The Gul 29er national championship started with a hiss and a roar on Sunday 12 August at the Mountbatten Centre at Plymouth under the Plym YC.

After a two-hour postponement, race officer Mike Pearson sent the fleet out into Plymouth Sound for two spectacular races.

Because of the size of the fleet, racing was split into two flights. Qualifing races will take place over the next two days to determine the Gold and Silver fleet.

World champions John Pink and Tom Weeks sailed a safe two races but were shown the way round in blue group race one by visiting Danes Helle and Lars Orum-Nielsen, while Adam Clarke and Matt Bennett headed up the yellow group with a first and third.

Results

Race 1 yellow group

1st 339 OLIVIER VIDAL/IAN MARTIN (BOWMOOR SC)

2nd 022 STEVE WILSON/JOHN GARTH (SUNDERLAND SC)

3rd 075 ADAM CLARK/MATT BENNETT (GRAFHAM WATER SC)

4th 623 TOM STUART/TOM EVANS (SEAVIEW YC)

5th 553 JENNY TAYLOR/SARAH ALLEN (LEIGH & LOWTON SC )

6th 489 JOHN GIMSON/JAMES APPLEBY (RUDYARDLAKE SC)

Race 2 yellow group

1st 75 ADAM CLARK/MATT BENNETT (GRAFHAM WATER SC)

2nd 011 EDD CLAYSON/JONNY MARSHALL (GRAFHAM WATER SC )

3rd 022 STEVE WILSON/JOHN GARTH (SUNDERLAND YC)

4th 173 JENNY MARKS/JEMIMA MARSHALL (NORTHAMPTON SC)

5th 489 JOHN GIMSON/JAMES APPLEBY (RUDYARDLAKE SC)

6th 339 OLIVIER VIDAL/IAN MARTIN (BOWMOOR SC)

Blue group Race 1

1st 551 HELLE ORUM NIELSEN/LARS ORUM NIELSEN (SKAERBEK BADEZLU)

2nd 543 JOHN PINK/TOM WEEKS (STOKES BAY/HILL HEAD)

3rd 15 ALEX HOPSON/NICK MURPHY (BOUGH BEECH SC)

4th 335 DAVID FREEMANTLE/JAMES PENN (CARDIFF BAY YC)

5th 169 JAMES PERRY/JAMES TINGLE (GRAFHAM WATER SC)

6th 21 TOM JEFFCOTE/MATT GRIER (NOTTS COUNTY SC)

Race 2

1st 15 ALEX HOPSON/NICK MURPHY (BOUGH BEECH SC)

2nd 543 JOHN PINK/TOM WEEKS (STOKES BAY/HILL HEAD)

3rd 551 HELLE ORUM NIELSEN/LARS ORUM NIELSEN (SKAERBEK BADEZLU)

4th 169 JAMES PERRY/JAMES TINGLE (GRAFHAM WATER SC)

5th 167 BEN MCGRANE/ADAM SAVAGE (CHEW VALLEY LAKE SC)

6th 21 TOM JEFFCOTE/MATT GRIER (NOTTS COUNTY SC)