Super 8 Series
The 2017 GP14 Craftinsure Super 8 Series proved one of the most successful in recent years with 218 sailors having taken part during the year and 29 boats qualified.
The series kicked off with the End of Seasons at Royal Windermere Yacht Club in 2016 which was won by Shane MacCarthy and Andy Thompson to continue their dominant year in the GP14.
The first event of 2017 was the Midland Area Championships at Staunton Harold which gave us some amazingly competitive racing and an event win from the local sailors Pete Gray and Rich Pepperdine.
John Hayes and Joel James were the Scottish Champions at Annandale and with some great racing all year took the Super 8 second place overall.
Mike Senior and Chris White were the Welsh Area Champions at Dovey and carried on their good form to the Nationals in what was a very close contest with Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe. Taking the battle down to the last day Ian and Andy were victorious taking back their National Champions crown. Rounding off some consistent racing, Gingerboats’ Andy Smith and Phil Hodgkins won the Northern Areas at Derwent to muscle into the Super 8 third spot.
It was close for the top spot but their first year together has seen P&B’s Fergus Barnham and Andy Hunter grow into the pair to beat, winning the Inland Championships at Bassenthwaite and the Southern Area Championships at Brightlingsea and crowned the 2017 GP14 Craftinsure Super 8 Series winners:
“Myself and Andy are delighted to have won the Super 8 Series,” comments Fergus. “The standard of racing on the GP14 circuit is very high and each race was hard fought!
“Getting to race the likes of Mike Senior/Chris White, the Gingerboats team, Pete Gray/Rich Pepperdine and John Hayes/Joel and Poppy James on a regular basis has been fantastic and has certainly made us improve throughout the year.
“We are already looking forward to next year and getting back out there and getting better!”
In the Silver Fleet it was the light wind bandit Frank Nickless, crewed by Michelle Evans, that lead throughout, nibbling at the heels of the Gold Fleet all year to take the Silver Fleet top prize.
“Thought the circuit this year was excellent in terms of venues,” explains Frank “I think the winds have given everyone chance to shine the competition across all the fleets has been close. The outstanding event for me was Brightlingsea; good numbers, excellent race management and steady winds.”
In the Bronze Fleet it was the Commodore of Welsh Harp that took the top honours, rewarded for a year of travelling and enthusing his Club to win the award for most travelled this year.
“What a great GP14 season! Thank you to all my Super 8 crews: Jim Dimond, Joanna Siudzinska, Szymon Matyjaszczuk, Edward Coyne, Eugene Shrimpton and Andy Ferrington for helping me in my travel and achieving promotion to Silver Fleet. I have enjoyed traveling across UK and meeting great sailors and friends. I am looking forward to new season!!!!!”
The 2018 Super 6 started at this year’s End of Seasons and will continue at the Midland Area Championships at Chase SC on 21/22nd April 2018.
2017 Craftinsure Super 8 Series – Full Final Results
- 1st (Gold) – P&B’s Fergus Barnham and Andy Hunter (Snettisham SC/Nantwich SC)
- 2nd (Gold) – John Hayes and Poppy James/Joel James (Southport SC)
- 3rd (Gold) – Gingerboats’ Andy Smith and Phil Hodgkins (Bassenthwaite SC)
- 1st Silver – SP Boats’ Frank Nickless and Michelle Evans (Chase SC/South Staffs Staffs SC)
- 2nd Silver – Nick Brandon and Lisa Carpenter (South Staffs SC)
- 3rd Silver – Hugh Devereux and Malcolm Bird (Budworth SC)
- 1st Bronze – Maciej Matyjaszczuk and Szymon Matyjaszczuk / Andy Ferrington / Joanna Matyjaszczuk / Eugene Shrimpton (Welsh Harp SC)
- 2nd Bronze – Alan Jones and Sue Watson (Bassenthwaite SC)
- 3rd Bronze – Adam Vaughan and Phil Pethybridge (Derwent Reservoir SC)
The links below take you to the race reports and results for each individual event:
- End of Season Championships15 & 16 Oct 2016
- Midland Area Championships 08 & 09 April 2017
- Inland Championships 06 & 07 May 2017
- Scottish Area Championships 20 & 21 May 2017
- Southern Area Championships 03 & 04 June 2017
- Welsh Area Championships (inc. sea training 30 June) 01 & 02 July 2017
- National Championships (inc. sea training on 04 & 05) 6 Aug – 11 Aug 2017
- Northern Area Championships 23 & 24 September 2017
End of Season Championships
15 & 16 Oct 2016
Royal Windermere Yacht Club
This was a sold out event and with current World and UK National Champs Shane MacCarthy and Andy Thompson in attendance it looked like there was going to be a massive upset after Day 1 as Silver Fleet stars Meg Hicklin and Hayley Ramadhar got the better of the champs and won the day. Day 2 was forecast heavier winds, read the Event Reports to find out what happened.
Photos of prize winners and the black tie social can be found here.
Racing pics can be found on the SailPics website.
Want to know how the 2015 End of Seasons went? 2015 results are here.
Midland Area Championships
08 & 09 April 2017
Staunton Harold Sailing Club
It was champagne sailing for the Midlands this year with the breeze ranging from light and shifty to medium/heavy and shifty with sailors passing round the sun cream in the scorching heat. With four different race winners it looked like it could be one of 5 boats that won it until the wind picked up and Pete and Rich cashed in. We had some excellent race management and fantastically close racing. The pics are on the GP14 Facebook Page.
Click here for the RACE REPORT
Inland Championships
06 & 07 May 2017
Bassenthwaite Sailing Club
We had sunshine and lots of wind for the Inlands with 31 boats taking part in the event won by Fergus Barnham and Andy Hunter.
You can read the 2017 race report and results here.
Want to know how the 2016 Inlands went? Visit the 2016 event coverage page.
Scottish Area Championships
20 & 21 May 2017
Annandale Sailing Club
We had hail and rain, and more rain but an enjoyable weekend for those that came with John Hayes and Joel James winning.
You can read the race report and results here.
Southern Area Championships
03 & 04 June 2017
Brightlingsea Sailing Club
Sunshine and ice creams for the 18 boats that enjoyed champagne sailing on the South East Coast. Fergus Barnham and Andy Hunter were once again winners, you can read the race report and results here.
Want to know how 2016 went? Read the 2016 Southern Championships report.
Welsh Area Championships
01 & 02 July 2017
Dovey Yacht Club
Sunshine, waves and a 10 out of the 19 Gold Fleet sailors at the home of the GP14s, Dovey YC. Race report, training report and results here.
National Championships
6 Aug – 11 Aug 2017
Looe Sailing Club
63 boats for one of the most competitive and well attended Nationals in over a decade! All the links to the reports, results and videos are on the 2017 event coverage page.
Want to know how the 2016 Nationals went? Visit the event coverage page.
Northern Area Championships
23 & 24 September 2017
Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club
17 boats made the trip to the popular Derwent SC for the Northerns which was won by Gingerboats’ Andy Smith and Phil Hodgkins.
Read the 2016 Northerns race report.
Want to know how the 2015/16 Super 6 Series went? Final results are here.