory from Sam Wray & Michael Broaders.

One 1^st and two 2^nds saw the Johnsons take the silver fleet from Stephen & Peter Boyle, Sutton DC with Dungarvan SCs father and daughter team, Simon & Ella Crowe taking 3^rd.

McCarthy & Bracken dominated the gold fleet with a further three 1sts showing great speed and boat handling in the gusty conditions.  The McGuinness’s secured 2^nd place with three 2nds and the McCaldins 3^rd with two 3rds and a 4^th.

Sunday dawned as forecast with winds mid 30mph, the race officer wisely decided not to hold the finals.

Thanks to Swords SC for hosting the event.  Next event on the circuit is Purcell Trophy in Greystones SC (27^th & 28^th May). Hope to see you all there.