SAILING NEWS
News 18
Richard’s back
GP14 National Championship at
Mounts Bay, August 12-17
A fourth
THIS summer’s Championship was the fourth
time that the GP14 Nationals have been
hosted by Mounts Bay Sailing Club, off the weather warning from the Met office,
beautiful and wild coast of West Cornwall. Tuesday’s races were both postponed, but
On each previous occasion, the championship subsequent days brought exciting sailing in
was won by Richard Estaugh – would he challenging conditions. The greatest test of
succeed again, or would he be overtaken by nerve was on Wednesday morning when it
one of the many fiercely competitive young was daunting even to get to the start line in a
GP14 sailors now making their mark on the four metre swell, with visibility down to a few
circuit? yards – and almost as bad retiring to the
Richard and his crew Simon Potts started safety of the beach.
well, winning the first race against current This was the day when Estaugh/Potts put on
GP14 world champion, Ian Dobson, and his their most impressive display of heavy weather
crew Andy Tunnicliffe. But after two races the sailing, winning both races in superb style.
following day, in lighter conditions, Dobson/Tunnicliffe’s efforts were thwarted by
Dobson/Tunnicliffe were showing their form an early capsize in the first race and by their
and had achieved a three-point lead over rudder snapping in the second, after a violent
Estaugh/Potts, who were now tied on equal broach when hoisting the spinnaker.
points with Tim Jones and Dale Knowles. Amazingly, they completed the race without a
Then the weather struck. This was the week rudder, but not with the result they needed.
when so many Fastnet boats had to limp to the Conditions were still lively the following
shelter of south west ports. After a severe day and Estaugh/Potts stamped their authority
FAST AND FURIOUS: Action from the GP14 National Championship at Mounts Bay Sailing Club in West Cornwall. All pictures by Andrew Cornes. To order photographs
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28