Derwent Reservoir was the venue for the second event in the Gill N12 Series and attracted 26 boats travelling from an enormous catchment area – as far as Australia, Inverness and Brighton! The fleet were greeted with glorious views, great hospitality and a blustery and shifty Force 3-4.

The shifty conditions provided close racing and much place changing throughout all the races. After the first two races, Steve Sallis and Jenny James were tied with John and Katy Meadowcroft, both having secured a first and second place. Saturday night offered superb food and drink and a seminar on lightwind sailing (presented by the current National Champion, Graham Camm). Whilst not totally appropriate for the conditions, the seminar was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Sunday dawned bright and very, very breezy. While the courses on Saturday had been straightforward, Sunday provided much more complexity. The Force 5-6 gusting 7, combined with courses containing up to five gybes per lap,challenged all of us, made life very interesting and great for spectators.

Steve and Jenny continued their winning streak taking the first two races and dropping to second in the last race. Challenges were made by Terry Cooke and Charlotte Hardy, who led the first race for a lap until an unfortunate rudder breakage ended their day; John and Katy Meadowcroft, sailing their super-wide Final Chapter and Geoffrey Camm and Amelia Hall, who won the final race.

The Admirals Cup fleet well outnumbered the Double bottom fleet and racing in the Admirals cup fleet was close with few points separating contenders. Kevin Iles and Jane Jones were constantly tussling with the top three and achieved a great day’s results with a 4th, 2nd and 4th, putting them first Admirals Cup boat. Whilst Phil David and Sue Jones showed consistently fast pace and picked up the GILL Admirals cups prize for the event. Also, Howard Chadwick and Helen Nicholson had some good starts and first beats and were often seen in the top five at the windward mark and they held on to 3rd Admirals Cup, just beating Jerry and Margaret Garner on a tie break.

The highest placed junior was Graham Iles and Lindsey Iles and Neil McInnes crewed by his daughter Katie, were highest placed in the Family Cup. The leaders of the Gill N12 Series after two events are John and Katy Meadowcroft and in the Admirals Cup fleet Kevin Iles with assorted crews. The next Gill event is at Royal Harwich Yacht Club over the Bank Holiday weekend of 24-26 May.

Overall Results

1st N3436 Steve Sallis and Jenny James, 5 points

2nd N3464 Geoff Camm and Amelia Hall,10 points

3rd N3473 John & Katy Meadowcroft, 11 points

4th N3469 Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne, 13 points

5th N3373 Kevin Iles and Jane Jones, 14 points

Admirals Cup

1st N3373 Kevin Iles and Jane Jones 14 points

2nd N3217 Phillip David and Sue Jones 25 points

3rd N3358 Howard Chadwick and Helen Nicholson 37 points

4th N3365 Jerry & Margaret Garner 37 points