Carl Jeffs and Jim Toothill from Trimpley SC won the GP14 South Wales Area Championship held at Neyland YC on 29-30 June 2002. A total of 13 boats took part in a great event with 10 visitors from the Lake District, the Midlands and London adding to the three home club boats.

The fleet were met with a Force 4-5 for race one with Race Officer, Peter Harries, setting a fairly long course due to the strength of the outgoing tide. This race was won by Tim Hemsley and Stuart McManus from Frensham Pond who led fro m start to finish, they were followed home by Dave Young and Rhiann Parry from South Staffs, who had worked their way up from seventh with Paul and Thomas Simes from Cardiff Bay, originally Neyland, in third.

Race two started in slightly less wind over the same triangle/sausage course. The winning tactic again was to go right up the beat and the race was initially led by Jonny Sinclair and Mike Senior from South Staffs and Bolton, however, a tangle with two lobster pots, let Carl and Jim through them to record the win, with Dave and Rhian in third.

After a great Saturday evening provided by Neyland YC, the fleet were met with slightly more wind on the Sunday morning with the prospect of some fast and lively sailing and an incoming tide for race three. Race Officer Peter Harries set a slightly shorter course with the windward mark in the channel, thus making the fleet have to decide whether to go right again and push against the tide or to go left in the hope of less tide. The right-hand side did pay again and the fleet hared off down the first reach, with the photographer’s boat from Castle Photography travelling at 12 knots to maintain their station! Carl and Jim won this race with Jonny and Mike in second, followed home by Martin (Toby) Taylor and Tom Storey from South Staffs in third.

These results meant that the championship was now between Carl and Jonny, with Carl having the upper hand, as all he had to do was finish third or better to win, no matter what Jonny did in the last race . Jonny and Mike did all that they could do however, by leading race 4 from start to finish and with Carl down in fourth going up the penultimate beat, if the positions had remained the same then Jonny and Mike would have been champions. However, Carl and Jim overtook Paul and Thomas towards the end of the beat and then Dave and Rhiann down the reach to finish second in the race and secure the championship. Dave and Rhiann finished third in the race and third in the championship.

Martin and Tom won the Silver fleet prize while the Bronze fleet prize was won by Malcolm York and Mark Chamberlain from the host club Neyland YC.

Following a fine free tea provided by Neyland YC, the winning boats in each fleet were presented with framed photographs of their boats at the event with every boat getting an engraved whiskey glass as a memento of the event. Mike Murray of Neyland YC won the ‘150 travel voucher kindly donated by Irish Ferries.

Overall Results

1st Gold 13686, Carl Jeffs and Jim Toothill Trimpley SC

2nd Gold 13752, Jonathon Sinclair and Mike Senior South Staffs SC

3rd Gold 13710, Dave Young and Rhiann Parry South Staffs SC

4th Gold 13667, Paul and Thomas Simes, Cardiff Bay SC

5th Gold 13617, Tim Hemsley and Stuart McManus, Frensham Pond SC

6th Silver 13737, Toby Taylor and Tom Storey, South Staffs

7th Silver 10801, John Salomonson and Jill Young, South Staffs

8th Silver 13693, Paul Owen and Sue Konczuk, South Staffs SC

9th Gold 13215, Graham Knox and Peter Bramwell, Hollingworth Lake SC

10th Silver 13727, Tim and Hilary Davies, Chelmarsh SC