Not that Tunnicliffe

Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe are leading after the first day of the GP14 World Championships

Reigning Champions Dobson and Tunnicliffe stamp their authority of the fleet with two bullets on day one of the GP14 World Championship 2008.

Reigning champions Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe kicked off their campaign to retain their GP14 World title in fine style today. The pair from Burwain SC, clocked up two race wins on the opening day of the Championship which is being held at South Caenarvonshire YC in Abersoch. Another pair of past world championship winners, Neil Marsden and Derek Hill, are tied for second place with long time GP sailor Neil Platt crewed by Jane Alexander, as both teams have recorded a second and a third today.

After a single aborted gate start, the one hundred and three boat fleet got away at the second time of asking, in an eight to ten knot breeze blowing from the south east. First out of the gate were Silver fleet competitors Matt Thursfield and Sally Fowler, who initially looked good when, after about five minutes, they tacked on to port. The hotly tipped main contenders, Marsden and Dobson, started next to each other about twenty boats later and both immediately began looking for ways to get out to the right. As the leaders arrived at the windward mark it was Dobson who had made the best of the shifty beat to round comfortably in the lead. Next came pathfinders Justin Jones and Lucy Evans, followed closely by the legendary Irish G.P.14 builder Alastair Duffin, being crewed by Stephen Nelson.

Along the first reach, the combination of tidal effect and natural boat on boat climbing, pushed the pack very high of the next mark. Neil Marsden took full advantage of this situation by getting low on the reach and moved from seventh to second by the wing mark. On the next reach, Dobson made the best of having clear air and had extended his lead on the pack by the leeward mark. Behind him, Neil Marsden had surrendered second place to Neil Platt whilst Justin Jones was hanging on to fourth, despite the challenge from Duffin.

Up the second beat, as Dobson pulled away still further, Marsden broke back past Platt and fourth placed Jones kept Duffin firmly in his sights. There were no place changes down the run and at the finish Dobson had stretched his lead out to over seventy seconds, ahead of Marsden, Platt, Jones and Duffin.

The wind was flicking around between 230 and 270 degrees, causing a slight delay whilst the race committee reset the course for race two. When the fleet did get away it was Neil Marsden who led his adversary Ian Dobson around the first windward mark. The very picture of consistency, Neil Platt rounded in third place, one ahead of brother Ian crewed by Matt Johnson. Over the next three legs, the three leading boats steadily pulled away from the fleet and engaged themselves in a three way battle for the lead.

At the final windward mark rounding, Marsden led by a just boat length from Neil Platt, who in turn was less than a length ahead of Dobson. With the boats so close together and the wind fading a little, it was clear that race two was going to be won or lost on down this final run. A few hundred yards into the leg Dobson made his attacking move by gybing out to the left. Marsden immediately followed suit, leaving Platt on the right seemingly content to let the other two fight it out. With some largish waves evident on the racecourse, Marsden and Dobson could both be seen working hard to get the best advantage out of any opportunity to surf. About twenty boat lengths from the leeward mark, Dobson finally managed to edge his way past Marsden and when the pair gybed for the mark Dobson held the inside advantage. As Platt converged from the right and all three crews were pulling down their spinnakers, Marsden made an uncharacteristic error – stalling his rudder and spinning his boat into a tack rather than a gybe. Platt just managed to avoid hitting the anguished Marsden and was able to nip inside to round the leeward mark in second place. With just a short beat to the finish there were no more place changes so Dobson took his second bullet of the day ahead of Platt and Marsden with Ian Platt taking fourth.

Racing at the GP14 World Championships 2008 continues on Tuesday 5 August, with two more races scheduled. Wednesday has been designated a reserve day but two races per day will be sailed on Thursday and Friday.

The International GP14 Class Association are grateful for the generous support of their sponsors: Mailspeed Marine, Speed Sails, Harken, Goacher Sails and K. Drewe Insurance Brokers.

Results:

1-Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe – Burwain SC, 2 points
2-Neil Platt and Jane Alexander – West Kirby SC, 5 points
3-Neil Marsden and Derek Hill – Blackpool & Fleetwood SC, 5 points
4-Ian Platt and Matt Johnson – Bolton SC, 10 points
5-Justin Jones and Lucy Evans – South Staffs SC, 14 points
6-Mark Platt and Malcolm Marsden – Bolton SC, 14 points
7-Richard Instone and Steve Parker – Chase SC, 15 points
8-Curly Morris and Laura McFarland – East Antrim BC, 21 points
9-Dave Young and Chris White – South Staffs SC, 21 points
10-Richard Estaugh and Simon Potts – Chase SC, 22 points